MSS4TQM - A management support system for total quality management

This paper describes the research and development of a management support s ystem (MSS) for total quality management (TQM). A prototype system called m anagement support system for total quality management (MSS4TQM) is designed and developed to facilitate management or a quality team in conducting qua lity barrier assessment and critical factor analysis of TQM for an organiza tion. MSS4TQM is implemented on personal computers under a Microsoft Window s(TM) environment. To evaluate the performance of MSS4TQM, selected quality practitioners in manufacturing and service industries in Hong Kong, as wel l as quality experts from thirteen nations, are invited to participate in t esting the system, The evaluation study of the prototype system in the cont ext of a proposed MSS evaluation framework is described. The results of pro totype evaluation are satisfactory and support the contention that MSS4TQM performs its functions as expected.