Essentials Of Tqm: Customer- Supplier Chains- Introduction

Introduction:

Customer-supplier chains are probably the most central issue for TQM. There is growing realization that the business cycle does not stop within the confined boundaries of organisations. Customer-supplier chain formation therefore is the process of establishing the necessary links so that the ultimate goal of enlightening the customer can become realizable.

Traditional versus TQM based business cycle:

The business cycle represents three sets of processes including supplier processes, manufacturer processes and customer processes,

• Customer-supplier chain formation therefore is the process of establishing the necessary links so that the ultimate goal of enlightening the customer can become realizable.
• The business cycle therefore under TQM is extended beyond the boundaries of traditionally structured organisations where control of quality is very much localized.
• The extended business cycle model however cannot be achieved overnight.

Without strong customer-supplier links both internally and externally, TQM efforts are doomed to fail.