QUALITY CIRCLES
Presented By
Veena Peter
What is a Quality Circle(QC) ??
A quality circle is a small group between three and
twelve people who do similar work,
voluntarily meeting together regularly for about an
hour per week in paid time,
who are trained to identify, analyze and solve some of
the problems in their work,
presenting solutions to management,
and where possible, implementing the solutions
themselves’
Nature of a Quality Circle…
 Quality Circles are (informal) groups of
employees.
 Usually the members of a particular team
(quality circle) should be from the same work
area or who do similar work.
 The number of members in a quality circle can
vary.
Other Names of Quality Circles…
 Small Groups
 Action Circles
 Excellence Circles
 Human Resources Circles
 Productivity Circles
What type of org can use it??
Every organization offering goods or services needs
Quality circles to involve its people in Quality
consciousness.
QCs’ are now used in such diverse industries as :
- Engineering industries,
- Merchandising,
- Hospital,
- Canteen,
- Insurance and many more.
How about Meetings??
For the purpose of continuity and effectiveness it is
advisable to hold meeting :
 Meetings are important part of quality circle's working.
 Meetings are attended by all the members of the
quality circle.
 In general, meetings take place once a week or once in
a fortnight.
 Each meeting lasts for approximately one hour, though
variations are possible.
Objectives of QC’s…
 Change in Attitude
From "I don't care" to "I do care”. Continuous
improvement in quality of work life through
humanization of work.
 Self Development
Bring out the hidden potential of people. People get
to learn additional skills.
 Development of team spirit
"I could not do but we did it“. Eliminate inter
departmental conflicts.
 Improved Organizational Culture
Positive
working environment
Total involvement of people
at all levels
Higher motivational level
Participate Management process.
 Promote job involvement
 Create problem solving capability
 Improve communication
 Promote leadership qualities
 Promote personal development
 Develop a greater awareness for cleanliness
 Develop greater awareness for safety
 Reduce errors
 Enhance quality
 Inspire more effective team work
 Build an attitude of problem prevention
 Promote cost reduction
 Develop harmonious manager, supervisor and
worker relationship
 Improve productivity
 Increase employee motivation
What Quality Circles are Not?? (Misconcepts)
 QC’s do not tackle just quality problems
 QC is not a substitute or replacement for task forces,
product committees, joint plant councils or works
committees, quality assurance department, suggestion
schemes.
 QC’s do not change the existing organizational
structure or the chain of command.
 QC’s are not a forum for grievances or a spring board
for demands
 QC’s are not a means for the management to
unload all their problems.
 QC’s are not just another technique.
 QC’s are not a panacea for all ills.
Structure of QC Program…
Top Management
Steering Committee
Co-ordinator
Facilitator
Leader
Members
Roles Played by them…
 Top Management
The success of the QC’s depends solely on the
attitude of the Top management and plays an
important role to ensure the success of implementation
of QC’s.
 Steering Committee
It is called middle management which consists of
chief executive heads of different divisions or a coordinator plays a positive role in quality circle activities
for the success of the efforts. The meetings are
conveyed at least once in one to two months interval
 Co-ordinator
They also act as facilitators, is an individual
responsible for coordinating and directing the QC’s
activities within an organization and carries out such
functions as would make the operations of QC’s
smooth, effective and self-sustainable.
 Facilitator
 Communicating with all levels of management and
obtaining their support and assistance
 Providing training to QC leaders and assisting in
training of QC members where required
 Maintaining an open and supportive environment
 Ensuring QC members direct their activities to work-
related problems
 As a mediator in problem-solving
 As a resource person to the Circle
 Evaluating the costs and benefits of the QC program
and reporting to the Management.
 Leader
Leader of the quality circles is chosen by the members
among themselves .
 Responsible for the smooth operation of QC activities
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and fostering the spirit of cooperation and harmony
among members;
Assisting the Circle members in record keeping and in
the preparation of management presentations
Conducting meetings in an orderly and effective
manner
Showing interest and support to the Circle
Encouraging other workers to become members
Assisting members in problem-solving and Enforcing
team discipline.
 Members
Members of the quality circles are the small group of
people from the same work area or doing similar type
of work whereas
non-members are those who are not members of the
quality circle but may be involved in the circle
recommendation.
 Attending meetings regularly
 Directing their efforts towards solving work-related
problems
 Identifying problems, contributing ideas,
undertaking research and investigation (where
necessary) and assisting the QC in problemsolving.
 Participating in management presentations.
How Do Quality Circles Operate?
 Appointment of a steering committee, facilitator and
QC team leaders.
 Formation of QCs by nomination/voluntary enrolment
of QC members.
 Training of all QC members (by an expert consultant).
 Training of non-participating employees (by an expert
consultant).
 Problem data bank and identification of
problems for QC work.
 Presentation of QC solutions to management.
 Evaluation of award/recognition.
PROCESS OF OPERATION
 Problem identification: Identify a number of problems
 Problem selection : Decide the priority and select the
problem to be taken up first.
 Problem Analysis : Problem is clarified and analyzed by
basic problem solving methods
 Generate alternative solutions : Identify and evaluate
causes and generate number of possible alternative
solutions
 Select the most appropriate solution : Discuss and evaluate
the alternative solutions by comparison in terms of
investment and return from the investment.
 Prepare plan of action : Prepare plan of action for
converting the solution into reality which includes
the considerations "who, what, when, where, why
and how" of solving problems.
 Present solution to management circle members
present solution to management fore approval.
 Implementation of solution : The management
evaluates the recommended solution. Then it is
tested and if successful, implemented on a full
scale.
Benefits of QC
 Self development.
 Promotes leadership qualities among participants.
 Recognition.
 Achievement satisfaction.
 Promotes group/team working.
 Serves as cementing force between management/non-
management groups.
 Promotes continuous improvement in products and
services.
 Brings about a change in environment of more
productivity, better quality, reduced costs, safety and
Pitfalls and Problems
 Lack of faith in and support to Quality Circle activities
among management personnel
 Lack of interest or incompetence of leaders/facilitator
 Apathy, fear and misunderstanding among middle
level executives
 Delay or non-implementation of Circle
recommendations
 Irregularity of Quality Circle activities
 Non-application of simple techniques for problem
solving
 Lack of or non-participation by some members in the Circle
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activities
Circles running out of problems
Antagonism of non-members towards Quality Circle
operations
Inadequate visibility of management support
Complexity of problems taken up
Non-maintenance of Quality Circle records
Too much facilitation or too little
Language difficulty in communication
Communication gap between Circles and departmental head
Change of management
Confusing Quality Circle for another technique
Resistance from trade unions
Approach to problems
 With positive attitude instead of tendency to shrug off
problems.
 Open discussion and Brain storming with every one
participating and a positive and cooperative manner
will shed new light on the problem.
 Knowledge and training imparted in application of
quality management techniques, circles should
approach with confidence to find solutions.
BASIC PROBLEM SOLVING TECHNIQUES
These are called the old QC tools:
 Brainstorming
 Pareto analysis
 Cause and effect diagram /fish bone diagram /Ishikawa
diagram
 Histogram
 Scatter diagram
 Stratification
 Check sheet
 Control charts and graphs
New QC Tools
Quality circles started using additional seven tools
as they started maturing:
 Relations diagram
 Affinity diagram
 Systematic diagram or Tree diagram
 Matrix diagram
 Matrix data analysis diagram
 PDPC (Process Decision Program Chart)
 Arrow diagram
APPLICABILITY IN GOVERNMENT
ORGANISATIONS
 The Public Works Department of Government of
Maharashtra is responsible for the construction and
maintenance of about 2.00 lakhs km. of road net work
in the state and a large number of Government-owned
buildings spread all over the state.
 The sub-ordinate officers and staff working in the field
and who are well-acquainted with the day-to-day
problems in their work areas, are the best judges to
decide upon the line of action.
 The top management in Maharashtra P.W.D. realized this
need of the time and introduced the concept of Quality
Circle as employee participation method in the
organization. The concept of Quality Circle was launched in
the Public Works Department of Govt. of Maharashtra on
18-11-1997.
Some of the problems solved by the Quality Circles
in P.W.D. of Maharashtra are as follows:
 Eliminating delay in issuing observation memos after
inspection of site.
 Preventing accidents on highways.
 Reducing electricity bill in office.
 Avoiding duplication of work.
 Removal of encroachment from Govt. land.
 Speeding up pot-hole filling on roads during
monsoon.
 Up keeping of service records of employees
 Maintaining Govt. offices clean.
 Stream-lining reservation system of Govt. rest
houses.
 Improvement in maintenance of Govt. Hospital
at Sholapur
To Conclude With…
Quality circles are easily introduced, are simple,
and after taking root they can help to create a
participatory management culture in
organizations. They have considerable potential
for altering organizational cultures from topdown, hierarchical, role -bound ones to more
participatory, open and experimental ones in
development agencies.