QUALITY CIRCLE

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 1
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
 DEFINITION

• Quality Circles are (informal) groups of employees

who voluntarily meet together on a regular basis to
identify, define, analyze and solve work related
problems.
• Usually the members of a particular team (quality
circle) should be from the same work area or who do
similar work so that the problems they select will be
familiar to all of them. In addition, interdepartmental
or cross functional quality circles may also be
formed.
• An ideal size of quality circle is seven to eight
members. But the number of members in a quality
circle can vary.
BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 2
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
 History of Quality Circle
 Quality circles were first established in Japan in 1962,
and Kaoru Ishikawa has been credited with their
creation.
 The movement in Japan was coordinated by the
Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE).
 The use of quality circles then spread beyond Japan.
Quality circles have been implemented even in
educational sectors in India and QCFI (Quality Circle
Forum of India) formulated in 1982, is promoting such
activities.

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 3
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
• Other Names of Quality Circles
• Small Groups
• Action Circles
• Excellence Circles
• Human Resources Circles
• Productivity Circles

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 4
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
 CONCEPT

• The concept of Quality Circle is primarily based upon

recognition of the value of the worker as a human being,
as someone who willingly activists on his job, his
wisdom, intelligence, experience, attitude and feelings.
• It is based upon the human resource management
considered as one of the key factors in the improvement
of product quality & productivity.
• Quality Circle concept has three major attributes:
– Quality Circle is a form of participation management.
– Quality Circle is a human resource development technique.
– Quality Circle is a problem solving technique.

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 5
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
 Objectives of Quality Circles

• 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
• Improve morale through closer identity of
employee objectives with organization's
objectives

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 6
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
• 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
• Reduce downtime of machines and equipment
• Increase employee motivation

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 7
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
 Quality Circle Meetings

• 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.
• Apart from the frequency of the meetings, what
is important is the regularity of the meetings.

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 8
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
 What Takes Place During Quality Circle Meetings ?

• Any of the several activities may occur during a

meeting such as:
• Identifying a theme or a problem to work on.
• Getting training as required to enable members
to analyze problems.
• Analyzing problem(s).
• Preparing recommendations for implementing
solution(s).
• Follow up of implementation of suggestions.
• Prepare for a presentation to the management.
BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 9
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
 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 activities
• Circles running out of problems

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 10
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
• 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

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 11
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
 Six Basic Elements
• Circle participants or members.
• Circle leaders/deputy leaders.
• Program facilitator.
• Steering/advisory committee.
• Top management.
• Non-participating management/members.

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 12
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
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).
BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 13
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
• Problem data bank and identification of
problems for QC work.
• QC problem resolution by QCs through
standardized techniques.
• Presentation of QC solutions to
management.
• Evaluation of award/recognition.

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 14
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
 Code of Conduct for QCs

• Attend all meetings and be on time.

• Listen to and show respect for the views of other
members.
• Make others feel a part of the group.
• Criticize ideas, not persons.
• Help other members to participate more fully.
• Be open to and encourage the ideas of others.
• Every member is responsible for the team’s progress.
• Maintain a friendly attitude.
• Strive for enthusiasm.
• The only stupid question is the one that is not asked.
• Look for merit in the ideas of others.

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 15
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
• Pay attention- avoid disruptive behavior.
• Avoid actions that delay progress.
• Carry out assignments on schedule.
• Give credit to those whom it is due.
• Thank those who give assistance.
• Do not suppress ideas- do express.
• Objectives and causes first, solutions next.
• Give praise and honest appreciation when due.
• Ideas generated by the group should not be
used as individual suggestions to suggestion
scheme.
BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 16
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
 Problem Solving Tools and Techniques Used by

Quality Circles

• Brainstorming.
• Pareto analysis.
• Cause and effect diagram (or fish bone diagram
or Ishikawa diagram).
• Histogram.
• Scatter diagram
• Stratification
• Check sheet
• Control charts and graphs

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 17
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
 New QC Tools

• Quality circles started using additional seven

tools as they started maturing. These are:
• Relations diagram.
• Affinity diagram.
• Systematic diagram or Tree diagram.
• Matrix diagram.
• Matrix data analysis diagram.
• PDPC (Process Decision Program Chart).
• Arrow diagram.

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 18
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
 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
corresponding rewards.

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 19
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
Structure of Quality Circle

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 20
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 21
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
 Roles and Responsibility
I. Top management :The success of the quality circles depends
solely on the attitude of the Top management and plays an
important role to ensure the success of implementation of
quality circles in the organization.
II. Steering committee: Called middle management
consists of chief executive heads of different divisions or a
coordinator plays a positive role in quality circles activities
for the success of the efforts.
III. Coordinator :also acts as facilitators is an individual
responsible for coordinating and directing the quality
circles activities within an organization and carries out
such functions.

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 22
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
IV. Facilitator: Acts as a catalyst, innovator, promoter
and teacher and is nominated by the management.
V. Leader : Of the quality circles is chosen by the
members among themselves and they may decide to
have a leader by rotation since the members are the
basic elements of the structure of quality circle.
VI. 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.

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 23
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3
THE IMPACT OF QUALITY CIRCLE
 Improvement of human relations and workplace morale
 Promotion of work culture
 Enhancement of job interest
 Effective team work
 Reducing defects and improving quality
 Improvement of productivity
 Enhancing problem solving capacity
 Improving communication & interaction
 Catalyzing attitude change
 Promotion of personal & leadership development

BY:SANIYA CHAWLA,FACULTY, 24
UGC NET PAPER-2 UNIT-3