INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF A Q-GOVERNMENT (Rafael Pablo Molina Fernando)

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INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF A Q-GOVERNMENT

(Rafael
Pablo Molina Fernando)

Quality is not a myth in government nor
institutionalizing a Quality Government (Q-Government) a far-fetched dream. Quality
Governments (Q-Governments) now exist in advanced and developing countries. To
better understand what a Q-Government is, a good understanding of institutionalization
can give us a proper prospective.

Institutionalization is an on-going
process in which a set of activities, structures, and values becomes an
integral and sustainable part of an organization, society or nation. Quality
Government (Q-government) defines institutionalization in the context of total
quality management (TQM) as:

Quality Government(Q-Government)
will be institutionalized when total quality
management (TQM) practices, concepts
and methodologies are formally and philosophically incorporated into the
structure and functioning of all government mandate and public service
structures, consistently implemented, and supported by a culture of quality, as
reflected in organizational values, best business practices and policies that
advocate efficient delivery of quality public service and ultimate protection
of the citizenry.

A government having the
capacity to carry out technical quality activities such as defining quality
standards, monitoring quality, conducting quality improvements, among others,
does not ensure that total quality management is institutionalized. A
government that enables the initiation, growth, and continuity of quality
management activities must also incorporate supportive policies, quality leadership
and structures that support performance excellence of a Q-government (based on
the criteria for performance excellence outlined in the Malcolm Baldrige
or Philippine Quality Awards quality system). There must also be evidence of
full top management support of adequate resource allocation that emphasize the
importance of quality and encourage government workers and managers to practice
total quality management principles as part of their daily work. In short,
every government agency and office must carry out this quality requirement as
part and parcel of institutionalizing a Q-Government.

The desired outcome is
always quality and this often require a change in attitude and sense of
ownership for the quality of services provided by the Q-Government. If we
honestly want a quality output, then it is imperative to have a sustained
continuous improvement system that totally supports the quality management system.
Many supporting factors are required to integrate quality into the
structure and function of a government organization. But prior to
institutionalizing a Quality Government, the mechanism of change (or you
may call it “the philosophy of change”) has to be fully understood and
accepted as the guiding principle. Change, per se, operate under two factors: Principle and Process. Principle
is the source or cause from which a thing comes; settled rule of action or
conduct. It is the fundamental or general truth upon which others are founded. Process, on the other hand, is
action which continues and progresses; operation or succession of operations
leading to some results, under a given principle from which it operates.
A good example here is the flow of water which naturally moves downward because
of gravity. Gravitation is the “principle”
from which water flows downward and the inherent nature of water (i.e., its
fluidity or liquidity) allows it or governs it to flow downward-- the “process”. This is the so-called
“philosophy of change”, the principle and process of change. Change,
per se, is governed by a principle and at the same time, a given process. The
two elements of change cannot be separated, nor should it be analyzed
separately. It is always integral by nature. Many modern day “quality
practitioners” now call this the Yin and Yang of Change or the Yin and Yang of
Management (i.e., the principle and
process). Similarly, a Q-Government
exists where the head of the nation, government officials, executives, managers
and government workers (i.e., as public
servants) want it to exist, and are willing to work together in creating it
for themselves. Even the citizenry is included in the formation and
institutionalization of a Q-Government. In short, the Yin and Yang of Management or
the principle and process of change govern the systems and people. There is no other
way but to understand and surrender to this governing principle-and-process of
change, before we (as a nation) can institutionalize a Q-Government, if we want
it to be part of our culture or civilization.
Q-Government and/or Total Quality Management (TQM) is not a programme,
it is a “principle-and-process of change”.

Total Quality Management or
TQM requires the formulation of a system as a principle of order by
which to achieve Quality Government (Q-Government). Governed by the
principle-and-process of change, many supporting factors are required to
integrate quality into the structure and function of a Q-government.
These are the cornerstones which we call the essential elements of
institutionalization. The cornerstones of institutionalizing a quality
government (Q-government) are: a) Internal
Quality Environment, b) Quality Structure, c) Quality Support Services.
All complex organizations and nations are built up by recognizing and
internalizing the “principle-and-process of change” and that no business
or society can develop into large dimensions apart from system, and these
cornerstones are preeminently the instrument of total quality management,
sustainable growth, authentic development and modern management sciences.

The Internal Quality Environment

Total quality management calls for an internal enabling
environment conducive to initiating, expanding, sustaining a continuous
improvement of quality to institutionalize Q-Government. The enabling
environment features quality elements interacting and integral to each other.
These are:

Quality Policy: Written policies that support quality throughout the entire
organization through clear, explicit, and communicated directives and provision
for resources, guidance, and reinforcement for Quality Management System as an
integral part of the organization.

Quality Leadership: Leaders, particularly top management, who work
directly and openly to improve quality by setting priorities, modeling core
values, promoting a continuous learning and improvement atmosphere, acting on
recommendations, advocating for supportive quality policies, and allocating
resources for Quality.

Quality Core Values: Organizational values are articulated, promoted,
and practiced. It is not just “walk your talk”, but “walk and talk at the
same time”. These values and virtues, if you may call it that way,
emphasize quality of product/service, ongoing learning, workforce care,
customer intimacy, continuous improvement of processes, services and systems,
innovation and public accountability of service through clear metrics and
measurement of performance, both individual and organizational.

Adequate Resources: Top management must show evidence of adequate resource allocation that
emphasize the importance of quality and encourage government workers and
managers to practice total quality management principles as part of their daily
work.

Quality Structure to Support
Implementation of TQM

Quality structures requires a clear delineation of
oversight duties and responsibilities and accountability for the implementation
of the total quality management systems. There is no “best” structure, nor a
correct one. Whatever forms the quality structure takes, institutionalization
of a quality government needs mechanism to ensure oversight, coordination,
delegation of duties and responsibilities, accountability, qualitative and
quantitative measurement of performance.

Oversight: Quality structure address where the responsibility for oversight of
quality activities lies. This oversight includes quality leadership and support
in developing quality strategic direction, setting priorities, follow-up,
monitoring of progress, alignment of department objectives with corporate goals
and technical support of the quality management system.

Coordination: The nature of TQM calls for coordination of efforts and integration of
functions from (almost) everyone in the organization. Quality is everyone’s
responsibility, as such, TQM is a closely integrated, coordinated, measured,
monitored and communicated initiative.

Duties & responsibilities: The quality structure for TQM is manifested in how
roles and responsibilities for performing quality activities are divided and
delegated within the organization. All Job Descriptions (JDs) clearly express
one’s duties and responsibilities in delivering, directly or indirectly, the
quality product/service of the organization.

Accountability: Everyone is accountable to quality and the results of one’s job.
Measurable outputs are clearly defined (quality and quantity). Quality
Leadership is highly critical in boosting the quality awareness and
accountability, as evidenced by the availability of proper and adequate
resources.

Quality Support Services

In addition to creating an internal quality
environment conducive to a culture of quality, the day-to-day implementation of
the TQM initiatives require more specific types of support, particularly
capacity building, communication of quality initiatives, logistics, financial
management and rewarding quality work.

Capacity Building: Capacity building refers to the ongoing process of ensuring that the
workforce have the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitude to carry out their
quality duties and responsibilities as outlined in the TQM initiatives and
functions. Capacity building is essential for the sustainable development and
growth of the quality government (q-government). Institutionalization of a
Q-Government requires that all workforce and managers receive initial and
continuing knowledge and skill development in TQM practices, methodologies and
concepts.

On-going Mentoring & Coaching: Coaching and mentoring provide ongoing
technical and qualitative support to facilitate the behavior changes needed to
institute a Q-Government.

Supervision: Supportive supervision requires enhancing the facilitating role of the
supervisor, assuring that they have a foundation of Quality-expertise, as well
as teaching supervisors how to observe, give feedback, and assess a situation.

Communication of TQM initiatives: Communication is never a one-way street. It
is a two-way interaction, with information imparted from various parts of the
organization to staff within the organization, to the communities being served,
and to other stakeholders, including policy makers, and then received back from
these sources. Quality communication shall allow for the identification of
priority areas for quality improvement efforts, reinforcement of core values,
and demonstration of results for advocacy, benchmarking, and change management.
Compliance management is part and parcel of communication of TQM initiatives,
so are the recording, sharing and using the results of the TQM initiatives.

Logistics & financial management: These two are major parts of the quality
support services to be adequately provided by top management. Infrastructures
in various forms are also very critical in instituting a quality government, e.g., IS-ICT, MIS, buildings, roads &
bridges, schools, etc.

Rewarding Quality Work: Institutionalizing a Q-Government requires
developing incentives that can stimulate and reward workers for participating
in establishing and sustaining a quality government. Incentives can be material
or non-material, such as public recognition of staff to foster employee
self-esteem and encourage their continual efforts. Even giving awards and
incentives to the public citizenry or private companies to gain their support
is also a critical aspect of institutionalization of a Q-Government.

-OM-

Rafael Pablo
M. Fernando is currently the Officer-in-Charge of the Total
Quality Management group of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). He
is also connected with Integral
Transformation Group, Inc., a transformative management group giving
organizations and its people alternative forms of managing and living life to
the fullest. Formed 1992, ITG-TheGroup extends
management services, education & training, and advocacy activities in the
areas of: total quality management-ISO implementation, organic agriculture,
cooperatives, sustainable development, Vedic culture, good governance,
strategic management, institutional development, among others. (March 14,
2011).

Links: http://tqmsbma.aheadguide.com/

http://budsfernando.aheadguide.com/