t is the process of fitting TQM procedures to an existing organization (Reger, et al, 1994). This approach provides a way for an organization to take advantage of the benefits of TQM without the downtime requisite to put a complete startup approach in place. This is the approach used at American Express as it sought to implement its TQM program ("American Express," 1996). Because procedures are simply integrated into current work environments, however, this approach can lead to a high level of resistance to change, and the failure rate can be great if commensurate changes to the company culture are not also implemented at the same time.
The incremental approach synthesizes the startup and retrofit approaches (Sky, 1994). Under the incremental approach, a complete redesign of the way the company does business is undertaken, but actual changes are implemented on an incremental basis. By the time the implementation is complete, the organization may be completely unrecognizable from it
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