Tata Steel has been awarded the Deming Application Prize for excellence in total quality management for 2008. The decision of confer the award on Tata steel was announced on Tuesday by the Deming Prize Committee instituted by the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers, a release from Tata Steel said, adding that the company was the first integrated steel company, outside Japan, to be awarded the honour for excellence in TQM. Mr B. Muthuraman, Managing Director, Tata St eel, said, “No other activity made us think so deeply about our business and relationships than the process of applying for the Deming Prize. TQM is a fundamental way of managing business and every organisation can gain from institutionalising the culture necessary to win this prize.” Mr Muthuraman dedicated the recognition to the employees of Tata Steel, its customers and business partners who had consistently embraced the culture of continuous improvement and demonstrated a great teamwork leading to several recognitions in the last 20 years since the TQM journey started at the company in 1988. The award ceremony will take place on November 12 in Tokyo. –Business Line