quality circle
Developed from Japanese work practices, a quality circle is a small group of employees who voluntarily meet at regular intervals to identify, analyse and resolve work-related problems.
A quality circle can improve the performance of an organisation but can also motivate and enrich the work life of its employees. Discussions cover workplace improvement and give employees the chance to make presentations to management with their ideas. Typical topics are:
- improving safety
- product design
- manufacturing process
Quality circles were started in Japan in 1962 (by Kaoru Ishikawa) and the movement in Japan was coordinated by the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE). Professor Ishikawa believed in tapping into the creative potential of workers in order to give Japanese industry that extra edge.
