Economic, social and political change is the biggest threat - and opportunity - for business today. If ignored or unanticipated it can be devastating, but if tapped properly it can offer opportunity and act as a powerful engine for growth.

The world is ever-changing and moves at a rapid pace. The greatest challenge is to anticipate and adapt to change, using it for innovation and to generate creative ideas.

A world-class organisation must produce world-class products. In today's competitive world, everyone needs the best products at a reasonable cost. Value for money is the buzz phrase, and employees need to be committed.

Let us have a look at what has changed:

lliberalisation/globalisation

lgrowth of economies

linformation revolution

lorganisations

lsocial mobility

lknowledgeable workers

In order to create a climate for employee involvement, total-quality management is an immediate need for any industry to compete in the environment of globalisation.

What is quality?

Quality is no more than meeting required standards of satisfaction. In today's world, quality is delighting the customer by continuously meeting and improving upon agreed specifications and continuous innovation leading to improvements.

What is total-quality management?

Total-quality management (TQM) is an approach to improving the effectiveness of flexibility and involving the entire organisation, every department, every activity and every single person at every level. TQM is a holistic approach to improve all aspects of an organisation. It is a total cultural change for an organisation from a "distrust/corrective" concept to a "preventive/trust" concept. It is a customer-driven concept with the total involvement of all employees of an organisation.

TQM is the change agent to achieve TCI. TCI is:

T: Total: involves everyone in every work process

C: Continuous: forever, measuring and not just controlling work processes

I: Improvement: elimination of waste/reduction in variation and enhancing innovation.

Change is a continuous process

TQM is achieved through the following means:

- Quality circles/quality-action teams, suggestion schemes.

- Kaizen, the Japanese for "change for the better" or "improvement".

- Environment, health and safety committees.

- Internal customisation concept.

- Total quality and ISO-9000 recognition.

- Up-grading of skills through competency development.

- 5S's. Based on Japanese concepts beginning with 'S' and translating to sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain.

Hence, TQM is a road map to achieving excellence in business by continuously improving processes by involving every employee.

What is employee involvement?

Employee involvement is the courtesy of asking people's opinions before making decisions that affect them. Employee involvement is very simple. If a decision is made affecting employees it is best to consult them because they may have intelligent ideas to offer. It will help build relations and create a conducive environment for better results.

To sum up, employee participation can be achieved by:

l a conducive atmosphere where people can express opinions.

l building confidence that views expressed by one and all will be given adequate weight.

l developing mutual respect and recognising honesty and cultivating trust.

l listening when team members discuss matters and asking their thoughts and feeling about issues.

l encouraging employees to come up with creative and innovative solutions.

The power of people is a key factor in TQM. The people in upper management must create an environment to help people take charge of their destinies and develop a culture of excellence.

Finally, Robert Conklin, author of "How To Get People To Do Things" says, "To the degree that you give people what they need, they will give you what you need".

DK Bakshi is vice president for global human resources with Indorama Polymers. He can be reached at dkbakshi@indorama.net.