Action Research for TQM CYCLE 1

1
Action Research for TQMCYCLE 1

• Implementation of TQM through 4-Cycle Empirical
  Research at Nokia RD Unit, OULU 1991-1997

2
Motivation and Aim

• frustration in certification process
• implemented improvements invariably triggered
  requests for further improvement
• there are purists who offer a silver bullet to
  solve all problems
• there are pragmatic proponents with holistic
  understanding. Such pragmatists combine the
  multiple no right way and no wrong way to
  implement TQM
• created a motivation
• to find out and prove that decisive and
  business-focused improvement is the right way
  to implement TQM
• The aim of this study is to identify elements
  TQM implementation practices that will increase
  the probability of success within the product
  development environment
• The above texts are either direct quotations or
  paraphrasing of text from
• TAUNO JOKINEN - MANAGING QUALITY INSIDE A
  HIGH-TECHNOLOGY PROJECT ORGANIZATION
• Faculty of Technology, University of Oulu, 2004

3
Implementation

• Implementation of TQM through 4-Cycle Empirical
  Research at Nokia RD Unit, OULU 1991-1997
• Research Methodology Action research with the
  researcher in key managerial roles with a high
  level of influence on the process
• Venue RD Unit of Special Products Division
  Established in 1991

4
This Presentationfrom this point on

• Explain the elements of Cycle 1
• Diagnosis
• Planning
• Action
• Evaluation
• Learning
• What did we learn?
• Andrea
• Ragnhildur
• Paul
• Questions

5
Diagnosis
6
Planning
7
Action
8
Evaluation
9
Learning 1
N.B. specific to cycle 1 not to the whole
research project
10
Learning 2
11
Learning 3
12
What Did We Learn?

• Andrea

13
What Did We Learn?

• Ragnhildur

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What Did We Learn?(Paul)

• That it must be extremely problematic for a
  researcher to implement action research in a
  domain in which he is not an expert
• That it must be problematic for a TQM expert to
  implement TQM in a domain in which he is not an
  expert

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What Did We Learn?(Paul)

• Reasoning
• The domain (Phone Technology) is technical and
  well documented
• The task (TQM) is well-documented over decades
• The researcher is a domain expert
• Employees are domain experts
• ?Risk of misconceptions is at lower end of scale
• BUT Cycle 1 started and ended with frustration
  over differing perceptions.
• ? Where the risk of misconceptions is at the
  higher end of the scale problems from
  misconceptions will be much greater.

16
Discussion

• Any questions?