Total Quality Management

They wanted to assure us
there was no us and them,
so introduced a framework
that was called TQM.

The belief that a company
can build long term success
had to have members focus
exclusively on the process

for customer satisfaction;
to improve product quality
by concentrating efforts
on calibre, not on quantity.

The project to be executed
by workers representatives
from low-level operatives
to high-ranked executives.

So we worked all together
for the common cause,
noses to the grindstone
and without any pause

We felt we were united,
them and us mere minions;
we discussed, put forward
suggestions and opinions.

What happened in the end
after our communal onus:
while we didn't get a penny.
the managers got a bonus.

© Luigi Pagano 2023