Metaphors we manage and develop quality by
International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences
ISSN: 1756-669X
Article publication date: 1 May 2020
Issue publication date: 15 December 2020
Abstract
Purpose
Metaphors are a powerful and human way of understanding and experiencing one kind of thing in terms of another. In quality management (QM), several metaphors are used to describe and bring to life the often-abstract QM concepts and systems. These metaphors are of great importance for how QM is understood, communicated and practiced. However, the metaphors of QM have seldom been systematically screened or put in focus, neither the topic of a critical discussion. The purpose of this paper is hence to contribute with a screening of the metaphors currently used, within QM literature and in practice among QM leaders, and then elaborate on their potential for improvement and development.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on a literature review combined with interviews of QM leaders.
Findings
The paper highlights that the current QM metaphors provide intuitive associations to properties such as stability, shelter, and structure, but not to the important dynamic properties of QM, such as learning, or to the critical role of people in QM. What can be seen as core properties of QM are communicated by texts or labels added on to metaphors with properties that often are in sharp contrast to them. The paper also provides suggestions for further improvements and development.
Originality/value
The paper highlights the area of metaphors within QM as an important area for future research. It also provides insights concerning the successful use and selection of metaphors in future QM practice.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper and research was made possible due to the research project “Simply Lean”. A project financed by the Knowledge Foundation in Sweden. Furthermore, the discussion of the paper was influenced by the talented PhD Students taking part in a seminar during the national PhD Course in Quality Management arranged by the Swedish Quality Management Academy (SQMA) in May 2017. The theme for the seminar was “Challenges and Possibilities of the Future: Where is Quality Management Heading?” and as part of the seminar, the students were assigned to share their insights and future expectations concerning QM in terms of metaphors. One of the reflections being “QM appear to currently be a solid brick house, but given the challenges at hand it would be more reasonable and fit to be a good sailboat. So, will and should we end up building houseboats?”
This paper forms part of special section “QMOD-ICQSS Conference”, guest edited by Su Mi Dahlgaard-Park.
Citation
Lilja, J., Ingelsson, P., Snyder, K., Bäckström, I. and Hedlund, C. (2020), "Metaphors we manage and develop quality by", International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, Vol. 12 No. 4, pp. 405-416. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQSS-04-2019-0060
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited