Understanding the principles underlying the Total Quality Management approach is essential to using it effectively in higher education. These include establishing a customer-focused mission; creating a vision; improving the process continuously; using systematic analysis; promoting participation; and recognizing the college or university as a…

Institutional researchers and planners can play a key role in the application of Total Quality Management (TMQ) to institutional processes by exciting others about TMQ, exploring with others the possibilities of TMQ, clarifying the principles through application, and crystallizing the benefits through action. (Author/MSE)

Total Quality Management methods can build on conventional performance indicators to enhance their usefulness in monitoring and improving quality and effectiveness in higher education institutions. Experience with these methods at colleges and universities, particularly in several academic and administrative areas at Pennsylvania State University,…

Some organizations are having difficulty with the Total Quality Management (TQM) approach. Problems appear to come from reliance on prepackaged TQM programs, large-scale, diffuse implementation, mass training programs, measurement paralysis, overemphasis on tools, process selection, outmoded reward structures, and simplistic views of change and…