Correct Response: A. The purpose of Total Quality Management (TQM) is to provide continuous high- quality products and services to customers. With TQM, all team members work toward the common goal of improving all aspects of the business operation. Analyzing areas where improvements in efficiency are possible is an important component of TQM. Establishing a centralized decision-making structure where management is given authorization to enforce and implement business operations is top-down management (B), and will not necessarily boost quality. Promoting managers from within based on merit (C) may be a good business strategy but it is not a defining component of TQM. Implementing the lowest cost production process may cut costs but may not improve quality (D).
