The state of total quality management: a review

As quality is seen as becoming a competitive mandate, many organizations are said to be embracing the practice of total quality management (TQM) as an improvement strategy. In this paper, we will be examining the extent to which quality management (QM) - TQM in particular-has been adopted by organizations. Just as there are companies that claim that QM is benefiting them, the concept is also increasingly being criticized for not bringing about the promised results, and in the following review, studies that have highlighted this disparity in opinions will be reviewed. Increasingly, doubts have been raised as to whether partial quality management - and not TQM - is being practised in organizations. This paper will also examine the difficulties companies may be faced with in their attempts to embrace TQM.     

INFORMATION PROCESSING IN STRATEGIC ALLIANCE BUILDING: A MULTIPLE-CASE APPROACH*

Strategic alliance building has proliferated in many industries in recent years. This research focuses on the dynamic aspects of the alliance building process that have been neglected in previous research. the study examines how organizations process information during strategic alliance building and how the effective management of uncertainty and equivocality is linked to alliance success. Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data from a multi-case study leads to a proposed model of information processing in strategic alliance building and research propositions. the research propositions suggest that strategic alliance success is facilitated or impeded by a number of factors including the selection of information-processing mechanisms, the management of alliance building momentum, political activity, and information-processing structure. These factors collectively form information-processing environments that are linked to the success or failure of the alliance. Successful alliance building efforts seem to require adaptive information-processing environments that alter information-processing mechanisms to match information-processing needs.     

ISO 9000/1994, ISO 9001/2000 and TQM: The performance debate revisited

The debate about the impact of ISO 9000/1994 on performance has been waging since its inception. While there is a general agreement regarding the positive impact of TQM on performance, there has been less agreement among the academics about the impact of ISO 9000/1994. Perhaps in response to such debate, the new ISO 9001/2000 has appeared purporting to be more in line with the TQM philosophy. As of now, how this 2000 version actually affects performance is yet to be explored. In this study, we compare the implementation of ISO 9000/1994 and ISO 9001/2000 as representing two different efforts to implement quality management practices. We evaluate its impact on company performance with a sample of 713 Spanish industrial companies. We also examine if the 2000 version of ISO is taking us closer to the implementation of TQM. Further, we depart from the past studies methodologically by considering performance as a formative construct rather than a reflective construct. Based on the mean and covariance structural (MACS) analyses, we conclude that ISO 9001/2000 certified companies do not perform noticeably better than ISO 9000/1994 or non-certified companies. However, we find that ISO 9001/2000 certified companies apply TQM at a higher level than ISO 9000/1994 certified companies, but whether they actually perform better is less clear.     

An empirical assessment of the EFQM Excellence Model: Evaluation as a TQM framework relative to the MBNQA Model

Total quality management (TQM) is an approach to management embracing both social and technical dimensions aimed at achieving excellent results, which needs to be put into practice through a specific framework. Nowadays, quality award models, such as the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) and the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model, are used as a guide to TQM implementation by a large number of organizations. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of empirical research confirming whether these models clearly reflect the main premises of TQM. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the extent to which the EFQM Excellence Model captures the main assumptions involved in the TQM concept, that is, the distinction between technical and social TQM issues, the holistic interpretation of TQM in the firm, and the causal linkage between TQM procedures and organizational performance.     

Cashing In On Quality? Pay Incentives and the Quality Culture

In this article, the authors explore the relationship between total quality management (TQM) and financial incentives in British manufacturing industry. In particular, they examine the view of some of the most influential quality management ‘gurus’ that there is an incompatibility between incentive pay and TQM. Drawing on survey and case study evidence, they show that TQM is being implemented in the presence of financial incentives. Furthermore, those organisations which had such incentives did not appear to have less success in implementing TQM. On the basis of the evidence presented, the authors conclude that it is not possible to rule out a role for financial incentives in implementing TQM, although incentives are only likely to form one element in a broader implementation strategy.     

The effect of quality management and participation in decision-making on individual performance

The major objective of the study was to analyze the effects of total quality management (TQM) on improvement efforts and individual performance. Employee response to quality management (QM) and the perceived degree of participation in decision-making (PDM) were considered the major factors affecting employee improvement efforts. The improvement effort factor was expected to influence employee performance. Subjects were 208 employees in three industrial organizations applying TQM in Israel. Three causal models were suggested and tested by means of structural equation modeling using lisrel. The results supported the proposed model. The findings revealed that the influence of PDM on improvement efforts is considerably higher than that of QM. This finding suggests that PDM is the most important component of the TQM process that affects improvement efforts and individual performance. Therefore, ISO 9000 that does not include PDM may not impact individual performance.     

Exploring TQM awareness in the Greek national business context: between conservatism and reformism cultural determinants of TQM

This paper develops the theoretical understanding of the application of Total Quality Management (TQM) in business environments that differ from those from where it emerged. Business systems that are less developed tend to adopt more ‘sophisticated’ and formal strategic initiatives. The adoption of TQM by Greek organizations is a prime example. However, less has been said about the understanding of TQM or its cultural determinants in such environments. This paper, based on the results of 73 semi-structured interviews conducted with managers working in Greek public and private organizations, argues that there are two antithetical business-cultural ‘forces’ – conservatism and reformism – that seem to substantially affect the awareness and application of total quality concepts. Both features create pressures in the system, either restraining or promoting TQM implementation. In this context, the tension between traditional business culture and a modernization logic is the key to understanding the development of TQM.     

Contrasts in enacting TQM: Mechanistic vs. organic ideology and implementation

A qualitative longitudinal study of the enactment of TQM in two semi-conductor supplier firms revealed that adoption, implementation, and institutionalization of TQM in one firm was mechanistic, with a ritualistic use of specific TQM methods, procedures, and language while the other firm used an organic approach in which a local adaptation of TQM emerged as people learned and adapted concepts and tools to fit their specific needs. Results suggest that how TQM is implemented affects its institutionalization. Specifically, changes achieved through mechanistic approaches to TQ implementation may produce only short-lived conforming behaviors while organic implementation appears more likely to produce lasting change.     

Total quality in health care

Quality is at the top of American consumers' demand list, and consequently American manufacturing companies have been forced to assign priority to the development of high-quality products. To improve the quality of what they offer, many manufacturers use the management philosophy known as total quality management (TQM), and now the service sector is following in their footsteps. The health care industry is a good example of a service industry that can benefit greatly from TQM, and it is the purpose of this article to show how a health care provider can implement TQM and evaluate its effects.     

TQM practice in real-estate industry using AHP

Total quality management (TQM) has been recognized as a successful management philosophy that can be successfully practiced in the Real-estate industry. The purpose of this research is to determine the important factors that influence the TQM practice in real estate industry. The research methods employed included a literature review, in-depth interviews and focus group techniques which were used as a first to identify ten constructs of TQM in organizations. That is Top Management Commitment, Customer Focus, Benchmarking, Continuous Improvement, Supplier Quality Management, Product Innovation, Product Quality, Employee’s Involvement, Rewards and Recognition, Educational and Training. The AHP questionnaires were sent as 142 organizations of members of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India, in the metro city of Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai. The sampling procedure resulted in an overall response rate of 51% and the result was categorized based on organization size—small, medium and large. Then, the empirical study adopted the techniques of the Analytic Hierarchy Process to solicit opinions from 72 expert opinion collected through mail questionnaire. The results show that Employee involvement, top management commitment, employee customer focus, plays very important role for TQM practice in organizations. The results show that the Employee’s Involvement is most important to TQM practice in India. This is not difficult to understand, since the less than desirable record of real-estate industry. Therefore, the key to a successful strategy is to rebuild the confidence of TQM practice in real-estate industry.     

中国企业六西格玛管理实施模型研究

随着六西格玛管理的迅速推广,不少中国企业通过实施六西格玛取得了显著的效益,当在实施六西格玛管理过程中也存在很多问题。因此,了解六西格玛在中国的实施现状,总结适合中国企业实施六西格玛管理的模式至关重要。文章基于对六西格玛管理关键成功因素的分析,构建了适合中国企业的六西格玛管理实施模型。为中国企业通过实施六西格玛管理建立一套持续改进的管理模式奠定了基础。     

Evaluating cause‐marketing campaigns in the Indian corporate landscape: The role of consumer skepticism and consumer attributions of firm's motive

More and more business organizations are engaging in social initiatives to make a positive contribution to society. Cause marketing, such as CSR, is one of the many ways that firms can manifest social responsibility by pitching‐in where government solutions are few or takes time in implementation, and it is the only type that calls for consumer participation. Because customer participation is imperative for the success of the campaign, it must be designed to connect with consumers while also making them feel that corporate efforts are authentic and truly helping the cause and not exploitative of the social cause. Using fictitious brand, cause‐marketing campaigns were designed, and two studies were conducted to analyze the relationship between cause involvement, consumer attributions on firm's motive, and consumer attitudes towards cause campaigns, and if and how the relationship differs when consumer skepticism towards cause claims existed. Multivariate analysis performed for hypotheses testing suggests that cause involvement influenced campaign attitudes and the relationship was mediated by consumer attributions of firm's motive, and consumer skepticism towards cause campaigns affected the relationship.     

Talent management: context matters

Abstract

There is little doubt that the attraction, development, and retention of talent are nowadays one of the most critical challenges faced by companies worldwide. Despite the increasing scholarly attention during the last years many questions remain, particularly, those related to how (and why) talent management (TM) is conceived, implemented and developed within organizations, not to mention about its outcomes or effectiveness. We argue that organizational context has been underappreciated in TM research, which is an omission since context affects the occurrence, meaning and implementation of TM. Therefore, we edited a special issue which seeks to contribute to advance our knowledge of how contextual factors affect the conceptualization, implementation and effectiveness of TM. In this opening article, we offer a brief overview of how context is integrated in previous TM research. We then introduce the four articles in this special issue and their contributions which addresses gap in TM research and, finally, we offer some suggestions on how to improve contextualized TM research.     

The role of organizational culture,capabilities, and adoption of e-marketing on nonprofits' organizational performance

Nonprofit organizations are facing increasing challenges to survival and mission accomplishment in a market economy. Thus, many nonprofit organizations are actively exploring how to enhance organizational performance through Internet and communication technologies in the digital era. The relationship between e-marketing adoption and organizational performance of for-profit companies has been studied intensively. However, this relationship has not been examined in the nonprofit context. The objectives of this study are to investigate factors promoting the adoption of e-marketing and the latter's effect on the performance of nonprofits. This paper surveyed 54 nonprofits and used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the research hypotheses grounded in resource dependence theory and e-marketing orientation. Results indicated that top management's attitudinal emphasis on e-marketing does not lead to e-marketing adoption. Differs from for-profit companies, nonprofits' e-marketing adoption is mainly related to planning and implementation capabilities. Moreover, although planning strongly influences e-marketing adoption, implementation capabilities play a crucial role in a performance-driven adoption. Hence, if e-marketing is adopted without sufficient manpower and skills, organizational performance will not be enhanced even with adequate e-marketing budget.     

Contingency relationships of firm size,TQM duration,unionization, and industry context on TQM implementation—A focus on total effects

Past TQM literature has been inconclusive in resolving the validity of the universalistic approach versus the contingency approach of TQM implementation. In this paper we contribute to the resolution of this debate by using a total effects approach within the contingency perspective. We propose a culture-quality system design-outcomes framework for TQM implementation. We then use this framework to study the differences in total effects relationships among TQM constructs across four contingencies, firm size, TQM duration, unionization, and industry type. Data from a sample of 394 plants (SIC codes 20 through 39) are used to test the validity of our contingency model. Our results revealed that firm size, TQM duration, and industry type moderate the influence of total effects of culture (top management commitment, customer focus, and trust) on final outcomes (process quality, product quality, and customer satisfaction). These contingencies also moderate the influence of total effects of quality system design (design management, training, empowerment, quality information usage, supplier quality management, and process quality management) on final outcomes. The strongest contributor to variation in total effects across groups was industry type, followed by size and then TQM duration. To a lesser extent, unionization was a moderator in total effects relationships. These findings uniquely contribute to the emerging contingency theory of TQM implementation.     

To change or not to change–antecedents and outcomes of strategic renewal in SMEs

Companies need to constantly renew themselves to remain competitive in rapidly changing market environments, regardless of their size or age. Even though strategic renewal is a crucial factor for sustainable success of organizations, it is only an emergent area in literature. This article examines potential antecedents of strategic renewal and impact on firm performance. Based on 104 companies’ responses to a structured questionnaire, the empirical findings demonstrate that strategic renewal positively impacts firm performance, and that entrepreneurial orientation and organizational learning are antecedents. From a practical managerial viewpoint, our results suggest that firms following a strategic renewal approach can increase the long-term success of their organizations: Firms that are entrepreneurially oriented and willing to learn can successfully manage strategic renewal.     

Benefits of Environmental Stewardship

Abstract

Environmental sensitivity has gained much attention in business organizations; however, there is little empirical evidence on the business benefits from environment oriented measures. Some of the many promised benefits from environmental sensitivity are categorized and rated. The framework proposed by the Management Institute for Environment and Business (MEB) is used to assess company environment stewardship. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect data from 66 business organizations in the United States and from 31 organizations in Pacific Rim nations. These organizations were known to have undertaken at least some “green business” activities. The results suggest that companies showing higher degrees of environment stewardship will derive greater business benefits than organizations which aim at minimum compliance with government regulations in this area. While, compared with American organizations, on the average the Pacific Rim companies show significantly less environmental stewardship and derive significantly less benefits from it, “their efforts in the area have also been rewarded.”     

The assessment of significance of benefits gained from the improvement of quality management systems in Polish organizations

The implementation and improvement of quality management systems conducted according to ISO 9001:2008 standards should bring benefits to any organization. On the basis of research conducted in 753 Polish companies, this publication presents results of analysis concerning the assessment of importance of benefits being a consequence of quality management system. The studies concerning the significance of benefits being a consequence of quality management systems in Polish companies allow claiming that financial benefits and markets ones are the most important for the management team whereas the organizational benefits are of less importance. It leads to neglecting ‘soft’ factors of quality management which are significant in TQM concept and drawing to much attention to so called hard factors- especially financial ones.     

A model for total quality management in higher education

Total quality management (TQM) is widely recognised as a management philosophy for improving customer satisfaction and organisational performance. However, there is no consensus over the critical success factors of TQM, in particular, in higher education (HE) and developing countries. Literature shows mixed results on the success and applicability of TQM principles in education, thus, underlining the need to revisit the application of TQM principles in HE. This paper identifies the critical success factors of TQM in Pakistani universities. Data was collected from faculty members of universities through questionnaires. The findings reveal that ‘leadership’, ‘vision’, ‘measurement and analysis’, ‘process control and evaluation’, ‘programs design and resources allocation’ and ‘stakeholder focus’ emerge as the critical success factors of TQM in HE. The findings have implications at macro, meso, and micro levels of HE.     

Going beyond supplier diversity to economic Inclusion:Where are we now and where do we go from here?

Supplier diversity is not a new concept but has increased in urgency due to racial unrest and social polarization across the globe. As culture shifts globally, demanding more diversity and inclusion in businesses, companies are having to rethink their overarching values and strategies. Supplier diversity programs foster more inclusive relationships with diverse and underrepresented populations of suppliers to produce both economic and social impact. Researchers have shown if managed effectively, a diverse and inclusive supply base can help organizations reduce risk, enhance brand image, and increase innovation and flexibility. The intent of this Notes and Debates article is to introduce and define supplier diversity, showing how an economically inclusive supplier diversity program enhances organizational benefits and provides greater economic and social benefits. A secondary intent is to begin the dialogue on the benefits of transitioning from traditional supplier diversity programs to fully embedded economic inclusion models. What is the purpose behind the transition? Is more supplier diversity necessarily better? What enablers or capabilities may be needed to evolve from a traditional supplier diversity program to a strategically positioned economic inclusion mindset? Suggestions are made about embedding key enablers within an organizational structure so that companies can mature in supplier diversity efforts and drive stronger social and economic value. This Notes and Debates piece uses support from ongoing research efforts that include interviews with companies engaged in supplier diversity programs and several supplier diversity councils. Some initial observations and remarks are incorporated in the text to help illustrate how to move from supplier diversity to economic inclusion. The enablers that help move from traditional diversity programs to economic inclusivity appear to mature and develop over time. Some organizations remain in the early, more traditional phases while others have dynamic ecosystems that have developed to support this transition.