TQM vs. TQC — What's the Difference?

TQM, or Total Quality Management, is a holistic approach to long-term success through customer satisfaction, encompassing all members of an organization and stressing all functions towards continuous improvement. TQC, or Total Quality Control, is a narrower concept that focuses specifically on controlling the quality of products and services. It is often considered a subset of TQM, emphasizing the technical and mechanical aspects of quality management.

TQM involves the participation of all members of an organization in improving processes, products, services, and the culture in which they work. It's based on the principle that everyone in the company is responsible for quality. TQC, however, is usually the responsibility of specific teams or departments tasked with identifying and correcting defects in the production process.

The strategy behind TQM is to create an organizational culture where quality is embedded in all activities, with long-term success in mind. This contrasts with TQC's focus on immediate quality concerns and the implementation of short-term solutions to quality issues.

TQM requires a shift in organizational culture, where the change involves every department and employee, aiming for continuous improvement in all aspects of the organization's operations. TQC, while important, is more focused on the technical aspects of quality control, such as inspection and testing, rather than cultural change.

While TQM and TQC are both crucial to achieving high-quality products and services, TQM's broader scope aims for overall excellence in all facets of an organization, whereas TQC concentrates on controlling specific quality issues within the production process.