Which concept focuses on avoiding defects in products at all levels of production?

Total Quality Management (TQM) is the concept that focuses on avoiding defects in products at all levels of production. It is a comprehensive approach that emphasizes continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, and integrating quality principles into all aspects of an organization. This method involves every employee, from management to the shop floor, working collaboratively to identify areas for improvement and eliminate any potential sources of defects. By fostering a culture of quality throughout the organization, TQM seeks to prevent errors before they occur, making it far less costly to produce high-quality products.

In contrast, other concepts like benchmarking primarily involve comparing processes and performance metrics to industry standards, which does not directly address defect prevention at every production level. Quality control typically refers to specific techniques and activities used to ensure that quality standards are met during production, but it does not encompass the broader strategic approach of TQM. Quality assessment, while useful for evaluating the effectiveness of existing processes, does not inherently focus on the systemic prevention of defects. Thus, TQM stands out as the most effective philosophy for embedding quality into the production process fundamentally.