Total Quality Management and Social Responsibility - The Synergies. An interpretation applied to higher education institutions

Growing social concerns have led organisations to think evolutionarily about quality as it is not only relevant to satisfy customers, generate quality products or services and focus on results but also to encourage a participatory, flexible and sustainable value-oriented management. Total Quality Management (TQM) is an integrated management effort aimed at improving quality at any level to achieve excellence. Corporate social responsibility, like most management concepts, has been gradually incorporated into the management practice of organizations. Thus, in order to effectively manage socially responsible business, the organization needs to define strategies, programmes and action plans. There is a strategic influence of CSR in the everyday practice of quality. TQM and CSR can improve the institution efficiency, a reduction of bureaucracy by eliminating duplication of policies and procedures and the alignment of goals and processes. The implementation of TQM systems can facilitate the incorporation of the CSR objectives and practices by operating changes in organizational culture. Because of the environment and complex structure of higher education, quality measurement and management have given rise to a number of challenges. In a higher education institution, as in any other organisation, on the road to achieve excellence, there must be management commitment, support from administrative staff and teachers, effective and continuous communication, review, verification, validation and constructive alignment of processes. Quality indicators on sustainable development for education have been of growing interest and for this reason the possibility of creating a model that fits the reality of higher education integrating total quality and social responsibility should not be overlooked.

Therefore, with this thought in mind, this work analyses the relationship or synergies between Total Quality Management and Social Responsibility themes not only associated with organisations but also associated with universities/higher education institutions. Organisations are its people, and from this perspective, doing and acting rightly and properly in society requires quality management and social responsibility.