The Quality Paradigm
A revolution is sweeping across all industries, including the grocery business. To provide superior customer service, businesses are changing the way they look at all facets of an operation. We sometimes refer to a revolution or change in thinking as a "paradigm shift." Scientist Thomas Kuhn theorized that a revolution occurs not because of startling new facts, but because of a change in the overall way something is seen. Thus, the paradigm shift that is taking place in industry is not necessarily due to a gain in knowledge, but a change in the way customer service is viewed. The term "quality paradigm
" refers to a new way of thinking about quality and customers. Nothing in a business enterprise can be taken for granted. Each work process must continuously be improved in order to remain competitive and attain world-class status. The quality paradigm is the foundation of the entire Total Quality Management (TQM) revolution in industry.