The SUGOD (Survey, Unite, Grow, Operationalise, Develop) approach is a credible means towards the achievement of Total Quality Management (TQM), as presented by Quality Partners Co. Ltd to small and medium enterprises.
The major goal of any worthy business organisation is to gain and sustain profitability. Towards this end, many approaches had been promoted but only few have consistently attained success. Through the years, at least since 1996, Quality Partners Company Ltd (QPCL) implemented various approaches to assist the industries particularly the small and medium enterprises (SMEs). These experiences revealed that a culture-based approach to total quality management (TQM), could help sustain the achievement of quality, productivity and profitability (QPP). The approach followed the acronym SUGOD (Survey-Unite-Grow-Operationalise-Develop), a Filipino word for “move-on together fast”. This paper will briefly explain how quality, productivity, profitability (QPP) can be sustained through the SUGOD for TQM approach.
Fig.1. Phases of the SUGOD Quality Development Cycle
“SUGOD” QUALITY DEVELOPMENT CYCLE. Figure 1 presents a cyclic pattern in five (5) phases, which basically follows Deming’s famous PDCA (Plan Do Check Act), necessary to achieve continual quality improvement. Phase 1- SURVEY is involved with obtaining baseline information about the company’s major practices/resources such as the 5Ms (Manpower, Materials, Methods, Machines, Measurement). Data collected include both from a Climate Survey conducted and actual review of the company’s 5Ms. Based on the information obtained from Phase 1-SURVEY, the need to UNITE (Phase II) towards a common company direction clearly surfaces and thus, Phase II is focused on identification of opportunities for improvement. Such findings form the basis for the development of realistic strategic plans that identifies measurable goals in the form of Key Result Areas (KRAs). This also defines the specific improvement areas particularly those that pertain to employee competence which would lead to the realisation of the great importance of employee capability enhancement. This becomes the basic content of Phase III - GROW which underscores the importance of training needs identification necessary to enhance employee competence. In turn, the latter will ensure that set strategic goals will be achieved. One part of Phase III-Grow is the identification of the company’s growth factors and how these are to be achieved. Accomplishments obtained from Phases I-III are utilised for improvement of processes for implementation in Phase IV - OPERATIONALISE. This Phase is meant to employ the important changes necessary to ensure consistent quality and productivity in the company operations. Finally, all the baseline information and improvements done in Phases I-IV are fully reviewed to ensure movement towards the desired over-all improvement level. This should be properly planned in Phase V – DEVELOP so that when accurately implemented would lead to the company’s Growth and Stability. The four cycles covering Phases I to IV provide the foundation for the Company’s sustainable Growth. Hence, the cycles of improvement derived from each of the first four SUGOD Phases provide the first level improvement of the company. Furthermore, this forms the foundation for planning (Phase V-Develop) the second level of business success measured in terms of QPP to be achieved in another series of the three development cycles covering BASELINE, IMPROVEMENT and GROWTH or the acronym BIG.
Fig. 2. Cycles of Improvement from Cycle 1: (BIG)- Baseline, Improvement, Growth
LEVELS OF QPP PER SUGOD CYCLE COMPLETION. Shown in Figure 2 are the LEVELS of growth and development of QPP in the Company with every cycle completed. The major goal of SUGOD for TQM is to provide the avenue for Total Quality Management to be eventually achieved at the shortest time possible. It is expected that for every SUGOD cycle completed, the company’s level of quality, productivity and profitability (QPP) moves up to a higher plain of business success. At this point, effective measures of progress in quantifiable terms should already be utilised by management and staff. Generally, at Phase IV, “statistical thinking” development is strongly encouraged and thus, measurement methods, as well as, basic statistical tools and techniques are introduced and utilised for the 4Ms being reviewed and subsequently improved. Such measures provide the basis upon which growth trends are observed and identification of weaknesses and strengths are also derived. Findings provide the groundwork upon which decisions are made to identify the focus of growth and development targets. The latter serve as the point of reference as the company moves on to a higher level of successful QPPs targeted to be achieved in another series of SUGOD cycles.
To read the entire report, go to:
https://www.industrysourcing.com/article/Sustaining-quality-productivity-profitability-QPP-through-SUGOD
See FoodPacific Manufacturing Journal November 2023 at
https://www.industrysourcing.com/magazines/info/102350
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