Total quality management $($TQM$)$

is a management approach that emphasizes continuous improvement in all phases of operations, $100$ percent accuracy in performing tasks, involvement and empowerment of employees at all levels, team$-$based work design, benchmarking, and total customer satisfaction.

is a tried$-$and$-$true set of procedures that results in mistake$-$free performance of value chain activities or business processes and $100$ percent customer satisfaction.

is more likely to result in defect$-$free performance of an activity or business process when used in conjunction with business process reengineering and Six Sigma programs.

is a valuable tool for helping company managers achieve defect$-$free performance of particular value chain activities, but most especially the manufacturing and assembly of products.

$$ is an excellent tool for making quantum gains in the efficiency and effectiveness with which a company's value chain activities are performed.