INTRODUCTION of Total Quality Management (TQM)

TQM is the way of managing for the future, and is far wider in its application than just assuring product or service quality – it is a way of managing people and business processes to ensure complete customer satisfaction at every stage, internally and externally. TQM, combined with effective leadership, results in an organization doing the right things right, first time.


The core of TQM is the customer-supplier interfaces, both externally and internally, and at each interface lie a number of processes. This core must be surrounded by commitment to quality, communication of the quality message, and recognition of the need to change the culture of the organization to create total quality. These are the foundations of TQM, and they are supported by the key management functions of people, processes and systems in the organization.

INTRODUCTION of Supply Chain Management (SCM)

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is about managing the flow of materials, information & finance as they move in a process from supplier trough production, distribution and delivery of finished product to wholesaler and retailer and ultimately to the consumer, furthermore it often includes after-sales service and returns or recycling.

Supply chain management involves coordinating and integrating these flows both within and among companies. It is said that the ultimate goal of any effective supply chain management system is to reduce inventory (with the assumption that products are available when needed).

Flows in supply chain management can be divided into three main flows:

• Product flow

Includes the movement of goods from a supplier to a customer, as well as any customer returns or service needs.

• Information flow

Involves transmitting orders and updating the status of delivery

• Finances flow

consists of credit terms, payment schedules, and consignment and title ownership arrangements

Effective supply chain management demands comprehensive information systems allow the company to synchronize plans with customers and suppliers, collaborate in real time both inside and outside the enterprise, execute plans, adapt to a dynamic environment, and measure performance to objectives.

A recent study in the United States showed that the application of Supply Chain Management tools can result in the following benefits to a company as follow:

• 50% Reduction in inventory
• 40% Improvement in on-time delivery
• 27% reduction in order cycle time
• Nine fold reduction in out-of-stock-rates.

As the result, SCM leads an organization to provide a better service at a lower cost.

Who are Industrial Engineers?

Industrial engineers determine the most effective ways to use the basic factors of production -- people, machines, materials, information, and energy -- to make a product or to provide a service.

Industrial engineers are the bridge between management goals and operational performance. They are more concerned with increasing & improving productivity through the management of people, methods of business organization, and technology than are engineers in other specialties who generally work more with products or processes. Although most industrial engineers work in manufacturing industries, they may also work in consulting services, healthcare, and communications, etc.

To solve organizational, production, and related problems most efficiently, industrial engineers carefully study the product and its requirements, use mathematical methods such as operations research to meet those requirements, and design manufacturing and information systems. They develop management control systems to aid in financial planning and cost analysis and design production planning and control systems to coordinate activities and ensure product quality. They also design or improve systems for the physical distribution of goods and services. Industrial engineers determine which plant location has the best combination of raw materials availability, transportation facilities, and costs. Industrial engineers use computers for simulations and to control various activities and devices, such as assembly lines and robots.

Industrial engineers also develop wage and salary administration systems and job evaluation programs. Many industrial engineers move into management positions because the work is closely related.

The work of health and safety engineers is similar to that of industrial engineers in that it deals with the entire production process. Health and safety engineers promote worksite or product safety and health by applying knowledge of industrial processes, as well as mechanical, chemical, and psychological principles. They must be able to anticipate, recognize, and evaluate hazardous conditions as well as develop hazard control methods. They also must be familiar with the application of health and safety regulations.

INTRODUCTION of Industrial Engineering

Industrial Engineering is concerned with the design, improvement and installation of integrated system of people, materials, information, equipment, energy, capital and managerial know-how into a system that will deliver high quality, less expensive product or service faster..

It draws upon specialized knowledge and skill in the mathematical, physical and social sciences together with the principles and methods of engineering analysis and design to specify predict and evaluate the results to be obtained from such systems.

In a way, you might think of industrial engineers as the people who look after the health of organizations. They are responsible for the quality of the finished product, the efficiency and productivity of the operation, and the safety and morale of the employees. Most of all, industrial engineers are responsible for change – improving the effectiveness, and the competitiveness, of the organization. The Industrial Engineering (IE) major includes the following fields of study:

§ Manufacturing Systems Engineering

Apply modern manufacturing technologies to ensure the best economic manufacture of a product. Topics include manufacturing processes, automation, robotics, lean manufacturing, ergonomics and occupational safety and health.

§ Engineering Service Systems

Develop quantitative methods in order to help managers make better decisions. Topics include engineering economy, quality control, scheduling, inventory, computer simulation models, customer satisfaction and product design and usability.

§ Engineering Information Systems

Consider the physical and mental design of information technology systems required to develop applications in Industrial Engineering. Topics include enterprise information modeling, analysis of data bases, data mining, internet technologies and human-computer interfaces.