Theoretical foundations of TQM and CQI: or, does quality really have its own theory?

Total quality management and continuous quality improvement have been advocated as management salvation and anecdotally have been linked to improvements in operational effectiveness. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has adopted quality management as the organization improvement measure of the future and has mandated its application. The article explores the theoretical foundations of quality management and presents an integrated model dealing with this industry standard. An operational framework for managers is provided in an attempt to demystify the quality jargon that is so prevalent. The article also provides a prescriptive management overview incorporating quality management techniques into everyday operations.