Is TQM a Catalyst for Driving Innovation & Generating Performance ...

Is TQM a Catalyst forDriving Innovation &Generating PerformanceExcellence?Professor Mohamed ZairiJuran Chair in Total Quality ManagementExecutive Chairman ECBPMm.zairi@ecbpm.comOctober 2011

AbstractInnovation Management in a modern business context is no longer concerned with‘throughput’ of single or generations of products or services but rather focuses oncustomer-centric outcomes which create the desired impact in terms of the fulfilmentof unmet needs but also the impact generated from exceeding customer expectationsthrough a focus on emotional reactions. Customer-Centric Innovation therefore is aholistic approach that is concerned with excellence in innovative thinking from allperspectives using a closed loop approach based on The PDSA Cycle. Equally, TotalQuality Management in a modern business context is no longer concerned with‘optimization’ of performance outcomes only but rather focuses on performanceimpact through innovative solutions and breakthrough thinking. Indeed the PDSA Cycleis the means by which the fertilization of innovativeness in quality-based organizationscan take place.Through a benchmarking perspective, this talk will try to establish whether therelationship between TQM and Innovation Management is one of colluding mindset orwhether TQM can be a catalyst that fuels innovative thinking and thereby help generatea competitive and sustainable performance impact.1

Professor Mohamed ZairiProfessor Zairi is the JURAN Chair in TQM and previously the SABICChair in Best Practice Management based at the European Centrefor Best Practice Management, UK. Professor Zairi holds a BSc(Hon) in Polymer Sciences and Technology; MSc in Safety andHealth and PhD in Management of Advanced ManufacturingTechnology. He is currently The Executive Chairman of theEuropean Centre for BPM and Assistant Chancellor for Strategy andGrowth at Hamdan Bin Mohammed eUniversity in Dubai.Professor Zairi has been involved in guiding, mentoring and advisingon the implementation of excellence in both the government andprivate sector context. He has also acted in the capacity of Jury Chairman of variousprestigious international awards.Professor Zairi has been awarded The Ishikawa/Harrington Medal (2005) for hissignificant contribution in 12 Asian countries by the Asian Pacific Quality Organisation(APQO). He has also been awarded the Grand Master Six Sigma Medal (2005) for uniquecontribution to the growth of quality initiatives, the development of tools and systemsand the impact of organisational business performance in various parts of the World. In2007, he received the Lancaster Medal by The American Society for Quality (ASQ), for hisoutstanding contribution to contributions to the international fraternity of qualityprofessionals. In 2010, he was presented with the 2009 ASQ Grant Medal for thedevelopment of exceptionally meritorious, technologically innovative, and intellectuallychallenging quality management educational programs. He was also presented with theYoshio Kondo Academic Prize (2010) for outstanding research that has advanced theglobal body of quality knowledge.2