Can TQM lift a sinking ship? A case study

This case study deals with the issue of TQM implementation. It demonstrates how TQM can not only help save a company but also make it profitable within a short few years. The results of successful implementation of TQM in this plant resulted in: (1) reduced product returns from over 70 of sales to less than 1%; (2) reduced rework from over 1 million pounds to less than 150 000 pounds; (3) reversed the course from losing sales to gaining sales, customers, products, and profits and, more importantly, helped save this plant from closing. The findings of this case study have many implications for practitioners and academicians.