The Slippery Slope

Asserts that, too often companies have jumped headlong into implementing a quality programme without first doing their homework, and they then wonder why the so‐called improvement effort has failed. Contends they need to go back to basics. Looks at why quality efforts have not always produced the desired results. Asserts that a successful quality improvement process requires, a willing chief executive officer; an experienced capable guide and a reward system that makes sense. Emphasizes that the key ingredient is the leader willing to take the lead in cultural change and sponsor a participative, in‐house effort to redesign the reward system and make it supportive of the new team‐based culture being created.