Page 194 - DMGT524_TOTAL_QUALITY_MANAGEMENT

Unit 13: Total Productive Maintenance

system, current condition of plant and equipment. Understanding the current system also helps Notes
whether existing system can be improved or a new system has to replace the existing one. TPM
implementation in general consists of the following steps:
1. Management learning new philosophy
2. Management promoting new philosophy
3. Training everyone in the organization
4. Identifying areas of improvement

5. Formulating performance goals
6. Developing an implementation plan
7. Establishing autonomous work groups

13.2.1 Learning the New Philosophy

Proper understanding, commitment and active involvement of the top management in needed
for this step. Senior management should have awareness programs, after which announcement
is made to all.

Note Top management must understand how TPM will affect the operations of the
organization. Top management should also be aware of resistance to change and how it
can deal the same.

TPM call for cultural change, and any cultural change needs dedication from top management
and its support for long-term improvement. TPM calls for tapping of unused resources of the
organization especially the intellectual capital of its employees in the form of their problem
solving ability. Hence people at the lower level must be empowered to make decisions. Thus
top management must learn the new philosophy of managing things differently to involve all
the employees.

13.2.2 Promoting the Philosophy

Senior management needs support of all the employees of the organization for successful
implementation of TPM and hence it must spend significant time in promoting the new system.
Top management must sell the idea as it requires complete commitment from all the employees.
It also needs commitment from all the top management representatives of the organization.
If the employees and management do not believe in new philosophy and they are committed to
the same, then TPM may be failure in the organization resulting in waste of resources.

!
Caution Top management should have long-term commitment and it should not focus on
short term gains as commitment to long-term investment is the key.
Management has the responsibility of promoting the new philosophy and hence mangers should
become role models by practicing the new philosophy and leading others. Top managers shall
actively involve and exhibit their keen interest in new philosophy. Management should also
give more autonomy to maintenance and production personnel. If employees understand the
seriousness of commitment and efforts of top management in implementing TPM, then employees
will respond positively and put their efforts in implementation.

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