Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH SUMMARY: Total quality management (TQM) can be defined as a systemic approach on a global level, based on process management of continuous quality improvement by all human resources within the business or company environment, with the specific intent to satisfy the implicit expectations of all stakeholders in the specific business environment. Various factors play a role in the active drive towards a quality-driven learning environment. These factors include increasingly changing market forces, changes in customer requirements and the very way in which quality is perceived by the employees within a company. The above statement raises some important questions, such as • What is the quantifiable value of quality, and • Why is it very easily ignored by various companies? The reason for such questions is the significant shift needed in the thought patterns of management, difficulty in abandoning misconceptions about TQM and difficulty in learning from own mistakes and those of others. It seems that the biggest barrier to the implementation of a total quality system is the misconception that quality will immediately be perfect and is a quick solution which is self-sustaining. TQM is, in fact, not a model that is built in concrete, but a journey consisting of sequential steps. As with any staircase, it can only be sustainable if it is solidly founded on factors such as managerial commitment, drive, fairness, motivation and mobilisation of human resources. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Totale gehaltebestuur word gedefinieer as ‘n sistemiese metode op ‘n globale vlak, gebaseer op die bestuur van deurlopende gehalteverbetering deur al die menslike hulpbronne binne 'n onderneming, dit wil sê die sake- of maatskappy-omgewing, met die spesifieke oogmerk om aan die implisiete verwagtinge van die aandeelhouers in die onderneming (besigheidsomgewing) te voldoen. Daar is verskeie faktore wat 'n rol speel in die aktiewe strewe na ‘n kwaliteitsgedrewe leeromgewing. Hierdie faktore behels onder meer die voortdurend veranderende markkragte, veranderinge in die verwagtings van kliënte, en die kwaliteitsbeskouing van die werkers binne ‘n maatskappy. Bogenoemde ontlok belangrike vrae, soos • Hoe word die meetbare waarde van kwaliteit bepaal, en • waarom word dit so maklik deur ondernemings geïgnoreer? Hierdie soort bevraagtekening is 'n aanduiding dat daar ‘n merkbare en betekenisvolle gedagteskuif by bestuur nodig is ten opsigte van hul beskouing van gehalte, dat wanbegrippe oor totale gehaltebestuur verander moet word, en dat probleme in verband met die leer van lesse uit eie foute en dié van ander oorbrug sal moet word. Die grootste probleem ten opsigte van die ontwikkeling van ‘n totale gehaltebestuurstelsel, is die wanpersepsie dat gehalte meteens foutloos sal wees, dat dit ‘n vinnige oplossing is en dat dit selfonderhoudend sal wees. Totale gehaltebestuur is nie ‘n model wat, by wyse van spreke, in beton gegiet is nie, maar ‘n proses met opeenvolgende stappe. Soos met enige stel "trappe", kan dit net volhoubaar wees as dit ‘n sterk fundering het, wat gerugsteun word deur bestuursbetrokkenheid en - deursettingsvermoë, dryfkrag, regverdigheid, motivering en die mobilisasie van die werksmag.