Total quality management is a methodology that involves empowering all staff members within an organization to commit to high standards of work. The total quality management method consists of a few key principles:

• Customer focus
• Leadership
• Employee involvement
• Process approach
• Strategic management approach
• Continual improvement
• Factual approach to making decisions
• Mutually beneficial communications with suppliers

This method also focuses on customer satisfaction, which has a major role in determining the quality of a product. This approach offers many potential benefits to companies, including increases in profits and productivity, reduction or elimination of product defects and reductions in cost.