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Adopting Quality Management Concepts in Public Service Reform Mohamed Asim east asia LLabour mdand Management in Development JourJournalnal Volume 2, Number 6 Adopting quality management Econcepts in public service reform: the case of the Malaysian Public Service Mohamed Asim 99-2 Asia Pacific Press at the AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY http://ncdsnet.anu.edu.au Adopting quality management concepts in public service reform Mohamed Asim © Asia Pacific Press 2001 This work is copyright. Apart from those uses which may be permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 as amended, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the publisher. ISSN 1443–6698 ISBN 0 7315 3684 3 Mohamed Asim is Director General of the Public Service Division, President’s Office, Republic of Maldives. Acknowledgments This article is based on the author’s field visit to Kuala Lumpur in June 1997 as a doctoral candidate from the Australian National University. Abbreviations DAC Development Administration Circular INTAN National Institute of Public Administration MAMPU Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit QCC quality control circle TQM total quality management US United States Labour and Management in Development Journal, Volume 2, Number 6 2 © Asia Pacific Press 2001 Adopting quality management concepts in public service reform Mohamed Asim Summary The same meaning is conveyed in the context of service delivery. Quality The concepts of ‘customer service’ and management in an organisational context ‘teamwork’ have been the focus of many then, is the application of certain practices public service reform programs in the and techniques which ensure that the end nineties (OECD 1996; Gore 1993; Bunning product or output of an organisation, 1992; Offner 1993; Morgan and Murgatroyd whether a product or a service, is of a high 1994). These concepts have their theoretical standard. At the organisational level, the roots in the discipline of quality variables that affect the quality of the management (Deming, 1986; Juran 1989; product or service comprise those factors Crosby, 1979). This article examines how the that influence the organisation internally as Malaysian Public Service has adopted well as externally. Variables such as the work quality management concepts in reforming process, human resources, and the public service organisations. Within this management of the organisation could be objective three main operational included as factors internal to the mechanisms adopted by the Malaysian organisation, while variables such as the Government to implement quality organisation’s approach to the customer or management are reviewed, and the the recipients of the product or service could perceptions of two selected groups of public be considered as external factors that can service officials obtained through a short have a direct impact on determining the structured questionnaire. The findings show quality of a product or service. Accordingly, that a well-established quality management quality management in simplistic terms framework exists in the Malaysian Public represents a managerial discipline that Service. Interviews with selected groups of fosters the transformation or restructuring public service officials revealed a generally of all of these internal and external variables positive perception of the impact of quality that impact upon the organisation. This management on employees’ attitudes, change has to come about in relation to the improving performance and service delivery requirements or needs of the customers, as of public service organisations. the judge of a quality product or service is the user of that product or service. Introduction The literature on quality management Quality management in simple terms could indicates that the contemporary application be expressed through the meaning of the of quality management concepts has its roots term ‘quality’. According to the Cambridge in statistical quality control methods International Dictionary of English, the developed in the United States and Europe, word quality means the ‘characteristic or with the onset of the industrial revolution feature of someone or something’ or, the and mass production (Bendell, Boulter and ‘standard of excellence of something, often Kelly 1994:14; Lindsay and Petrick 1997:62). a high standard.’ Hence, a quality product Over the past decades, quality management means a product of high standard or quality. has become a managerial discipline that has Labour and Management in Development Journal, Volume 2, Number 6 3 © Asia Pacific Press 2001 Adopting quality management concepts in public service reform Mohamed Asim been hailed for its many achievements delivered and to improve the human (Green 1994:1–4). It has also, on the other resource potential in organisations. The hand, been termed as a passing management potential effects of quality management at fad (O’Donnell 1996:259). There has also the organisational level can be highlighted been concern among academics as to through the outcomes of some of the studies whether quality management in its that are available in the context of private ‘orthodox’ form can be applied in the public organisations (Lam 1995; Shea and Gobeli sector (Swiss 1992:360). 1995; Hodgetts 1994; Fisher 1993; Fisher and Amidst the various viewpoints, however, Davis 1992; Fisher 1990). Positive effects several academics and practitioners have reported in these studies included fewer presented specific managerial concepts defects in manufacturing, reduced waste, drawn from the writings of the major quality and increased profits (Fisher 1993:188). Positive improvements in group theorists, and in the contemporary form of involvement and work satisfaction were also their application, have termed these reported (Fisher and Davis 1992:132). concepts as total quality management Negative aspects reported in these studies (TQM) (Hackman and Wageman 1995; Dean included the need for more training, poor and Bowen 1994; Grant et al. 1994). In this relations between departments, a decrease literature three major principles encompass in employee satisfaction and increased work quality management: customer focus, load (Fisher and Davis 1992:132; Lam continuous improvement and teamwork. 1995:98). The principle of customer focus is geared Similarly, the reviewed studies on the towards restructuring the organisation to application of quality management in public meet the needs and requirements of the organisations also reported both positive customers that the organisation serves. The and negative affects (James 1997; McDaniel practices and techniques commonly 1997; Park 1997; O’Donnell 1996; McGowan associated with customer focus are primarily 1995; Redman et al. 1995; Zayed 1994). customer surveys to collect data to Positive effects in public organisations determine needs and expectations. The included raising employees’ awareness, principle of teamwork focuses on increased customer satisfaction, effective collaboration of employees at all levels of teamwork, and reduced customer the organisation through the formation of complaints (Redman et al. 1995:27). Other teams and the use of problem solving studies showed that employee involvement methods. Finally, to sustain the quality of a through teams brought about positive effects product or service, TQM advocates the need associated with employee participation, for continuous improvement of such as job satisfaction, skill variety and co- organisational procedures. worker social support (James 1997:226). A These concepts have been applied in both major constraint in implementing TQM public and private sector organisations to practices is that quality management cannot improve the quality of products and services be imposed on existing management Labour and Management in Development Journal, Volume 2, Number 6 4 © Asia Pacific Press 2001 Adopting quality management concepts in public service reform Mohamed Asim structures (McGowan 1995:330), and that various administrative reform policies. In quality management will not work if it addition, the annual publications of the conflicts with existing management Malaysian Administrative Modernisation practices (O’Donnell 1996:259). and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) The conclusion drawn from the above were reviewed to highlight the discussion is that the application of quality government’s assessment of quality management has the potential to bring about management initiatives. positive changes at the organisational level The DACs and other relevant in both public and private organisations. government documents identified the These include positive perceptions among implementation framework of quality employees with regard to how they work management in the Malaysian Public and their perceptions of the organisation Service. This also identified the impact of the itself. Perhaps due to the successes reported quality management initiative as perceived in the application of quality management in by the Malaysian government. A study of private organisations, concepts that are the general perceptions of employees in the inherent in the quality management public service provided another view of the literature are beginning to be emulated in same subject and balanced the ‘rhetoric’ of public service reform programs in several the government. Employees’ attitudes may developed countries. One such example is also be seen as an indicator of the success of the Malaysian Public Service. any reform initiative. This, however, represents a monumental task since such a Research methodology sample of public
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