Which approach to quality management emphasizes integrating quality across the entire organization?

The approach that emphasizes integrating quality across the entire organization is Total Quality Management (TQM). TQM is a comprehensive and structured management approach that seeks to improve the quality of products and services through ongoing refinements in response to continuous feedback. It involves the participation of all employees within an organization and encourages a culture where every aspect of the business is focused on delivering quality and meeting customer expectations.

TQM integrates all organizational functions — from product design to manufacturing to sales and customer service — to foster collaborative efforts in achieving quality. It also promotes a proactive stance towards quality, wherein every employee identifies and addresses potential problems before they affect the final product or service.

In contrast, other approaches like Six Sigma primarily focus on reducing variation and defects in specific processes rather than organizational-wide integration. ISO Standards provide frameworks for ensuring quality management but are more about compliance with existing methods rather than fostering a culture of quality throughout the organization. Lean Manufacturing is centered on waste reduction and efficiency, which may include quality aspects but does not specifically prioritize an organization-wide integration of quality principles. TQM, therefore, stands out as the holistic approach that integrates quality management into every part of an organization.