A 3D view of issues of quality in higher education

Understanding the interaction among enablers of quality enhancement of higher business education in Pakistan

This study aims to generate a list of enablers of quality enhancement of higher business education in Pakistan and build a structural model of enablers to prioritize them. It also intends to impose direction and hierarchy on the inter-relationships of the enablers. The study's design consists of a literature review, data collection from primary sources, and qualitative analysis. Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) coupled with Matriced' Impacts Cruise's Multiplication Appliquée a UN Classement (MICMAC) is used as a research methodology. The classical procedure of ISM and MICMAC is applied to primary data collected by a field survey from a panel of experts recruited from folks of stakeholders of business education. Results of the literature show that eighteen critical enablers enhance the quality of higher business education in Pakistan. Results of ISM show that the enabler 'job placement of graduates' occupies the top-level of the ISM model being least critical. In contrast, the enabler 'intra-academia linkages' occupying the bottom of the model is the most vital. Results of MICMAC show that all enablers, except 'job placement of graduates, are classified into linkage clusters, whereas 'job placement of graduates' is classified as an independent cluster. Overall results of the study show that enablers of quality enhancement of higher business education in Pakistan are agile and not settled. The study has profound theoretical, managerial, and practical implications for all stakeholders of business education. It also provides a research framework for future studies concerning subject phenomena. The discussion about the structural model culminates into policy guidelines for the regulators. The study is subject to some methodological/data/resources limitations like the limited review of literature, collection of data from a medium-size panel of experts from Pakistan only, using majority rule for aggregating responses, answering only that what is related to what, other common limitations of qualitative studies, shot period and absence of financial support. The authors conduct this study in a real-life field setting is built on the original dataset and address the efficient issue of phenomenon understudy differently. It is theory-building research, therefore, does not require prior theory. It exploits simple elementary concepts of Boolean algebra, set theory, and graph theory that generates new in-depth information for stakeholders.

A measurement instrument for implementing total quality management in Greek primary and secondary education

Purpose

Primary and secondary education (P&SE) is fundamentally important for achieving a high-quality education system. P&SE delivers more extensive social returns than higher education and is perhaps the most important locus where core values are established and the foundation for educational super-systems. The purpose of this paper is to develop a structured approach for the implementation of total quality management (TQM) in P&SE and validate it empirically.

Design/methodology/approach

A 7-dimensioned and a 66-itemed instrument was developed and administered to education professionals at Greek P&SE institutions to measure TQM implementation at present and its potential for the future. The measures were tested for validity and reliability.

Findings

The findings confirmed that the instrument developed is both valid and reliable. The factors of TQM identified for P&SE were leadership, student focus, continuous improvement, process control and involvement, education and training, measurement and evaluation, and change management.

Practical implications

P&SE institutions can employ the instrument developed to guide their implementation of TQM practices. Researchers and practitioners can use it to build models to relate facilitating practices to quality performance while enhancing social empowerment and contributing to economic growth, particularly at times of economic difficulty.

Originality/value

The present study adds value to the existing literature by investigating the unexplored field of TQM in P&SE at a time of economic downturn by offering researchers and practitioners a starting point to identify areas that require further support and improvement or have potential efficiency gain.