Total Quality Management Assignment Sample

• Type Assignment
• Downloads693
• Pages12

Introduction 

Get free samples written by our Top-Notch subject experts for taking Assignment Helper services.

Quality management is a good act to oversee many tasks and activities required to maintain an excellence desired level. Unilever has required the management program or quality program, which instituted such executive management in most of the lowest level employees. Whereas every specific function in Unilever needs to be modeled as a quality process after the unique requirements. All of the particular quality processes should be established and designed based on the overall program of quality management. There are various programs, like kaizen programs, TQM (total quality management), six sigma and many others. One unique feature is common to all these programs, and all are part of the specific strategic DNA of Unilever and have an integral part in their planning process. 

Executive Summary

Quality management has as the setting of objective every quality process and practice of the project Unilever by Measure and actions that are also carried by the proper consortium to confirm the perfect quality. There are two models in this research: the TQM model and the Six Sigma model that are related to Unilever. The SWOT analysis of Unilever is also elaborate in this comprehensive research study where every strength, weakness, opportunity and threat are discussed fully. However, there also have some implementation strategies that certainly could enhance the overall competitive advantage.

Quality management strategy and evolution of Unilever

TQM (Total Quality Management)

This is the new set of management principles, which was specifically created by observing some environmental changes in the overall business organization under the current condition of the world market. In the opinion of RAHAL and ZENNIR, (2018), this is a product of methodological innovation, which also accelerated through the market revolution on information and exchange style. The TQM could be defined as actions or strategies for maintaining the proper level of product excellence or service. While, there are many various programs of quality management. 

As a large company, Unilever has paid attention to all of its management implementations of very high quality. Particularly in recent times, this organization has been adopting various measurements to strengthen the overall measurement for maintaining such good quality of their business service. As per the view of Abimbola et al. (2020), in the 1990s, to practice and test such new techniques of management and the principles, Unilever introduced their TQM program in their subsidiaries. However, these all-new measurements have also been included, such as the construction of their self-company culture, the HR management (including the staff member and their customer management), the industrial management and the relationship has always been emphasized on their team to build the perfect methodology. However, in most recent times, the strategy of the TQM has been exercised widely in all their businesses.

The TQM of Unilever has needed such a new procedure to think about the mindset. All of them have now realized everything they did in the process. As cited by Anitah, (2019), the main focus is from managing results to improving and managing all procedures, from what and how to do the overall process as much better. The performance as better quality has also expanded to include how every part would be good in the process and relationship in every part of the procedure. According to Alshamsi and Al Kahlout, (2021), the process development has also focused continuously to achieve such perfect potential issues for all of their customers. The following factors ensure and confirm the TQM in Unilever. 

• The top acts of the management that are the proper driver for the particular TQM also create such a perfect environment, confirming their self success. 
• All workers of Unilever have been receiving regular training on such specific concepts and methods of quality (Wati, 2020). 
• Their development in sound quality also enhances the overall customer satisfaction of Unilever. 
• Their quality decisions are particularly made based on such perfect measurements. 
• All of them use proper tools and methodology to confirm the non-conformances measured, identified, and responded to consistently (Khanal, 2020). 
• Unilever has worked continuously towards developing the overall manufacturing and quality processes. 
• All Unilever workers are now encouraged to be proactive in addressing and identifying all problems that are mainly quality related. 

Six Sigma

From minimizing costs for developing the product qualities, the Unilever Company has enlisted the six sigma training for the lean and the six sigma education. This brand is very old and the multinational company in the whole world, in that around 400 brands are present in its portfolio that are well organized in such four segments as home care, foods, refreshments, and personal care.

In the Define part, they should be asked why they want to do the project. In the opinion of Sinulingga, (2019), they all would build a particular business case. This is the cause that is going on and why most people must support that. After that, they would establish the targets and look at a particular kind of team required to accomplish that. 

For Measure, they all would say that the position where they stay in the proper base and could be information. 

It should be analyzed to look at the comparison thing and the place where they would ask any pertinent questions. As per the view of Karki, (2021), the analysis is just for addressing the reasonable cause. This is similar to the 8D methodology or might be any kind of general issue solving.

Improve, now it could be tricker, and they would be required for going and recognizing the opportunities for attacking the "why". This is the cause that they create the potential solution bunch. They also try to find the proper thing that would certainly fit their particular financial and self-organization. As cited by RAMADHANI, (2018), however, for the target they as well try to achieve. This is also where they have gone for buying-in. So before that, they would try anything.

Control is for preventing recurrence. It also should be asked, "What did they require for doing some measuring and monitoring?" According to Taleghani, (2021), they all might have to do particular preventive maintenance. However, the control is now trying to recognize how they make the everyday living part. 

Critique of the strategy 

Criticism of TQM

The TQM is an approach that particularly focuses on all customer satisfaction. In this part, the proper focus of most of the management team of Unilever Company is on the special product quality. All of the organization's staff has also focused on developing the overall procedure of their manufacturing, product quality, services, and culture. TQM has also involved such a continuous procedure in developing the proper product quality to satisfy all customers. In the opinion of Basir, (2018), this was well done for retaining all customers as the specific satisfied customer also would not switch off their product. There is some criticism of the TQM of Unilever that are stated below, 

i) Changing culture

To make and fulfil the overall satisfaction of most of its customers, the Unilever Company has needs for changing the overall organizational culture. As per the view of Kumar and Mishra, (2019), this is also done for retaining all customers as the particular satisfies customers' organizational culture has also involved the change in their organization operation. However, this is impossible for Unilever to change the overall culture. 

ii) Time consuming

Quality management is a process that is time-consuming as this has involved the perfect evaluation of the procedure to manufacture any product of Unilever or their service. At first, this needs evaluation and, after that, enhances the total product quality.

iii) No innovation and creativity 

All of the staff of Unilever company has focused on their customer satisfaction. If most of the products have satisfied the formal requirements of their customers, then this is not essential that most of the innovative products would as well satisfy. As cited by Trinh (2018), the Unilever management could not use such creative ideas because that might be the outcome of their customer loss.

iv) Expensive 

Maintaining the perfect quality of the product of Unilever involves a huge cost. However, this has required the training cost of their employees, developing the proper infrastructure of Unilever Company. According to Jose (2021), it should be in charge of its entire consultancy to supply the proper assistance in most developing quality. 

SWOT analysis of Unilever

Strength

The business strengths of Unilever are recognized in their SWOT analysis section. The strengths are generally the factors of internal strategy, and that is based on their organization's situations, be it production procedure, human resource, investment or company structure. Unilever has many strong brands that are based in the goods industry. However, the strength has enabled, In the opinion of Patjoshi and Nandini, (2019), Unilever's organization to penetrate and compete as effectively as opposed to other companies. The product mix as broad has also shown the business growth of Unilever. As an example, Unilever has enhanced its overall product portfolio through many years of acquisitions and mergers, leading to the organization's growth and also increase as corresponding in their self revenue. However, on the other hand, scale economics has held their production efficiency, which is essential for the particular strategy of competitive pricing that has specifically shown in Unilever's marketing mix. According to Atubangira, (2019), the company has also enhanced the overall market presence, which is an excellent strength and has reinforced the overall brand popularity. The SWOT analysis has shown the proper strengths, which this organization could be used for sustaining global growth and success in most of the "consumer goods market".

Weakness

Apart from its solid market position, Unilever also has some weakness that has limited the overall potential growth. As per the view of Cheng, (2021), this part of the SWOT analysis has presented some internal and strategic factors, which generally impose the entire barriers to the business and organizational improvement. Imitable nature is one of the weaknesses of Unilever. For example, even the organization has invested very easily in their whole product improvement procedure. Some other firms could imitate other products like Rexona, Dove, etc. The broad product mix of this company is also very weak as for its limited business diversification outside of the consumer goods industry. However, Unilever also lacks in the direction that affects their buyers. 

Opportunity

This company should take perfect advantage of the growth opportunities in most of the goods markets worldwide. As cited by Sari (2019), this part of the SWOT analysis has determined the opportunities and external factors which could facilitate the overall business improvement. There are some opportunities in the Unilever company to diversify through entering into their business and outside of their consumer's goods sector. However, diversification has decreased market-based risks and enhanced overall business resilience. In the opinion of Basera et al. (2019), the particular product innovation could also enhance Unilever's overall product attractiveness by addressing the formal requirement of most of the enhancing health-conscious customers. Similarly, Unilever has the perfect opportunity to make their overall business very sustainable. That is also environmentally friendly for retaining and attracting the whole business as environmentally friendly to all their customers. 

Threats

There are various kinds of external factors that certainly could reduce or limit the business of Unilever's performance. The thorough analysis of the SWOT has also considered all of these external factors as specific threats. The Unilever Company should be tackled strategically. This organization has faced some tough competition that is a particular threat based on the other firm's strengths. As per the view of Anggraini (2022), most of the competitors threaten the company would be wanted for decreasing the company's market share and financial performance correspondingly. As an example, most of the local industries could improve their all of the products as very similar to Unilever. All retailers impose a particular threat by selling their brands. Most of the brands are particularly known as store brands, house brands or might be generic brands. 

Recommendation to enhance competitive advantage

Strategy implementation

The strategy implementation of Unilever Is mainly based on five steps that also include the internal and external analysis of the environment, strategic analysis, business strategy formulation, and overall strategy implementation. Abimbola et al. (2020) state that the business strategy as core should be aligned with the particular corporate mission objectives and statement generally based on the business model. The business model of Unilever and the mission statement consist of some major values, objectives, and goals. The mission statement elements have been to supply some perfect guidelines to the Unilever management and their overall workforce to implement that particular strategy. That also keeps as perfectly for conducting for ensuring their all employees that don't deviate from the particular way of strategy. 

According to Anitah (2019), this mission has also supplied such explanations of Unilever's existence and this company's business strategy for thinking the "act global" that is used in most of the cross-market strategies. The implementation of Unilever company a specific way for growing the proper strategy that was particularly formulated and began in 2000 and that also with the sustaining aim for achieving the growth, decreasing the business cost, and also decrease the dependence on lower qualified HR, and that also for aligning the Unilever company to the objectives and target to define in the specific strategy. 

Corporate structure

The corporate structure of the Unilever Company consists of executive directors and some non-executive directors. However, this particular company has some senior responsibility of their leadership executive to manage such loss and profit for confirming the specific strategy to cooperate and decrease all losses and enhance the profits for achieving and sustaining. In the opinion of Wati, (2020), most of the senior corporate officers are very interested in supplying the data on their success, and there also have some other trends in the strategy implementation for all of their executives on such of the decision making. In the company's pursuit of achieving a particular growth strategy, Unilever has streamlined the careful management that certainly carried few of the restructuring that also led to clarifying the proper roles and responsibilities of their entire management. 

Strategy control

This is a very significant strategic approach in Unilever that is particularly useful for confirming the particular strategy and aligned with the objectives and targets of such a growth strategy in the particular procedure of strategy implementation. However, Unilever has also used the strategy for controlling the proper mechanism for supplying such perfect incentives for all of their workers and management. As per the view of Khanal, (2020), Unilever Company has also pursued the proper activities for achieving the particular growth strategy. 

Conclusion 

The quality management strategy is a practice by many organizations in the whole world. This is the method to implement the product quality and culture around Unilever's company's horizontal and vertical layers. There also have many benefits that certainly should be taken reasonable cost in their particular cost during the implementation of the TQM. The instruments to measure the implementation and the whole performance of the Unilever business are now much more reliable and valid. This could also be used by some other researchers to test the sound effect of the particular TQM and its implementation in their entire business performance. The Unilever Company has the strength and threats that they should mitigate all of the threats to improve the entire company. 

Reference

Abimbola, B.O., Oyatoye, E.O. and Oyenuga, O.G., 2020. Total quality management, employee commitment and competitive advantage in Nigerian tertiary institutions. A study of the University of Lagos.

Alshamsi, S. and Al Kahlout, H., Financial Statement Analysis of Unilever.

Anggraini, N.T., 2022. Analysis of Financial Statements Based on Financial Ratio and Vertical-Horizontal Method in PT Unilever, Tbk, 2016-2017 Period. Journal of Social Science, 3(1), pp.171-176.

Anitah, J.N., 2019. Industry 4.0 Technologies and Operational Performance of Fast Moving Consumer Goods Manufacturers in Kenya: a Case Study of Unilever Kenya and L’oreal East Africa (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi).

Atubangira, N., 2019. Impact of risk management on customer satisfaction of Unilever (u) ltd, Kampala Uganda.

Basera, V., Mwenje, J. and Ruturi, S., 2019. A snap on quality management in Zimbabwe: a perspectives review. Annals of Management and Organization Research, 1(2), pp.77-94.

Basir, A.M., 2018. PENENTUAN LOKASI PUSAT DISTRIBUSI PRODUK FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS PADA PT. UNILEVER INDONESIA, TBK CABANG MALANG (Doctoral dissertation, University Of Muhammadiyah Malang).

Cheng, Y., 2021, February. Analysis of the Opportunities and Challenges of Unilever's Differentiated Competition by Using SWOT and PEST. In 6th International Conference on Economics, Management, Law and Education (EMLE 2020) (pp. 280-284). Atlantis Press.

Jose, J., 2021. Analyzing the necessity and impacts of organizational culture on the performance of Unilever UK Ltd (Doctoral dissertation, Dublin, National College of Ireland).

Karki, S., 2021. Supply Chain Management of Unilever Nepal.

Khanal, K., 2020. Total quality management: a source of competitive advantage-a comparative study of manufacturing and service firms in Nepal. South Asian Journal of Marketing & Management Research, 10(7), pp.34-40.

Kumar, R. and Mishra, R.S., 2019. Total Quality Management: model and flexible framework for performance improvement. International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR), E-ISSN 2348-1269, P-ISSN 2349, 5138, pp.867-874.

Patjoshi, P.K. and Nandini, G., 2019. Comparative Study on Financial Performance of Hindustan Unilever and Nestle India. Journal of Xidian University, 14(4), pp.3075-3080.

RAHAL, F. and ZENNIR, I., The Impact of Green Supply Chain Management on Operational Efficiency. Case study: Unilever.

RAMADHANI, D.W., 2018. PENGARUH PERCEIVED SERVICE QUALITY, PERCEIVED VALUE, SATISFACTIONDAN IMAGE TERHADAP CUSTOMER LOYALTY (Studi Pada konsumen Unilever Mirota Kampus Simanjutak). Prodi Manajemen Universitas PGRI Yogyakarta.

Sari, A.P., 2019. The Effect of Product Quality, Price, and Brand Image Toward Customer Loyalty with the Mediation of Customer Satisfaction on Personal Care Products of Unilever Indonesia in Surakarta (Doctoral dissertation, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta).

Sinulingga, R.A., 2019. Risk Management System in PT. Unilever Indonesia, Tbk. TIJAB (The International Journal of Applied Business), 3(1), pp.38-58.

Taleghani, A., 2021. Impact of Total Quality Management Practices on Corporate Sustainable Development with Emphasis on Green Innovation in Manufacturing Companies (Case Study: PARS KHAZAR Industrial Company in Iran) (Doctoral dissertation, Politecnico di Torino).

Trinh, D., 2018. Improving Supply Chain Management at Unilever Vietnam.

Wati, V.D.E., 2020. APPLICATION OF GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IN PT. UNILEVER INDONESIA. Dinasti International Journal of Economics, Finance & Accounting, 1(3), pp.482-490.