FUNCTIONALITY OF QUALITY CIRCLES IN ORGANIZATIONAL HARMONY: A STUDY ON EMPLOYEE PARTICIPANT BEHAVIOR
Keywords:
Quality Circles, Trade unions, employee empowermentAbstract
This paper is based on the theoretical exploration of the capability of quality circles and increasing creativity of employees by virtue of being a participant in that circle. It is based on the contention that quality circles have also the potential to substitute negotiation as a means of resolving disputes. When the employees gain creativity, fluency and flexibility, they can apply the techniques of total quality management in managing human resources. The paper underlines about disadvantages of negotiation which in maximum cases result in fist clenching and first fighting. Negotiation results in a kind of cold war between two parties. Its mantra is to overpower the counterpart. Quality circles on the other hand thrive on cooperation.
The methodology of the paper is conceptual. An attempt has been made to dig the negative consequences of negotiations occurring among the organizations and their contrast is being shown by a completely different phenomenon. The results of the whole discussion are the trade unions have lately become infested by multiple problems as discussed in the paper and are no longer a channel for freedom of expression. They should be substituted by quality circles which besides providing freedom of expression to employees also bring out the creativity among them. The suggestions are that quality circles based on continuous improvement and job enrichment may substitute negotiations as the latter are strait-jacket only fostering bitterness among the parties. Concludes that the phenomenon may lead to employee empowerment.
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