Book Description

In today's environment of governmental funding reductions and diminishing resources, Human Service/Public Sector organizations are chided for not operating more like private for-profit businesses. Public sector organizations are searching for ways to convert and sustain the principles of Total Quality Management, using the tools of Juran, Deming, Drucker and Peters, which focus more on customer's needs and the use of data and proven practices to drive decision-making and service goals. The public sector organizations are asking the question: Is Quality Management a viable management system tool to be used in public and governmental sectors, given the inherent history of slow-to-change bureaucracies and ever interfering political changes in direction by elected officials? Total Quality Management and the system changes required to address a move to a client focused, customer driven and community responsive system cannot happen within the organizational structure and the political context in which today's public service organization must survive. The cost of Total Quality Management tools and the limited human resources, along with the political and public policy will, limit public service organizations' ability to set their organization on the journey of becoming an efficient and effective quality public agency. Dr. Poe explores and sheds light on some of the most common misconceptions on why quality management change is so difficult, if not impossible, in the public sector. Poe discusses the conflicting role of political leadership and community involvement in the public sector's organization, which leads to the inability to implement a Total Quality Management System.