QuaUtry C1lrele ?

Quality Circle is a small group of employees

who work-in same work area meet at
periodic intervals to discuss work-related
issues and to offer suggestions & ideas for
improvements in production methods and _~
quality control . ·~
,I_
Basic Principle
r
" Employee participation in decision making and
problem - solving improves the quality of work "

Qga.lity Circle is
•!• Group of employees
•!• Work on similar area
•!• Solve problems related to work
•!• Improve production techniques
•!• Improve quality
► Started in 1962 in Japan

► Kaoru Ishikawa is the creator of Quality Circles

► Movement in Japan is coordinated by Japanese

Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE)
► In India Quality Circles is promoted by QCFI
(Quality Circle Forum of India)
 Objectives Of Q C

•!• Create problem solving capability

•!• Build an attitude of problem prevention.
•!• Reduce errors and enhance quality and
productivity
•!• Improve communication in the organization
•!• Inspire more effective team work.
•!• Increase employees motivation.
•!• Develop harmonious manager workers
relationship
•!• Promote cost reduction
•!• Promote personnel and leadership development
Stru ctur e of qual ity circl e

Top Met.

StHrint
Committee

Coordinator

fAdllut.or

Leiden

Members

Non QC Members
 Structure of quality circle

• A steering committee: This is at the top of th

structure. It is headed by a senior executive,
and includes representatives from the top
management personnel and human resources
development people. It establishes policy, pl
and directs the program and meets usually o
in a month.
• Co-ordinator: He may be a Personnel or
Administrative officer who co-ordinates and
supervises the work of the facilitators
• Facilitator: He may be a senior supervisory
officer. He co-ordiates the works of several
quality circles through the Circle leaders.

• Circle leader: Leaders may be f ram lowest le

workers or Supervisors. A Circle leader
organizes and conducts Circle activities.

• Circle members : They may be staff workers.

Without circle members the programme cann
exist. They are the lifeblood of quality circles
 Benefits of QC's
✓Increased productivity

✓ Improved quality of work

life

✓ Boost employee morale

✓ Enhances creativity

✓ Improved teamwork

✓ Employee involvement
• Selecting the problem In areas of common Interest, such as, cutting down
wastes, housekeeping, QWL, productivity, safety • health, etc.
• Naming & registering the circle with the " Quality Circle Steering Committee",
selecting the leader, facilitator & members of the Circle.
• Assigning responslbllfty to each member.
• Deciding on the schedule of the meeting, & communicating to all concerned.

• Data collection • brainstorming on the problem • probable solutions.

• Training of QC members in areas of data analysis & methods of control.
• Finding out right solution • trial run l'n the workplace.
• Fine tuning the solution in the corresponding work environment,
implementation, & monitoring of results.
• Dabl collection • analysis of Improved methods/solutions, • presenbltlon to
higher management. 17
 FMmresaf uar
• The group is comprised of people who do similar or connected work.
• The size of the Circle is preferably 6-10, or 3-12 at most.
• It Is given an Inspiring name, & registered with the Company.
• It voluntarily meets as per the agreed schedule within working hours.
• It meets regularly for at least about an hour per week.
• Their own supervisor or a member of the team leads the group.
• Decision making process Is not forced upon the team (democratic),
• Problem selected pertains to their own working areas.
• Efforts are directed to finding solutions & further improvement.
• The group makes presentation of their ideas to management.
• Members take responsibility for Implementation of Improvement ideas.
18
 rft R
Quality Circles can be applied to all areas of business, namely :
♦ Manufacturing • Work Environment
• Maintenance • Pollution Control
• Design ♦ Materials Handling
♦ Factory Lay-out ♦ Logistics
• Recreational Facilities ♦ Supply Chain Management
♦ Human Relations ♦ Customer Services
♦ Team Building ♦ Housekeeping
• Waste Management ♦ Quality of Work Ufe
♦ Productivity ♦ Safety and Health
♦ Quality of Products ♦ Energy Economy 20
 ualit ircle in In ia
In India, many companies - namely TVS Group, Tata Group of Companies,
Mahindra • Mahindra, BHEL, etc. have successfully Introduced regular "quality
drdes,. at the shop-floor levels as self motivated groups for changing the work
culbare • effecting long term Improvements. In India, there are Inter-company •
Intra-company competitions of "quality drdes" to encourage the technique, bring
a sense of pride In being associated with such work, • spread the mesnge
amongst other companies that the best way to get quality Improvement Is by this
unique participative programme.

Qaith:Qd,

21
 I

vanta e~ o ua it ire e
Quality Circles are expected to develop :
• Internal Leadership

• Reinforce worker morale and motivation

• Encourage a strong sense of teamwork in an organization

• Higher Quality

• Im proved Productivity

• Greater upward flow of Information

• Broader improved worker attitudes

• Job Enrichment 22
 I

imitations o .ua it ire e

Quality Circles often suffer from :
• Unrealistic Expectations for fast results

• Lack of Management Commitment and Support

• Resistance by Middle Management "

.,~
_...,,
• Resentment by Non-Participants

• Inadequate Training

• Lack of Clear Objectives

• Failure to get solutions implemented 23

 5-5 is a concept of work culture for
effecting improvement In
performance mainly through creating
good work environment and work
culture. It is a system approach for
improvement in productivity, quality
and safety in all types of business,
and it Is now regarded as an essential
part of any continuous improvement
approach. The 5-5 programme
focuses on having orderliness,
deanllness, systems, discipline and
organization in the workplace. As a
result, the programme benefits the Sweep
organization with Improved
effldency, effectiveness, profits,
safety and services. 24
the reasons why quality circles fail. These include
rejection of the concept by top management,
uncertainties caused by redundancies and company
restructuring, labour turnover, lacl< of cooperation
from middle and first line management, failure by
circle leaders to find enough time to organise
meetings and circles running out of projects to
tacl<le. Opposition from the trade unions is only a
minor stumbling block.

Adequate facilitation, good circle leadership,

continued management support and recognition,
maintenance trade union support, and further
training over time are the most important company
controllable factors which can help to prevent
quality circle failure.