Basic concept of quality circle

1. Quality Circle
Quality Circles were started in Japan in 1962 (
Kaoru Ishikawa has been credited for creating
Quality Circles) as another method of improving
quality.
Prof. Ishikawa, who believed in tapping the
creative potential of workers, innovated the
Quality Circle movement to give Japanese
industry that extra edge in creativity.

2. What is a Quality Circle?
A QC is a voluntary group of employees who
perform similar duties and meet at periodic
intervals, often with management, to discuss work-
related issues and to offer suggestions and ideas for
improvements, as in production methods or quality
control.
It is a participatory management technique that
enlists the help of employees in solving problems
related to their own jobs.

3.  Joel E. Ross and William C. Ross define a
quality circle as "a small group of
employees doing similar or related work who
meet regularly to identify, analyze, and
solve product-quality and production
problems and to improve general
operations. The circle is a relatively
autonomous unit (ideally about ten workers),
usually led by a supervisor or a senior worker
and organized as a work unit.“

4.  Quality Circles is a term used in human
resources management that refers to the
technique of motivating workers by
allowing them input into decisions concerning
the production process, thereby increasing
productivity and profits.

5.  Productivity will increase for two
reasons:
 because the person best able to
decide the most efficient way to do a
job is the person who does it for a
living and
 because employees who have greater
control over the product will be more
committed and effective workers

6. Most commonly found in manufacturing
environments, quality circles are applicable to a wide
variety of business situations and problems.
 They are based on two ideas:
Employees can often make better
suggestions for improving work processes
than management; and
Employees are motivated by their
participation in making such improvements.
Thus, implemented correctly, quality circles can help
a small business reduce costs, increase productivity,
and improve employee morale.

7. Concept
The concept of QC is primarily based upon recognition of the
value of the worker as a human being, as someone who willingly
activises on his job, his wisdom, intelligence, experience,
attitude & feelings.
It is based upon the HRM considered as one of the key
factors in the improvement of product quality &
productivity. QC concept has 3 major attributes:
a. Quality Circle is a form of participation management.
b. Quality Circle is a human resource development
technique.
c. Quality Circle is a problem solving technique

8. Objectives
 To improve quality, productivity & profitability
 To secure employee involvement, motivation &
development
 To improve management-employee relations
 To improve communications at all levels
 To develop team spirit among the employees
 To provide better working environment of
employees.

9. Benefits of Forming Quality Circles
The benefits are that QCs:
Promote individual self-development
Promote teamwork and fellowship
Improve overall company performance and
corporate image

10. Organisational Structure
 A Quality Circle has an appropriate organisational
structure for its effective and efficient
performance. It varies from industry to industry,
organisation to organisation. But it is useful to
have a basic framework as a model.

11. The structure of a Quality Circle consists of the following elements.
i. A steering committee: This is at the top of the
structure. It is headed by a senior executive and
includes representatives from the top management
personnel and human resources
development people. It establishes policy, plans and
directs the program and meets usually once in a
month.
ii. Co-coordinator: He may be a Personnel or
Administrative officer who co-ordinates and supervises
the work of the facilitators and administers the
programme.
iii. Facilitator: He may be a senior supervisory
officer. He coordinates the works of several quality
circles through the Circle leaders.

12. iv. Circle leader: Leaders may be from lowest level
workers or Supervisors. A Circle leader organizes
and conducts Circle activities.
v. Circle members : They may be staff workers.
Without circle members the programme cannot
exist. They are the lifeblood of quality circles. They
should attend all meetings as far as possible, offer
suggestions and ideas, participate actively in group
process, take training seriously with a receptive
attitude. The roles of Steering Committee, Co-
0rdinator, Facilitator, Circle leader and Circle
members are well defined.

13. Launching Quality Circles
The launching of Quality Circles involves the
following steps:
Expose middle level executives to the concept.
Explain the concept to the employees and invite them to
volunteer as members of Quality Circles.
Nominate senior officers as facilitators.
Form a steering committee.

14. Arrange training of co-coordinators, facilitators in
basics of Quality Circle approach, implementation,
techniques and operation. Later facilitator may
provide training to Circle leaders and Circle
members.
A meeting should be fixed preferably one hour
a week for the Quality Circle to meet.
Formally inaugurate the Quality Circle.
Arrange the necessary facilities for the Quality
Circle meeting and its operation

15. Quality Circle Process
List out problems
Discussion over the list of problems
Selected problem will be analyzed
Arrive at solution
Present it to management for action
Management studies the recommendations
Implementation
QC members are recognised & rewarded.
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