Fitness for Use? Barriers to Full TQM in the UK

A brief introduction to Total Quality Management (TQM) is presented. It is a holistic concept and must be implemented as such. However, there are four barriers to full implementation. These are short‐termism, organisational segmentalism, reluctant managers, and poor industrial relations. These barriers affect some parts of the TQM model more than others: this is likely to result in partial rather than holistic TQM.