The Development of Total Quality Management in the Personal Social Service

Realities, Limitations and Opportunities within the Modernising Agenda

Bibliographic Data

ID6302372
AuthorsDavid Watson (0000-0002-2749-6136, corresponding author)
Year2003
Volume29
Issue1
Pages33-50
Publication date2003-03-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueLocal Government Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0300-3930 • E-ISSN: 1743-9388
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/714004177
OpenAlexW2055176049
LanguageEN
Citations received3

This paper considers the impact of quality approaches within the personal social services over the last decade. In particular it examines how applicable private sector approaches to quality, such as Total Quality Management, are in the public and personal social services. Both the hard and soft tools of Total Quality Management are critically considered in terms of their relevance and ability to modernise service provision. In the context of the managerial discourse presently dominating the public sector, it is argued that the hard tools of Total Quality Management, such as performance measurement and review, will only add to managerial control; whilst the soft tools of empowerment and cultural change will lose their critical effect. It is the contention of this paper that unless the current Labour government's Modernising Services Policy succeeds in democratising the process of developing quality then it will only add to the managerial agenda at the expense of improving service provision

Business · Context (archaeology · Economic growth · Economics · Empowerment · Government (linguistics · Political science · Private sector · Public relations · Public sector · Quality (philosophy · Quality management · Quality policy · Relevance (law · Service (business · Total quality management · Employment and Welfare Studies · Healthcare innovation and challenges · Social Policy and Reform Studies · Marketing

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