Benefits of Quality Circles
The potential benefits of quality circles can be presented under three categories, as shown in Table 1. (Source: Juran and Gryna).
Table 1. Potential benefits of implementing quality circles
1. Quality circle′s effects on individuals’ characteristics
- QCs enable the individual to improve personal capabilities.
- QCs increase the individuals’ self-respect.
- QCs help workers change certain personality characteristics.
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2. Quality circle′s effects on individual’s relations with others
- QCs increase the respect of the supervisor for the workers.
- QCs increase worker’s understanding of the difficulties faced by supervisors.
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QCs increase management’s respect for workers.
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3. Quality circle’s effects on workers and their attitudes toward the company
- QCs change some worker’s negative attitudes.
- QCs reduce conflict stemming from the working environment.
- QCs help workers to understand better the reasons why many problems cannot be solved quickly.
- QCs instill in the worker a better understanding of the importance of product quality.
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Table 2. lists the tangible and intangible gains of quality circles presented by Udpa.
Table 2. Gains of quality circles
| Tangible gains |
Intangible gains |
- Better quality
- Productivity improvement
- Higher safety (reduced number of accidents)
- Greater cost effectiveness
- Better housekeeping
- Increased profitability
- Waste reduction
- Reduced absenteeism
- Reduced grievances
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- Enriched quality of work life
- Attitudinal changes
- Harmony, mutual trust
- Effective team working
- Better human relations
- Participative culture
- Human resource development
- Promotion of job knowledge
- Greater sense of belonging
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Limitations of Quality Circles
Three noteworthy limitations of QCs are given below.
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Participation is not always voluntary in all cases.
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Participation fades away if it lacks the top management’s support.
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No involvement of trade unions.
