Strategic Planning for Quality Management in a Global Environment - Essay Sample

Introduction

Quality management planning is an important aspect of the business environment today (Farlik, 2018). Strategic business planning helps an organization to determine the goals and objective it intends to achieve within a specific period (Dean & Bowen, 2017). The business environment is becoming more global and thus exposing organizations to global competition (Suomalainen, Kuusela & Tihinen, 2015). As result, organizations are therefore required to formulate new innovative competitive strategies to satisfy customers and gain a competitive advantage in the market (Hutchins, 2016). According to Ugboro and Obeng, (2015) Total Quality Management (TQM) philosophy focuses on both management of people and work in process. TQM is mainly concerned with ensuring that customers are satisfied with the quality of goods and products provided, as well as organizational performance is improved (Lee, 2016). Quality management in an organization is therefore concerned with the proper coordination of all organizational processes to ensure continuous improvement in all the business units with the main aim of achieving the expectations of the customers (Stahl, 2015). This discussion paper seeks to stimulate the discussion regarding biblical integration on to develop a cohesive understanding of why quality management and productivity are significant for advancing God's purpose for business on earth.

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Strategic quality management entails the formation of strategies, objectives, and goal setting by organizations to eliminate failure in the organizational process (Ross, 2017). The formulated strategies ensure that employee management utilizes proper control and organization and planning to ensure that they carry out their duties and responsibilities diligently (Ethiraj, Gambardella & Helfat, 2016). Generally, strategic quality management includes the detailing of techniques, arranging and actualizing plans, defining objectives and destinations, utilizing frameworks for evaluating criticism, and taking restorative activities (Kondo, 2017). Muffato and Panzzolo (2015) state the quality management execution involve improvement in general business proficiency and satisfying client desires. On the other hand, Hellsten (2016) states that quality management can be used to avoid disappointments by the organization as well as customers through design, sorting out, and controlling of the organizational activities efficiently.

Based on Biblical teachings, it is of up-most importance to know and understand everything that occurs in this world is as a result of a supernatural being, God. Christians are required to strive to use everything God has blessed them with to offer praise to God. Biblical teachings teach Christians that they are caretakers of God's creation and thus should ensure that they act on His behalf and be the best managers of the world. God promises to reward Christians who aid to his word and glorify Him by multiplying everything in great quantities. Malachi 3:10-10 says,

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies, 'I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great that you won't have enough room to take it in. Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them against insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they ripe,' says the Lord of Heaven's Armies."

Christians can show obedience to God by being stewards of God's resources. Christians are urged through the biblical teachings to commit their one's self and possession to God. This shows that Christians recognize that God is in control and that everything in possession of man, whether small or large is from God. In addition to committing fully to God, Christians should also make wise decisions while taking care of God's resources. Deuteronomy 8:18 (NLT) says, "Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you the power to be successful." Therefore Christian business leaders need to make sure they are using their business to glorify God by making wise decisions regarding the various businesses. According to Keller (2012), Christians can communicate to the world about God and his teachings through their work. According to Keller (2012) states that the best that Christians can achieve this is to be competent and make wise decisions. "We must use our talents in as competent a manner as possible. Competency is a basic value" (Keller, 2012).

Keller (2012) states that business leaders have a significant influence in the world today; therefore, by glorifying God in their business activities would inform the world of God, thus fulfilling His will. Many Christian oriented organizations have tried to achieve this whereby all business activities are carried out in the most Christian way possible. An example of such an organization is Chick-Fil-A, which carries out its organization activities in a Christian manner and according to biblical teachings. The organization is completely closed on Sunday, a sign of respect to Sabbath day biblical teachings. Despite the fact the business may lose profits compared to its competitors who open a business on Sunday, Chick-Fil-A ensures that it is not blinded by profits to go against biblical teachings. According to Keller, (2012), "The Christian worker or business leader who has experienced God's grace - who knows 'you are not your own; you were bought at a price' (I Corinthians 6:19-20) - is free to honor God, love neighbors, and serve the common good through work". Despite its closure on Sunday, the organization has over the years become successful compared to other competitor organizations whose management doesn't understand and reflect on the biblical perspective of the business.

Also, Christians are required to conduct business activities transparently and ethically. According to Keller (Keller), Christians are supposed to take a stand against unethical behaviors, whether in our daily lives or business activities. Upholding ethical behavior honors the will of God and His design for human life. In Colossians 3:23-24 (NLT), Paul writes, "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward and that the Master you are serving is Christ". This, therefore, shows that God requires Christians to uphold ethical business practice as there is a reward for this act.

Quality management under a Christian perspective, therefore, would suggest that organizations activities are carried out ethically and honestly. Also, it is, important to ensure that employees work hard in their roles and responsibilities assigned. According to Lee (2016), Christian workers in an organization are rarely given guidance on how to deal with the wide range of issues they have to face in the workplace. Christian perspective informs workers that God will never call them to do something (roles and responsibilities) that He has not equipped them with the skills and knowledge. Christian teaches ensures that quality management in an organization as each employee is aware that they are required to perform their duties to their best capabilities, which in turn ensure continuous improvement in an organization.

References

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