TQM Special issue: quality improvement in East Africa
Article Type: Guest editorial From: The TQM Journal, Volume 25, Issue 5.
In the current business environment characterised by stiff competition, issues of quality assurance and quality enhancement have become a major focus of attention. The delivery of products and services that meet specifications and are “fit for purpose”has become a basic requirement of customers. However, customers increasingly demand more than basic quality. These escalating expectations are cross-sectoral. Whilst higher expectations began in manufacturing and are associated with manufactured products,they now apply to all sectors including the service industry, government agencies and even charitable organisations.
East Africa faces many challenges ranging from health, unemployment and other related problems. This calls for commitment to excellence, productivity and quality. This is best done in a structured way with strong underpinnings on our national aspirations,values and commitment to quality improvement.
The Kenya Institute of Management is in the forefront of driving organisational competitiveness and excellence. In 2009 the institute initiated Organisational Performance Index (OPI), a business excellence model based on seven determinants: Leadership and Management; Human Resource; Customer Orientation and Marketing; Financial Management; Information, Innovation and Knowledge Management; Corporate Citizenship and Responsibility; and Productivity and Quality. The model has been adopted by 180 organisations in both the private and public sectors in Kenya. However, it has been observed that the political class has not taken excellence and institutional competitiveness as a serious national agenda that should help create jobs, spur economic growth and regional competitiveness.
Quite a number of international companies and organisations operating in East Africa but having their parentage from Europe and other developed countries normally adopt global models from their country of origin. However, this though easier to adopt is not pragmatic and easily applicable in their business operations considering the unique East African business environment in terms of culture, governance, political patronage among others. Consequently, a number of these organisations have appreciated and adopted the OPI model as the throttle to drive their competitiveness agenda.
In furtherance of this agenda, the Kenya Institute of Management holds annual journal publishing seminars as part of its contribution to innovation, knowledge processing, incubation, dissemination and management. Courtesy of our key partner and facilitator,Dr Alex Douglas, we entered into collaboration with the TQM journal. A year ago The TQM journal offered to publish a special issue on quality improvement in East Africa. The result is this special issue which aims to serve as a shop window to the world to showcase examples of quality improvement progress and initiatives in East Africa. Further we are going to use this collaboration as a springboard to encourage more unpublished as well as established authors to write about their quality experiences and add East Africa's voice to the world body of knowledge.
David Muturi - Guest Editor
