ASPECTS OF TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT APPLIED IN ...

Annals of the University “Constantin Brâncuşi”of Tg-Jiu, No. 1/2008, Volume 2,
ISSN: 1842-4856
Picture 6 Motivating the personnel in small and medium enterprises in Romania
Another investigated element reffered to the way in which human resources are perceived in SMEs
in our country. The survey results reveal the accrued significance granted to team work within the
examined (63,33% of the companies). In 36,67% of the companies, human resources are
considered to have a strategic significance. This is a positive aspect which demonstrates that
Romanian managers have understood the fact that it is necessary that human resources be treated as one
of the company’s highly significant resource in which they should invest in various ways, so that they
could also provide a high efficiency. However, the percentage of those who considered human
resources as having a strategic significance for the company is quite low, especially in the context of
the passage towards the economy based on knowledge. An aspect that should be pointed out refers to
the extremely low percentage (only 3,33% of the companies) obtained by the statement according to
which personal objectives are more important than the team objectives. Thus we stress the
significance of the employees collaboration within the company (picture 7).
A good manager is the one that takes of their subordinates
in spite of their results
Individual objectives are more important than the team
objectives
1,67
3,33%
Managers focus on the employees’ potential development
and use
Human resources are considered to have a strategic
significance
28,33%
36,67%
Activity within the company means first of all team work
63,33%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Picture 7 The human resources importance in SMEs in Romania
As a final point, the survey aimed at creating a hierarchy, on a scale of 1 to 11 (1-minimum, 11-
maximum) for the values within a company. In the hierarchy of the values that have been taken into
account, quality holds the first position, with an average of 6,52, fact which reveals the respondents
concern for providing products and services that may correspond to well-defined quality standards. On
the second position there is professionalism, with an average of 6,25, followed by the attention paid
to customers (an average of 5,78). Without any doubt, the present circumstances impose to companies
a better knowledge not only of the customers’ actual requirements, but also of the way in which these
requirements may develop. The value ranked on the following position, with an average of 5,70, is
obtaining performances. Certainly, it is normal that the respondents consider that obtaining results
that are as good as possible is one of the vital organizational elements. The subjects that have been
investigated placed on the last positions in point of significance creating a vision and strategic
thinking (3,33) as well as supporting personal creativity and innovation (with an average of 3,08).
The relatively low significance granted to personal innovation and creativity is a negative aspect since
innovation is one of the major sources of competitive advantage (picture 8).
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