What is the future direction of TQM development?

This paper attempts a broad review of the current status and possible future of TQM as a major management concept. It looks at its strengths, in areas such as industrial and product orientated commercial business, in which it has become well established and demonstrably helpful to organizational objectives; and its weaknesses, areas in which it has been less successful than would have been anticipated. The paper then considers the applicability of TQM concepts to product and service organisations and argues that there is evidence of greater ease of adoption, and more apparent success, within product based companies than with service based organisations. Looking to future opportunities, the paper examines what further areas of development might be appropriate for TQM. Two significant but by no means fully explored areas are: small/medium sized enterprises (SMEs); and developing and newly industrialised countries (NICs). Another extension worthy of consideration is the non commercial organisation, in the public sector and the “third sector”.