Application of Total Quality Management in Strategic Management at Safaricom Limited
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Date
2011Author
Oriare, Sheila D
Type
ThesisLanguage
en_USMetadata
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This project investigates the application of Total Quality Management to a service organization using the mobile telephone sector, Safaricom Limited specifically as a model example. Communication is an important sector in Kenya. The government has introduced several laws and constitutions aimed to further develop this sector, improve its ability to compete within a global market and encourage investment in the country. However, little work has been done to measure and control quality in this sector. The work will show that the use of Total Quality Management can be of great benefit to the Kenyan sector, as it will lead to an increase in the organization, customer orientation and competitive edge.
The project also investigated the relation between the application of Total Quality Management and the increase in the organization performance and efficiency. The results show that the application of Total Quality Management in the Kenyan communication sector leads to increased productivity and ability to compete in the global market.
Total Quality Management is a company-wide perspective that strives for customer satisfaction by seeking zero defects in products and services. Quality management is an important function of the strategy management department. Despite the fact that quality management has been addressed within a firm, Total Quality Management and its underlying assumptions could be applicable to strategy management. Accordingly, there was need to look at quality management from the strategic viewpoint, and to define a framework for its implementation through strategic and corporate level of analysis.
While concepts such as ethics, cooperation, and trust are related to enterprise and corporate level strategies, these concepts are closely related to the practice of quality management. Total Quality Management calls for a change in the corporate culture, where the new work climate has the following characteristics: an open, problem-solving atmosphere; Participatory design making; Trust among all employees (staff, line, workers, and managers); a sense of ownership and responsibility for goal achievement and problem solving; and, Self-motivation and self-control by all employees.
Publisher
University of Nairobi, Kenya