How does a dandelion seed from overseas root and thrive?. The successful implementation of TQM in Hainan University Library
| Pages | 344-353 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120610702332 |
| Published date | 01 July 2006 |
| Date | 01 July 2006 |
| Author | Changzhi Zhan,Hongxia Zhang |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
How does a dandelion seed from
overseas root and thrive?
The successful implementation of TQM in
Hainan University Library
Changzhi Zhan and Hongxia Zhang
Hainan University Library, Haikou, People’s Republic of China
Abstract
Purpose – The concept of quality management blossomed first in Japan and later in US and UK
industry. Since then, the theory of quality management has been growing rapidly. It has become a
management philosophy and has taken shape in a series of international standards in the ISO 9000
series. This article aims to describe how total quality management (TQM) – a dandelion seed from
overseas - turned an ordinary library into something different.
Design/methodology/approach – This article is a general review of the progress made in Hainan
University Library.
Findings – Hainan University Library implemented TQM in July 2004 and passed the authentication
of ISO 9000: 2000 in 2005. Management innovation in Hainan University Library gradually became a
real eye-catcher. A national workshop on quality management and performance management in the
library was held in April 2006. The library is now a member of IFLA (there are 25 members in China
including Macao and Hong Kong); in 2005 the director of the library was elected as a standing
committee member of IFLA Academic and Research Libraries Section; and international exchange and
cooperation is becoming increasingly active.
Originality/value – The paper demonstrates how a silent, ordinary library has made a difference; it
is moving away from being an isolated island and moving towards the international arena.
Keywords Academic libraries, Libraries, China,Total quality management
Paper type General review
Introduction
In the late 1970s, when Japanese electronic products and automobiles boasted the
highest quality in the world, most Americans were surprised: what made the Japanese
manufacturers so successful? They tried to find out the reason and did: that quality
management assisted the rise of the Japanese economy in the aftermath of the Second
World War.
During the period 1948 to 1950, Dr Edwards Deming, a US statistician and quality
guru, was sent to train management groups in Japan, in order to help the Japanese to
overcome the disastrous consequences of the Second World War. It took Japan 30 years
of hardship and constant striving to achieve excellent quality.
The concept of quality management was accepted in US and UK industry in the
early 1980s. Since then, the theory of quality management has been growing rapidly
and it has become a management philosophy called total quality management (TQM)
that has taken shape in a series of ISO9000 international standards.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
LM
27,6/7
344
Received 29 May 2006
Revised 7 June 2006
Accepted 12 June 2006
Library Management
Vol. 27 No. 6/7, 2006
pp. 344-353
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/01435120610702332
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