Cultural differences and implementation of TQM

In addition to Feigenbaum, Deming, Juran and Crosby, the “founding fathers” of the TQM movement were Japanese scholars and managers: Ishikawa, Kano, Imai, Mizuno and others (Costin 1994, 8). All principles listed above in fact are based on traditional Japanese culture. Knakal (1994) cites Pascale and Athos: “Japanese see each individual as having economic, psychological and spiritual needs, much as we do when we step back and think about it. But Japanese executives assume it is their task to attend too much more of the whole person, and not leave so much to other institutions (such as government, family, or religious ones).
And they believe it is only when the individual’s needs are well met within the subculture of a corporation that they can largely be freed for productive work that is in larger part outstanding” (Knakal 1994, 342).
Talking about sources of Japanese work ethics, Inazo Nitobe pointed out in Buddhism, Shinto, and the teachings of Confucius (Knakal 1994, 346). That rituals and services have to do with such values like discipline, respect to elder and pragmatism (in the sense of applying of what was learned). All that has to do with cultural values, or “building blocks” of culture, discovered by Hofstede.