The general definition of Total Quality Management (TQM) as—a philosophy that would enable an organization to consistently meet the needs of customers—is accepted worldwide by manufacturing executives, as a strategic concept for organizational survival. However, reaching the TQM destination has been a continuing challenge for them. This paper focuses on the barrier factors of TQM implementation and the real causes of its failure, and discusses the reason why different manufacturers implement TQM with varying degrees of success. Successful TQM implementation requires a thorough understanding of the critical success factors, barriers to achieve these factors, and managerial tools and techniques to overcome these barriers. The paper concludes that implementation of TQM is not a guarantee for the highest quality, but is a step in the right direction, i.e., there is a need for an increased focus on the area of organizational change related to TQM.

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a method by which the management and employees can get involved in the continuous improvement of production of goods and services. It is a combination of quality and management tools aimed at improving business and reducing losses due to wasteful practices.

The general definition of Total Quality Management (TQM) as, "a philosophy that would enable an organization consistently to meet the needs of customers", is accepted worldwide by manufacturing executives as a strategic concept for organizational survival. Hence, TQM is considered to be the key to achieve competitive advantage. It provides a direction, purpose and destinationthe destination being increased sales, revenue and profits. However, reaching the TQM destination is a continuing challenge for manufacturing executives. A recent survey of manufacturing executives in the USA by Industry Week, found that 82% of the respondents described their TQM program as effective (Jusko, 1999) to some extent. The scepticism, the survey notes, is due to the fact that TQM fails to achieve dramatic improvements in the productivity cycle time and supply chain optimization.

Why TQM Initiatives Fail?, Total Quality Management (TQM),psychosophy, customers, manufacturing executives, strategic concept, for organizational survival, reaching the TQM, challenge, barrier factors, TQM implementation.