MSS4TQM-a management support system for total quality management

The paper describes the research and development of a management support system (MSS) for total quality management (TQM). A prototype system called management support system for total quality management (MSS4TQM) is designed and developed to facilitate management or a quality team in conducting quality barrier assessment and critical factor analysis of TQM for an organization. MSS4TQM is implemented on personal computers under a Microsoft Windows/sup TM/ environment. To evaluate the performance of MSS4TQM, selected quality practitioners in manufacturing and service industries in Hong Kong, as well as quality experts from thirteen nations, are invited to participate in testing the system. The evaluation study of the prototype system in the context of a proposed MSS evaluation framework is described. The results of prototype evaluation are satisfactory and support the contention that MSS4TQM performs its functions as expected.