Quality circle

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Quality circles are internal working groups that are intended to activate the experience and willingness of employees to take responsibility. In addition to the quality of the products and services, this also improves the performance potential of the employees and possibly the working atmosphere.

definition

Quality circles are small groups with an indefinite duration, in which employees of the same (mostly lower) hierarchical level with a common basis of experience come together at regular intervals (usually every 2-3 weeks, 1-2 hours) during working hours on a voluntary basis under the direction of a moderator .

The aim of these small groups is to analyze topics of their own work area and to develop and present solution proposals with the help of special, learned problem-solving and creativity techniques . Furthermore, it is a goal of these groups to implement these suggestions independently or in an instance and to check the results.

In the extended form, quality circles can also be composed across hierarchies. In this form, the quality circle is differentiated from the project group in that it is deployed for an indefinite period without a specified goal. Quality circles differ from workshop circles in that, in workshop circles, employees are delegated to participate and the topic and duration are specified.

history

The quality circles (Japanese Jishu Kanri ) originally come from Japan , which can be explained by the pronounced group and family awareness there. Quality circles were also introduced in the United States in the 1960s and only in Germany in the 1980s . The concept of the quality circle is to be distinguished from the semi-autonomous groups , the learning center and the workshop circles.

construction

Six to nine employees - including resident doctors in the medical field - meet at regular intervals in quality circles to discuss issues relating to daily work and make suggestions for improvement. The aim is a continuous improvement process (CIP) in terms of quality management (QM).

A moderator takes on the task of observing defined times (start and end of the discussion) and the interpersonal processes. A keeper of the minutes ensures that the questions posed and the solutions developed are recorded in order to make the work of the quality circle validatable . The remaining members of the group are “only” creative.

Since the line-up is mostly no longer changed, care should be taken when selecting employees that all areas and professional groups are adequately represented.

advantages

The quality circle work has numerous advantages. As a rule, the employees who are particularly committed and are well versed in group work are sent to the quality circles. This often leads to quick results. Those who use this quality assurance measure participate in the knowledge of experienced colleagues and that of the consultants. Unlike in a seminar , individual solutions can be worked out here.

disadvantage

Sooner or later a quality circle tends to stand out from reality. The proposals therefore lack practical relevance. And the participating employees are often viewed critically by their colleagues.

See also

literature

  • Wolfgang Battmann, Detlev Liepmann: Quality circles as an instrument of personnel development: a meta-analytical consideration. In: Detlev Liepmann (Ed.): Qualification measures as concepts of personnel development. Lang, Frankfurt am Main 1993, ISBN 3-631-46418-5 , pp. 169-187.
  • Margit Birnkammer, Friedemann W. Nerdinger: Quality Circle as an Instrument of Personnel Development? In: Personal: Journal for Human Resource Management. 49, 3, 1997, pp. 152-155.
  • Joachim Deppe: Quality circle and Lernstatt: an integrative approach. 3rd, revised. Edition. Gabler, Wiesbaden 1992, ISBN 3-409-33413-0 .
  • Klaus Rischar, Christa Titze: Quality circle: effective problem solving by groups in the company. 5th edition. Expert, Renningen 2002, ISBN 3-8169-1596-5 .
  • Klaus J. Zink: Quality Circles: Case Studies, Experiences, Perspectives. (= Quality Circles. 2). Hanser, Munich 1986, ISBN 3-446-14679-2 .
  • Heike Schnoor, Artur Mietens, Carmen Lange: Quality Circle : Theory and Practice of Problem Solving in Schools. Schöningh, Paderborn 2006, ISBN 3-506-75612-5 .

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