Title: Role of flexibility in sustaining excellence: case of a TQM company

Authors: S.K. Breja, D.K. Banwet, K.C. Iyer

Addresses: Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India; National Council for Cement and Building Materials, Ballabgarh (Haryana), India. ' Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India. ' Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India

Abstract: Global economy is in a state of flux. Energy crisis and climate concerns have added to the turmoil in the global economy, already facing turbulence due to shifting of growth zones to the Asian region. Many companies particularly those engaged in export market have been affected and forced to seek governmental intervention. The paper presents flexibility (SAP-LAP) and environmental (SWOT&R) analysis of a Deming Application Prize (DAP) winning Indo-Japanese technical and financial joint venture (JV) and tries to understand the role of flexibility in sustaining excellence in the emerging environment. The study is supported with exhaustive literature review.

Keywords: total quality management; TQM; business excellence; sustainability; Deming Application Prize; flexibility; SAP-LAP modelling; performance measurement; balanced scorecards; SWOT analysis; SWOT&R analysis; strengths weaknesses opportunities threats risks; creativity; innovation; flexibility; global economy; energy crisis; climate change; economic growth; Asia; exports; government intervention; environmental analysis; joint ventures; India; Japan; technical agreements; productivity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2010.032072

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2010 Vol.5 No.3, pp.333 - 365

Published online: 08 Mar 2010 *

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