ABSTRACT
“If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.” 1 This statement about the human condition from Federalist 51 posits a view of people which most authors of Total Quality Management have chosen to ignore. When reviewing the literature on quality management, one is struck by the absence of any mention of individuals who have problems in the workplace, and the reader is left with the conclusion that “men are angels.” There is an assumption that all employees with the right type of training and the proper coaching will fit into the TQM organization. Johnston, in summarizing various authors on the attitudes toward workers, stated that “under TQM, the workers are viewed as the greatest source of improvements.” 2 Workers who are managed correctly will take responsibility for their work, be committed to the organization, and have ownership of the service or product. “Absenteeism and sick leave abuse are not a problem when workers feel like they are an important part of the business.” 3 While this deduction is derived from MacGregor’s Theory Y view of employees, work and management, it fails to provide for the prospect that some employees’ behavior may not be modified by coaching and training, and that other measures, such as termination, may have to be utilized to correct the situation.
