What comments can be provided in response to the following material? What questions can be asked of the author?

"Total Quality Management is a management approach for a customer-focused organization that involves all employees in continual improvement. It uses strategy, data, and effective communications to integrate the quality discipline into the culture and activities of the organization" (ASQ.com). An example of an organization utilizing TQM is AtlantiCare, a New Jersey-based healthcare provider managing 5,000 employees at 25 different locations. In an effort to provide better patient experiences and shorter wait times, AtlantiCare began implementing a new staff communication system in which employees were given freedom to provide vital feedback at each and every level instead of information trickling down from top-to-bottom. Atlanticare also began training new staff in the company's performance excellence framework as well as "creating benchmark goals for employees to achieve at all levels - including better engagement at the point of delivery, increasing clinical communication and identifying and prioritizing service opportunities". As a result, Atlanticare saw its number of repeat customers at the firm triple, and achieved a market share that was its highest in six years. Additionally, revenues increased from $280m to $650m after implementing the quality improvement strategies (europeanceo.com).

In contrast to Atlanticare effectively utilizing total quality management, an example of a time that basic quality methods were not followed and led to poor consequences was the Samsung galaxy case study reviewed in class. In this case, in early stages of the project, Samsung failed to properly perform failure modes and effect analysis (FMEA) when working with suppliers to source batteries for the Samsung Galaxy phone. According to a quality handbook published by Samsung, the company employed the use of FMEA to "identify potential failure modes, determine their effect on products and take preventive actions in the product design or manufacturing process". However, Samsung failed to perform critical risk analysis when selecting a supplier, and ultimately was forced to take corrective action after the production of phones when the proper use of FMEA would have allowed Samsung to identify a potential flaw in the battery design for the phones before needing to take costly corrective actions. The result of failing to properly utilize FMEA to proactively address the defective battery issue ultimately cost Samsung 9.5 billion in lost sales and badly damaged their reputation, as opposed to Atlanticare, which began with a strong reputation and only strengthened it by effective use of quality management techniques (europeanceo.com).