The objective of this course is to provide students with a theoretical understanding of Total Quality issues, so as to be able to address business needs in this area. In this course, students are given the opportunity to become familiar with the basic concepts of Total Quality Management (TQM), quality assurance-management systems, ISO 9000, ISO 14OOO and ISO 22000 standards and the HACCP system, application of Total Quality principles in Greek tourism businesses, key quality improvement techniques, customer satisfaction indices, benchmarking as another tool for achieving quality standards, and the characteristics of a modern quality manager. 

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand the basic concepts and principles of TQM.
• Identify the basic differences between the ‘traditional’ management system and TQM.
• Associate TQM with human resources management and innovation.
• Know the international / domestic standardization, certification and accreditation agencies, the main ISO standards, and the HACCP system.
• Assess the key quality improvement techniques.
• Grasp the characteristics of an effective quality manager.
• Implement TQM principles in tourism businesses.

Week 1: Basic introductory concepts (quality, cost of quality, total quality, TQM)

Week 2: Basic introductory concepts (‘traditional’ management system versus TQM, quality circles) – Total Quality Prizes / Awards, EFQM - Excellence Model

Week 3: Total Quality Management in the public sector

Week 4: Quality and the human factor

Week 5: Quality in the case of Greece – Hellenic Organization for Standardization (ELOT) and the Hellenic Accreditation System (ESYD)

Week 6: Quality and innovation

Week 7: Key quality improvement techniques and statistical process control (SPC)

Week 8: Quality assurance / management systems – ISO and ISO 9000 family standards

Week 9: ISO 14000 family standards – HACCP system and ISO 22000 standard

Week 10: Customer Satisfaction Indices (CSI)

Week 11: TQM and Business Process Reengineering (BPR)

Week 12: Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and benchmarking

Week 13: A good and effective manager

• Tsiotras, G. (2016). Total Quality Management. Nicosia: Broken Hill Publishers Ltd, ISBN: 9789963258963 (in Greek).
• Kefis, V. (2014). Total Quality Management (2^nd edition). Athens: Kritiki Publications, ISBN: 9789602187777 (in Greek).
• Laloumis, D. & Katsoni, V. (2010). Total Quality Management: Application to tourism. Athens: Stamoulis Publications, ISBN: 9789603518464 (in Greek).
• Dervitsiotis, K. (2005). Total Quality Management (2^nd edition). Athens: Nomiki Bibliothiki Publications, ISBN: 9789602723111 (in Greek).
• James, P. (1998). Total Quality Management: An introduction. Athens: Klitharithmos Publications, ISBN: 9602093536 (in Greek).

Face-to-face lectures and case study presentations from tourism businesses.

• Use of ICTs in Teaching: Using presentation software (power point) in face-to-face lectures, use of asynchronous online learning (uploading educational material on the course’s open eclass platform).
• Use of ICTs in Communication: Using the open eclass platform (uploading announcements, responding to students’ messages, etc.) and email.

Written final exam with multiple choice questions.