Creating social change in a municipality using a Total Quality Management approach

This paper describes a joint project started by citizens, trade life and local government of the Swedish municipality of Jokkmokk to create a positive societal development based on the tenets of Total Quality Management. The project had a duration of two years, and also included a parallel effort made in Mansfield in the United Kingdom, although this paper describes the Jokkmokk part of the project. The evaluation was based on surveys and interviews analysed using Soft Systems Methodology. The analysis shows that most respondents thought that the project was successful in changing attitudes of the people of Jokkmokk and of creating valuable networks. The project also had an aim to create involvement of ordinary citizens and many activities were addressed to let citizens develop and generate ideas and participate in societal activities and decision making. The evaluation showed that the leaders and politicians of Jokkmokk were not ready for the used bottom-up approach. The analysis also underlines the importance of communicating the mission and goals of the project. We consider the achievements, due to the short duration of the project, substantial and both the positive and the negative outcomes present valuable lessons from a societal development perspective.