In Discussion Forum 1, post your response to the following discussion topic. Reply to at least two classmates’ responses by the date indicated in the Course Calendar.

In chapter 1 on pp. 16, please read Discussion Assignment 1.2, “How Japan Caught Up with the United States and How the United States Caught Up with Japan Again” then post your answer to the following.

A Total Quality Approach to Quality Management (QM) involves 12 critical elements (Chapter 1, “Key Elements of Total Quality,” pp. 7-8). As discussed in Discussion Assignment 1.2, the companies in the United States (US) were slow to embrace the Total Quality Management (TQM) principles that the Japanese companies had used to gain market share and, as a result, were not enjoying the benefits of TQM.

• Which of the 12 critical elements, in your opinion, were most difficult for the US companies to embrace and, therefore, to have caused the delay in the US companies catching up with the Japanese companies?
• How did this delay impact global competitiveness?

Be specific when referring to the appropriate critical elements and to the impact on global competitiveness, and give examples where appropriate.