This paper will examine Total Quality Management, TQM, with focus on the impact of globalization to TQM standards within an organization as well as an examination of traditional management styles as compared to those based on TQM principles. In order to fully understand these principles it is necessary to gain comprehension through defining Total Quality Management. "Total Quality Management (TQM) is a comprehensive and structured approach to organizational management that seeks to improve the quality of products and services through ongoing refinements in response to continuous feedback. TQM requirements may be defined separately for a particular organization or may be in adherence to established standards, such as the International Organization for Standardization's ISO 9000 series. TQM can be applied to any type of organization; it originated in the manufacturing sector and has since been adapted for use in almost every type of organization imaginable, including schools, highway maintenance, hotel management, and churches. As a current focus of e-business, TQM is based on quality management from the customer's point of view." (Search Data Center, 2006)
Globalization has affected quality simply because different countries and cultures have varying standards when describing quality. Many products, made for US consumption, are produced throughout the world and in countries with lower quality standards than those observed within the United States. In order to participate in global exchange, suppliers in the country of production must strive to conform to the strict quality standards of the United States consumer. Methods to assure that levels of quality are understood and attained are outlined by TQM experts, Burrill and Ledolter "One method is for the cus ...