10 Common Reasons Why Improvement Programs Fail

10 Common Reasons why Improvement Programs Fail

1. Taking a piece meal approach rather than extending the program across the entire organization.
2. Limiting quality improvement efforts to production, excluding other areas like accounting, personnel or purchasing.
3. Doing "business as usual", i.e., announcing a quality program but failing to follow up on the commitment and remaining focused on cost reductions and production volumes.
4. Omitting structural changes in compensation (reward) and accounting systems resulting in behaviour that is contradictory to the quality effort.
5. Adopting a "technique" focus. (Quality improvement is not so much about introducing new techniques as it is about changing attitudes and assumptions.)
6. Engaging in hoopla without substance. "Hoopla" is fine, provided there is "meat" behind it.
7. Failing to involve customers and suppliers who should be a natural part of the process.
8. Putting too little emphasis on training which should be done as early as possible.
9. Setting sights too low.
10. Poor communication. Communication should not be an afterthought; good communication is necessary to make the program understood and accepted by all.