Benchmarking Total Quality Management Programs in Engineering Colleges

Abstract

Benchmarking, as a tool to achieve improvement in operations and customer satisfaction, is a widely adopted practice in industry. Benchmarking should be an integral part of total quality management (TQM) programs in academia as it is an effective method of incorporating best practices in the formulation of strategic and operational objectives. In this article, the authors provide a summary of benchmarking as it applies to academia, describe various methods of benchmarking, and present the results of two surveys that could be used as a benchmark by colleges that are embarking on TQM programs. The structure, contents, and method of conducting these surveys, as well as the conclusions drawn from the analysis of responses, are discussed.

• best practices
• continuous improvement
• customer satisfaction
• engineering colleges
• management change
• operations improvement
• surveys
• teaching effectiveness

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ali A. Houshmand

Ali A. Houshmond is an assistant professor of industrial engineering and is the director of graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati. He earned a doctorate degree in industrial operations and research engineering from the University of Michigan. Houshmond may be contacted at the College of Engineering, Mail Location 116, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45219-0116; 513-556-5702, Fax [phone], E-mail [email protected].

Constatine N. Papadakis

Constantine N. Papadakis is the president of Drexel University. Until 1995, he was the dean of the College of Engineering, the Geier Chair of Engineering Education, and the director of the university's Groundwater Research Center at the University of Cincinnati. He earned a doctorate degree from the University of Michigan.

Subhonil Ghoshal

Subhonil Ghoshal is a graduate student in the industrial engineering master's degree program at the University of Cincinnati. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, India.