Strengthening the weadest link of TQM-from customer focus to customer understanking

摘要

Contains a discussion of bow the TQM concept can be further developed so as to give more room for innovations grounded in a profound understanding of the customers and their situation. A typology of different quality configurations, based on the three three basec themes of customer understanding,aliging processes and supporting people, is presented. It is suggested that, aithough customer focus is revered, methods for developing a deeper understanding of the customers' situation are not sufficiently integrated into TQM. Contributions from consumer behaviour theories,qualitative marketing research and inductive methods of analysis are prposed as amendments to this deficicncy.