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Making TQM work
Book reviews case study project, which is introduced at the end of the first chapter and then followed through all the remaining chapters. All chapters follow the same logical pattern so that for every chapter, after the main text, there is the chapter-relevant report on the case study project, a set of discussion questions, a comprehensive range of exercises, classified references and (in many instances) illustrative case studies as appendices. The amount of material in all these end sections is generous, but the case study project is not treated as a worked example: it is provided only as a set of circumstances that pose questions which are asked but not answered. Solutions are not given for any of the exercises. All of this means that the serious student will need to be a member of a study course or otherwise have access to a competent tutor in order to take full advantage of the exercises. Conversely the book should prove to be valuable to lecturers and tutors, not least as a provider of exercises and questions for discussion groups. For the practising manager, it is more likely to find favour as a detailed reference book and I shall certainly be pleased to have it on my shelves for that purpose. At £21.15 I think it is good value.
Dennis Lock 29 Burston Drive Park Street St Albans, Herts AL2 2HR UK
Practical Benchmarking S Cook
Kogan Page 1995 187 pp £25 ISBN 0 7494 1551 7 I enjoyed reading this book. It is easy to read and well laid out. Practical Benchmarking is a " h o w t o " benchmark book with check lists at the end of each chapter. However for anyone looking for a short cut to benchmarking they will be disappointed. It clearly states that the way to achieve the most out of benchmarking is to link it to the organisation's core objectives; set measurable targets; gain senior management commitment; create a powerful team and focus on the right issues--a very similar approach for successful project management. Many of the techniques and procedures contained in the book come from general management. It is the application of those procedures with clear targets and objectives that enable organisations to benchmark their services successfully against others. 126
I was disappointed that there are only two case studies in the final chapter: Royal Mail and British Airways. Throughout the book there are references to many other organisations with snippets on particular points. I would have enjoyed reading far more on how other organisations succeeded or indeed failed in their benchmarking attempts. I would certainly recommend the book to anyone who wishes to have a clear understanding of how to benchmark and the application of standard management procedures to achieve it. A worthwhile and useful book.
Richard Pharro Association of Project Managers 85 Oxford Road High Wycombe Bucks H P l l 2DX UK
Beyond TQM Robert L Flood
John Wiley 1994 303 pp £19.95 1SBN 0 471 93967 6 An initial look at the book's title--Beyond TQM--prompted me to ask--are we yet at the stage of actually having reached TQM? Should we not get quality working in all areas of our working lives before we attempt to go 'beyond' what is a difficult and time consuming process? Robert has however re-assured me, with his elegant and very readable book, that we should be looking beyond the implementation of ISO9000 and how TQM should be affecting everything we do. The b o o k is well structured into three sections--history and theory; case studies; and exercises: Section 1 takes us through the historical overview of TQM and to where we are today, then gives us some theories and ideas as to where we go from here. The discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of TQM I found particularly useful and concur with most of the conclusions. The ISO9000 overview makes good sense of what many of us regard as a difficult standard to implement. The theoretical chapters can be a bit heavy going, but these are lightened by illustrations and examples which effectively enforce the points being made. Section H contains four well researched and written case studies which are based on Roger's own consultancy experience. The problems, analysis and results give the reader an excellent guide to extending TQM within different types of organisation.
These are good practical stories used to illustrate the ideas and theories from pre' vious chapters, although the thought of a green-haired Robert lecturing in pink pyjamas is particularly intriguing! Section 111 gives some well-structured exercises and games for the reader to attempt. These are interesting and fun, and make you think in TQM terms about typical everyday problems, but as a practitioner I felt the need for a few more answers or guidance to the right way of doing things. Robert states that eight chapters of the book are for researchers and only one for practitioners, which is a shame, because it can give the wrong impression that this book is not for those of us in the real world. It is in fact a book which will give a lot of useful pointers to practitioners of the TQM art. Do not leave it on the bookshelf--use it regularly to enhance your views of quality in the workplace. My only major issue with this otherwise fine book, is the 'tell them what you are going to tell them; tell them; tell them what you have told them' approach. This is an excellent lecturing technique, but is an annoying structure in a book. It takes up a large proportion of the text and is unnecessary. There is a minimum of jargon in this book, making it very readable for all levels and the use of cartoons and a wealth of illustrations help to lift what could be a dry subject to an enjoyable level.
Rod Baker Springwell Road Hoare Green Dorking, Surrey RH5 4RN UK
Making TQM Work K Sadgrove
Kogan Page 1995 123 pp £6. 99 ISBN 0 7494 1521 5 In recent years Kogan Page has released some 50 books in their 'Better Management Skills' series. The series was designed to provide a range of inexpensive paperbacks covering all areas of basic management. Generally the books are practical and easy to read. 'Making TQM Work', by Kit Sadgrove, is the latest release in the series. In 'Making TQM Work' Sadgrove has attempted, in 123 pages, to cover the whole range of topics that make up total quality management (TQM). In addition he has included a section on re-engineering, a subject not normally covered under the heading of TQM.
Book reviews The book is well organised with an easyto-follow list of contents. There are 11 chapters, each of which begins with a statement such as 'in this chapter you will learn a b o u t . . . ' . The last chapter consists of three pages and includes a section headed 'what the words mean'. Straightforward diagrams and charts are used throughout and the book is also laced with anecdotal examples and very abbreviated 'case studies'. Total quality management is an important subject. I do not believe that any book, no matter how well written and edited, could possibly do this subject justice in 123 pages, (most books on quality management are between 500 and 700 pages). Nonetheless Sadgrove has managed to devote a paragraph or two to each of the topics that one would normally find in a more substantive book concerning TQM. For exa m p l e - r e d u c e management layers--half a page; zero defects--half a page, and so on. The weakness with this approach is that Sadgrove appears to make authoritative statements but without any real explanation as to why a particular action should be taken. For example, he does not explain why management layers should be reduced, and what happens to the managers that have been 'reduced'. Another example of Sadgrove's simplified approach is that in most chapters a self quiz of the Yes/No variety is included. One such quiz (page 91) reads: • • • • •
Have you mapped and analysed your main processes? Do you aim for continuous improvement and zero defects? Do you have a suggestion scheme? Do you use today's technology? Do you vigorously control your main suppliers?
According to Sadgrove, if the answer to only four of these questions is a simple 'Yes' then, 'You are a world class company'! (the exclamation mark is mine.) Even though this is perhaps the worst example of over-simplification in the book, nonetheless this book can only be described as a basic primer on the subject of quality management. In my opinion it does not live up to the promise of the title. Reliance on the information given in this book would not alone make TQM work. The book is not referenced. In fact, apart from four sentences concerning Dr W E Deming, I could not find a mention of any quality authority. Although most of what is said would generally be accepted as mainstream quality management thinking, much could also be questioned, such as the generalisation on page 53 which reads
'today's manager is judged on his output and his ability to develop a team'. I agree that in some cases these would be considered as desirable attributes for a manager, but in other cases managers might be judged, not on whether they can develop a team, but on whether they get things done, i.e. achieve goals and targets. Note the use of the masculine pronoun 'his' (twice) in the above extract. The words 'he' and 'his' appear frequently throughout the book. If this had not been the case, maybe this book could have been considered as a suitable introduction to TQM for secondary school students, perhaps in their ' O ' level year. Sadgrove does say that the word 'he' is used for simplicity. However, I personally believe that it is inexcusable for any book to be published today that has a gender bias, especially a book in a management series!
J Nevan Wright Auckland Institute of Technology and Henley Management College UK (visiting faculty member)
Total Project Management of Construction Safety, Health and Environment 2nd Edition European Construction Institute 1995 206 pp £40. O0 ISBN 0 7277 2082 1 This latest ECI publication on safety, health and environment issues is a guide on the integration of safety and health controls into the total management system. Incorporating the requirements of the E C ' s Temporary and Mobile Construction Sites Directive, the book's aims are to "provide a framework for the development of proactive management of safety, health and environment (SHE) in the construction industry"; "to describe a systematic approach to construction SHE management which promotes continuing improvement in SHE performance in all construction activities"; and "to define the minimum SHE objectives to be considered during each construction activity". With these aims in mind the book is global in its approach, being directed at all parties involved in the construction process, and suggests it can be used as a guide to managing safety issues worldwide. However it is noted that its particular reference is to Europe, and, in part, uses terminology particular to UK legislation. The presentation of the book makes it fairly simple to follow, with the layout
designed to emulate the "natural progression" of construction projects, it includes an early cross reference, in chart form, to the specific stages of any project and the relevant chapters in the book. This cross reference gives a good overview of the eventual contents. As a document designed to integrate safety into project management at all levels, and therefore partly for use as a tool of the project engineer, it is important that it should be relatively easy reading, and should contain a number of practical ideas for managing the work. The latter is achieved by the use of worked examples, which occur at the end of most chapters, and the extensive employment of checklists, tables and bullet points, all designed to highlight the key activities of each area. Accordingly, the organisation of the book is reasonably logical and should appeal to the engineer, although I would question the positioning of the costs and benefits section which, if anywhere, should be part of the introduction. To summarise the book's contents briefly, the first two chapters, " O v e r v i e w " , and "Policy and Strategic Objectives", adequately combine specific responsibilities with the high level requirements of any good Health and Safety System; defining well the particular responsibilities attributed by the new legislation. Chapter 3, "Initial Concept and Project Objectives", begins the project trail at its "front e n d " , mainly identifying the key requirements of the SHE plan (safety plan) and also recommending a method for its development. I did feel the flow suffered a little in the early part of this chapter; nevertheless the requirements became clear towards the end. Following these three initial chapters, the document becomes more detailed in its approach to project safety issues, as it covers, but is not limited to, the necessary considerations of designers, the formulation of a SHE plan, contractual implications, construction planning, and commissioning, etc. Whereas it is not realistic here to comment individually on the specific chapters, the majority of the sections discuss the individual factors which are outlined as the requirements of the SHE plan in Chapter 5. This approach inevitably leads to a certain amount of repetition, but this does not detract from the quality, moreover it reinforces the message. I particularly found that Chapter 5, with its step by step, unambiguous approach, presented a detailed and useful guide to the requirements of preparing a SHE plan. Overall the book draws together the basic requirements of managing health and safety, which is at the root of the European 127
Dennis Lock 29 Burston Drive Park Street St Albans, Herts AL2 2HR UK
Practical Benchmarking S Cook
Kogan Page 1995 187 pp £25 ISBN 0 7494 1551 7 I enjoyed reading this book. It is easy to read and well laid out. Practical Benchmarking is a " h o w t o " benchmark book with check lists at the end of each chapter. However for anyone looking for a short cut to benchmarking they will be disappointed. It clearly states that the way to achieve the most out of benchmarking is to link it to the organisation's core objectives; set measurable targets; gain senior management commitment; create a powerful team and focus on the right issues--a very similar approach for successful project management. Many of the techniques and procedures contained in the book come from general management. It is the application of those procedures with clear targets and objectives that enable organisations to benchmark their services successfully against others. 126
I was disappointed that there are only two case studies in the final chapter: Royal Mail and British Airways. Throughout the book there are references to many other organisations with snippets on particular points. I would have enjoyed reading far more on how other organisations succeeded or indeed failed in their benchmarking attempts. I would certainly recommend the book to anyone who wishes to have a clear understanding of how to benchmark and the application of standard management procedures to achieve it. A worthwhile and useful book.
Richard Pharro Association of Project Managers 85 Oxford Road High Wycombe Bucks H P l l 2DX UK
Beyond TQM Robert L Flood
John Wiley 1994 303 pp £19.95 1SBN 0 471 93967 6 An initial look at the book's title--Beyond TQM--prompted me to ask--are we yet at the stage of actually having reached TQM? Should we not get quality working in all areas of our working lives before we attempt to go 'beyond' what is a difficult and time consuming process? Robert has however re-assured me, with his elegant and very readable book, that we should be looking beyond the implementation of ISO9000 and how TQM should be affecting everything we do. The b o o k is well structured into three sections--history and theory; case studies; and exercises: Section 1 takes us through the historical overview of TQM and to where we are today, then gives us some theories and ideas as to where we go from here. The discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of TQM I found particularly useful and concur with most of the conclusions. The ISO9000 overview makes good sense of what many of us regard as a difficult standard to implement. The theoretical chapters can be a bit heavy going, but these are lightened by illustrations and examples which effectively enforce the points being made. Section H contains four well researched and written case studies which are based on Roger's own consultancy experience. The problems, analysis and results give the reader an excellent guide to extending TQM within different types of organisation.
These are good practical stories used to illustrate the ideas and theories from pre' vious chapters, although the thought of a green-haired Robert lecturing in pink pyjamas is particularly intriguing! Section 111 gives some well-structured exercises and games for the reader to attempt. These are interesting and fun, and make you think in TQM terms about typical everyday problems, but as a practitioner I felt the need for a few more answers or guidance to the right way of doing things. Robert states that eight chapters of the book are for researchers and only one for practitioners, which is a shame, because it can give the wrong impression that this book is not for those of us in the real world. It is in fact a book which will give a lot of useful pointers to practitioners of the TQM art. Do not leave it on the bookshelf--use it regularly to enhance your views of quality in the workplace. My only major issue with this otherwise fine book, is the 'tell them what you are going to tell them; tell them; tell them what you have told them' approach. This is an excellent lecturing technique, but is an annoying structure in a book. It takes up a large proportion of the text and is unnecessary. There is a minimum of jargon in this book, making it very readable for all levels and the use of cartoons and a wealth of illustrations help to lift what could be a dry subject to an enjoyable level.
Rod Baker Springwell Road Hoare Green Dorking, Surrey RH5 4RN UK
Making TQM Work K Sadgrove
Kogan Page 1995 123 pp £6. 99 ISBN 0 7494 1521 5 In recent years Kogan Page has released some 50 books in their 'Better Management Skills' series. The series was designed to provide a range of inexpensive paperbacks covering all areas of basic management. Generally the books are practical and easy to read. 'Making TQM Work', by Kit Sadgrove, is the latest release in the series. In 'Making TQM Work' Sadgrove has attempted, in 123 pages, to cover the whole range of topics that make up total quality management (TQM). In addition he has included a section on re-engineering, a subject not normally covered under the heading of TQM.
Book reviews The book is well organised with an easyto-follow list of contents. There are 11 chapters, each of which begins with a statement such as 'in this chapter you will learn a b o u t . . . ' . The last chapter consists of three pages and includes a section headed 'what the words mean'. Straightforward diagrams and charts are used throughout and the book is also laced with anecdotal examples and very abbreviated 'case studies'. Total quality management is an important subject. I do not believe that any book, no matter how well written and edited, could possibly do this subject justice in 123 pages, (most books on quality management are between 500 and 700 pages). Nonetheless Sadgrove has managed to devote a paragraph or two to each of the topics that one would normally find in a more substantive book concerning TQM. For exa m p l e - r e d u c e management layers--half a page; zero defects--half a page, and so on. The weakness with this approach is that Sadgrove appears to make authoritative statements but without any real explanation as to why a particular action should be taken. For example, he does not explain why management layers should be reduced, and what happens to the managers that have been 'reduced'. Another example of Sadgrove's simplified approach is that in most chapters a self quiz of the Yes/No variety is included. One such quiz (page 91) reads: • • • • •
Have you mapped and analysed your main processes? Do you aim for continuous improvement and zero defects? Do you have a suggestion scheme? Do you use today's technology? Do you vigorously control your main suppliers?
According to Sadgrove, if the answer to only four of these questions is a simple 'Yes' then, 'You are a world class company'! (the exclamation mark is mine.) Even though this is perhaps the worst example of over-simplification in the book, nonetheless this book can only be described as a basic primer on the subject of quality management. In my opinion it does not live up to the promise of the title. Reliance on the information given in this book would not alone make TQM work. The book is not referenced. In fact, apart from four sentences concerning Dr W E Deming, I could not find a mention of any quality authority. Although most of what is said would generally be accepted as mainstream quality management thinking, much could also be questioned, such as the generalisation on page 53 which reads
'today's manager is judged on his output and his ability to develop a team'. I agree that in some cases these would be considered as desirable attributes for a manager, but in other cases managers might be judged, not on whether they can develop a team, but on whether they get things done, i.e. achieve goals and targets. Note the use of the masculine pronoun 'his' (twice) in the above extract. The words 'he' and 'his' appear frequently throughout the book. If this had not been the case, maybe this book could have been considered as a suitable introduction to TQM for secondary school students, perhaps in their ' O ' level year. Sadgrove does say that the word 'he' is used for simplicity. However, I personally believe that it is inexcusable for any book to be published today that has a gender bias, especially a book in a management series!
J Nevan Wright Auckland Institute of Technology and Henley Management College UK (visiting faculty member)
Total Project Management of Construction Safety, Health and Environment 2nd Edition European Construction Institute 1995 206 pp £40. O0 ISBN 0 7277 2082 1 This latest ECI publication on safety, health and environment issues is a guide on the integration of safety and health controls into the total management system. Incorporating the requirements of the E C ' s Temporary and Mobile Construction Sites Directive, the book's aims are to "provide a framework for the development of proactive management of safety, health and environment (SHE) in the construction industry"; "to describe a systematic approach to construction SHE management which promotes continuing improvement in SHE performance in all construction activities"; and "to define the minimum SHE objectives to be considered during each construction activity". With these aims in mind the book is global in its approach, being directed at all parties involved in the construction process, and suggests it can be used as a guide to managing safety issues worldwide. However it is noted that its particular reference is to Europe, and, in part, uses terminology particular to UK legislation. The presentation of the book makes it fairly simple to follow, with the layout
designed to emulate the "natural progression" of construction projects, it includes an early cross reference, in chart form, to the specific stages of any project and the relevant chapters in the book. This cross reference gives a good overview of the eventual contents. As a document designed to integrate safety into project management at all levels, and therefore partly for use as a tool of the project engineer, it is important that it should be relatively easy reading, and should contain a number of practical ideas for managing the work. The latter is achieved by the use of worked examples, which occur at the end of most chapters, and the extensive employment of checklists, tables and bullet points, all designed to highlight the key activities of each area. Accordingly, the organisation of the book is reasonably logical and should appeal to the engineer, although I would question the positioning of the costs and benefits section which, if anywhere, should be part of the introduction. To summarise the book's contents briefly, the first two chapters, " O v e r v i e w " , and "Policy and Strategic Objectives", adequately combine specific responsibilities with the high level requirements of any good Health and Safety System; defining well the particular responsibilities attributed by the new legislation. Chapter 3, "Initial Concept and Project Objectives", begins the project trail at its "front e n d " , mainly identifying the key requirements of the SHE plan (safety plan) and also recommending a method for its development. I did feel the flow suffered a little in the early part of this chapter; nevertheless the requirements became clear towards the end. Following these three initial chapters, the document becomes more detailed in its approach to project safety issues, as it covers, but is not limited to, the necessary considerations of designers, the formulation of a SHE plan, contractual implications, construction planning, and commissioning, etc. Whereas it is not realistic here to comment individually on the specific chapters, the majority of the sections discuss the individual factors which are outlined as the requirements of the SHE plan in Chapter 5. This approach inevitably leads to a certain amount of repetition, but this does not detract from the quality, moreover it reinforces the message. I particularly found that Chapter 5, with its step by step, unambiguous approach, presented a detailed and useful guide to the requirements of preparing a SHE plan. Overall the book draws together the basic requirements of managing health and safety, which is at the root of the European 127