Total Quality Management
In the age of intense competition, scholars, researchers, professors, and governmental authorities are taking a genuine interest in finding strategies that aim at improving the quality of education. One of the strategies that have gained traction throughout the last forty years is Total Quality Management or TQM. It is a proactive approach that helps see a company as an interrelated structure and facilitates continuous improvement with employees and materials that a business already has. At its core, it encompasses the conscious efforts of every member of an organization towards long-term goals. Thus, employees’ empowerment and involvement constitute one of the basic principles of TQM. The question arises as to whether TQM is appropriate for use in universities and how it can improve the education quality. I base my proposal on the assumption that TQM principles are highly relevant in the educational field. One of the institutions that could put TQM to good use is Zayed University.
Zayed University controversies
Zayed University is one of three state-funded higher education establishments in the United Arab Emirates. The university has become the first federal university to get accredited by the Middle States Association in the USA in 2013 and has proven to be serious about its mission to uphold international standards. Despite the university’s good formal rankings, the recent history of the organization hasn’t been devoid of troubles and controversies. Time after time, the competency of the ever-changing top management raised concerns. First and foremost, academic integrity and transparency have been questioned. It has also been pointed out that the top management may lack international work experience. It is an issue for a university with culturally diverse teaching staff and a considerable percentage of international students. All in all, many of the current policies caused criticism.
Employees’ unhappiness
It is evident that the issues that Zayed University is confronted with are negatively impacting its employees. Employees’ satisfaction and happiness are paramount to improving performance and attaining desired results. Unfortunately, there is solid evidence that the university’s employees do not find their work experience as gratifying as it could be. A recent survey showed that the majority of the organization’s staff did not feel happy about the work situation. What further proves this claim is former and current employees’ reviews on the websites such as Indeed. ae and Glassdoor.com. Just a few excerpts from the sources show that the contributors did not like “fear-mongering management” and “incompetent administrators.” Such reviews are undoubtedly detrimental to the university’s reputation.
Corporate happiness and positivity initiatives in the UAE Federal Government
Further on, it is worth mentioning that the UAE Cabinet chaired over by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai supported the launch of governmental initiatives that promote happiness and positivity (Mohammed Bin Rashid: happiness & positivity are lifestyles, government commitment, and a spirit uniting UAE community n.d.). Within said initiatives, the Cabinet encourages organizations to create positive atmosphere and working conditions.
Conclusion
It is clear that some of the university’s current policies are unviable. There is a soaring need for a better development strategy that would keep employees satisfied and comply with the Cabinet’s recommendation. My research aims at investigating practices and initiatives that have been adopted at my workplace, Zayed University to support the idea of employee focus and evaluate its impact on the quality management in the organization.