Leadership and quality management practices in Thailand

The integration of lean and human resource management practices as an enabler for lean deployment –a systematic literature review

Purpose

The current research aims to map and investigate how human resource management and lean practices can be integrated. This investigation will help identify the HRM aspects critical in the success of lean initiatives while exploring the research gaps in the existing literature. The review also aims to delineate the benefits and challenges of integrating lean with HRM systems to discuss further research and practice areas.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilizes a systematic literature review method to identify and synthesize the existing literature. As part of the process, a protocol that provided a plan for the review was followed, including the research questions and the data to be extracted.

Findings

The study results indicate that aspects of HRM practice and policies such as training and development, teamwork, motivation, communication, leadership, are key enablers of lean initiative deployment and success. The benefits of the integration of human resources with lean can help in lean training and development, communication of lean initiatives and successes, allocating and hiring continuous improvement personnel, and supporting leadership in lean deployment. Challenges to integrating lean and HRM practices included lack of integration and collaboration between disciplines. Further exploration areas in successful lean deployment would be practical longitudinal case studies on lean deployments with human resource (HR) partnerships and involvement.

Practical implications

This review paper has crucial implications for practice relating to, integration of lean with HRM structures and tailoring HRM initiatives to ensure the success of lean deployment and reduce risks of failure.

Originality/value

The systematic literature review study conducted in this paper is the first of its kind to integrate and map the HRM concepts that can be integrated with Lean to deploy the initiative successfully. This mapping is critical for ensuring the success of lean methodologies within an organization and paves the way for future research. In addition, managers and organizations can find support and guidance from this study to focus on vital areas of partnership between their lean and HR programs.

Assessment of quality performance in the Egyptian manufacturing industry

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the quality performance of the Egyptian manufacturing industry based on Flynn's quality management practices framework.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature-based questionnaire was developed to collect the research data. The sample studied included 193 professionals from different manufacturing firms in Egypt. The research model utilized seven first-order constructs to measure infrastructure and core quality practices and the model was analyzed by structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results of the study showed that infrastructure practices had a positive effect on core quality practices, which in turn, significantly influenced quality performance. The findings confirmed that Egyptian manufacturing firms have a good foundation of quality management practices enabling them to improve quality performance.

Practical implications

This study provides a foundation for Egyptian manufacturing firms to develop a practical plan for implementing total quality management (TQM). In addition, the results of this study will help managers and policy makers develop a thorough understanding of the current status of TQM initiatives, enablers and barriers in Egypt.

Originality/value

The study represents one of the few attempts to examine quality practices and quality performance in the manufacturing sector in Egypt. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study to examine these parameters in this context in Egypt.

Sustainable Quality Management Systems in the Current Paradigm: The Role of Leadership

This study supports the proposition that sustainability’s integration into Quality Management Systems (QMS) could be a viable pathway to the development of the Emergency paradigm, in which leadership plays a crucial role. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was performed in order to deepen leadership’s relationship with Quality Management (QM) from an evolutionary perspective. An exploratory survey was then conducted to assess quality managers’ perceptions of sustainability’s integration into QMS and their leadership styles, using the 5X Short Leader Form MLQ instrument. The results indicate that leadership is a critical element of QMS performance, enhancing transformational leadership, which appears to be the dominant self-perceived style of the quality managers who participated. Nevertheless, these practitioners recognise the difficulties in committing all employees to the sustainability journey. The theoretical and managerial implications give rise to this work. The SLR results could be a useful database to support future QM and Leadership research. The organisations could follow the suggested pathway to evolve their QMS to support solutions to some of the current challenges. At the same time, quality managers could reflect on their future professional challenges. This work has taken a step forward, indicating sustainable quality management systems as a viable pathway to explore QM knowledge regarding the Emergency paradigm, and thus enhancing leadership’s role.

Does people-related total quality management “work” for people? An empirical study of the Sri Lankan apparel industry

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between people-related total quality management (PTQM) practices and employee work attitudes, as well as the impact of the specific PTQM practices on work attitudes in the context of the Sri Lankan apparel industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The five PTQM practices included top management commitment, employee empowerment, training, employee involvement and teamwork. Employee work attitudes comprised of job satisfaction, affective commitment, job involvement and turnover intention. Data collected from the machine operator-level employees in the top 100 apparel exporters in Sri Lanka were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM).

Findings

The findings suggest that the PTQM practices were significant drivers of job involvement but not of job satisfaction, affective commitment and turnover intentions. It was also found that teamwork, training and employee involvement were the most important PTQM practices towards employee work attitudes. Top management commitment drove affective commitment and job involvement, while employee empowerment was important only for job involvement.

Research limitations/implications

The research only considered the top 100 export- apparel manufacturers in Sri Lanka; hence, care has to be taken for the findings to represent the entire manufacturing industry in Sri Lanka.

Originality/value

Based on the perceptions of floor level employees, which is scarcely investigated in the PTQM domain, the paper presents an interesting and unique perspective on the relationship between the PTQM practices and employee work attitudes, challenging majority of previous research findings. Besides making theoretical contributions, the findings offer valuable insights into the management of Sri Lankan apparel companies by highlighting the PTQM practices, which need to be strengthened.

Does transformational leadership influence TQM practices? A comparison analysis between manufacturing and service firms

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to fill a gap in the existing literature that relates leadership style to total quality management (TQM) focus. Specifically, the study evaluates whether and how leadership style may affect the implementation of TQM practices.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from employees of different organizations operating in the manufacturing (n = 156) and service sectors (n = 147). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses as well as structural equation modeling were adopted to test the hypothesized research model.

Findings

The results revealed that transformational leadership has a positive impact in the implementation of TQM practices (e.g., customer focus, process management, human resource management, strategic planning and learning). It was also found that, regardless of industry type, manufacturing or service, transformational leadership has a significantly positive influence on TQM practices. In addition, it was noted that manufacturing companies showed a higher level of TQM practices than did service companies.

Originality/value

This study represents, to the best of the author’s knowledge, the first empirical examination of the relationship between transformational leadership and TQM in the service and manufacturing industries, with the goal of determining the differences between these two sectors. The study's conclusions may be useful for service and manufacturing organizations in achieving more effective leadership in the implementation of TQM.

Heuristic decision of planned shop visit products based on similar reasoning method: From the perspective of organizational quality-specific immune

The purpose of this study is to reduce the maintenance time, cost, and scheduling distance and to determine the maintenance priority of planned shop visit products. This study introduces the concept of maintenance map, establishes the evaluation indicators system of maintenance map from the perspective of organizational quality-specific immune, and puts forward two key dimensions named maintenance plan and technical support of maintenance map. Based on the theoretical framework, construct a heuristic decision model of planned shop visit products based on similar reasoning, set the maintenance services data of Harbin Dongan Engine Co., Ltd., as research objects, and use the concrete schemes and cases to solve and carry out an empirical analysis of the heuristic decision of planned shop visit products based on similar reasoning with the help of the ant colony algorithm; the empirical analysis results indicate that maintenance map and evaluation indicators system are the fundamental basis of the heuristic decision based on similar reasoning, the combinations of similar reasoning and ant colony algorithm can achieve the optimal heuristic decision of planned shop visit products, which have effectiveness, feasibility, and operability. This research will be conductive to give out the heuristic decision of scheduling schemes of planned shop visit products, which will be beneficial to enhance maintenance efficiency and quality, promote learning effects and learning pattern paths, and reduce maintenance scheduling distances of planned shop visit products from the aspects of theoretical framework guidance, empirical system enlightenment, and conceptual paradigm reference.

Let's get everyone involved! The effects of transformational leadership and organizational culture on organizational excellence

Purpose

This paper posited a dynamic relationship between transformational leadership, organizational culture, and organizational excellence in order to develop a better understanding of the casual linkages between these three areas.

Design/methodology/approach

The research methodology includes a multi-item scale questionnaire survey which included 448 samples from United Arab Emirates (UAE) with an average response rate of 61.1%. The hypotheses were tested by applying structural equation modeling (SEM) and path analyses. Analyses used the Mplus software package.

Findings

The key finding in this study suggests that creating the involvement culture provides the all-inclusive participation and holistic engagement from employees, which consequently leads to organizational excellence.

Research limitations/implications

The study is more focused on particular type of leadership and can extend to other types of leadership as well the other regions. The study extends the findings of previous studies that suggested authoritative was essential initially but that this would change with the emerging culture.

Practical implications

Managers should foster an involvement culture and adopt transformational leadership style in order to reap the benefits of the quality management approaches.

Originality/value

From existing research on leadership in QM context, we adopt transformational leadership in connection with organizational culture and organizational excellence. The originality of the study lies in its quantitative approach to test an already demonstrated phenomenon about the relationship between transformational leadership, organizational culture and business excellence. This study significantly contributes to the literature on QM by discovering that organizations with transformational leadership styles and involvement or adaptability cultures can perform well and achieve organizational excellence.

Leadership and quality management measurement models: an empirical study

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper is to explore, confirm and verify leadership with regards to quality management measurement models. This research focused on identifying individual staff members' leadership attributes at the Thai National Institute of Health in relation to quality management.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

The research instrument used in this study was a modified questionnaire on self-leadership and quality management that was distributed to the institute's staff. Leadership and quality management construct variables were observed and measured through staff perceptions, attitudes, practices and existing facts at the institute. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to examine the data.

FINDINGS

The questionnaire had a 65 percent response rate. EFA revealed six factors from 27 questionnaire items and CFA was used to confirm the measurement models that were fitted to the data. The leadership attributes of staff members at the institute were statistically associated to and impacted on quality management by SEM analysis.

RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS

In-depth understanding of leadership and quality management could be done through a longitudinal study because the two factors would change over time. Even though this model is not a longitudinal study, it could help the institute facilitate and manage quality in practice through leadership.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

A cross-sectional study is used to examine the effect of leadership on quality management through factor analysis and SEM, which provided empirical evidence for future research. Leadership and quality management measurement models have statistically proven to be appropriately, technically and theoretically correct by design for observing variables used in the leadership measurement model that affects quality management.

Investigating the view of quality management success factors amongst future early career operations leaders

Purpose

The study aims to investigate the gap between the current vision and knowledge of future early career operations leaders (OL) and common strategic total quality management (TQM) frameworks such as Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards and competing value framework.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey questionnaire was developed for different groups of participants as current higher education students to identify the gap and analyse the significance of these groups on the factors in TQM framework. The Kruskal–Wallis test as the non-parametric quantitative analysis technique was adopted for this study.

Findings

A new set of TQM factors with necessity of more knowledge and understanding of future generation was identified, followed by highlighting clear differences amongst different groups of this generation in terms of their demographic measures, perceived leadership style and organisational culture.

Research limitations/implications

This research study contributed significantly to the existing study about common QM models and their integration with theories relevant to organisational culture and leadership. The data collection can be extended further in the higher education sector or beyond that.

Practical implications

A sustainable operations leadership practice needs managers and leaders with a sustainable knowledge development of quality management; and as a result of this study, the current vision of future young OL would not echo this.

Originality/value

This study has a systematic, non-parametric approach towards currently fragmented QM analysis, and is integrated with human resource and visionary elements of future young OL and universal QM models and theories.

An empirical study to investigate the effects of critical factors on TQM implementation in the garment industry in Bangladesh

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that enable total quality management (TQM) implementation in the readymade garment (RMG) sector of Bangladesh. More specifically, the present study is a supplement of the previous call from research to investigate the TQM-enabling factors from a broader aspect of organizational change.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted through an online survey, followed by phone calls. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey with 256 respondents of the Bangladeshi RMG sector. The TQM-enabling factors were divided into five distinct groups, based on strategic or overall changes required within an organization for TQM implementation. A theoretical research model was created to investigate the contingency of various TQM-enabling factors. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to confirm the factor that enabled TQM implementation in the RMG sector of Bangladesh.

Findings

The main finding of this study shows that structural, strategic, contextual and human resource-enabling factors are significant to TQM implementation in the Bangladeshi RMG sector.

Research limitations/implications

This study has been completed in single time frame. Therefore, consideration of the time factor is completely ignored in this research. Furthermore, understanding of TQM-enabling factors in this research relied on quantitative findings only. Also, this study was limited to one industry and one geographic region. However, this study could determine whether data triangulation will provide a good perception on enabling factors and the methodology can be extended to other industries and regions.

Practical implications

This study provides a research methodology for other manufacturing industries that are planning to implement TQM in their organization. This research will contribute to the existing literature by examining the contingency of various TQM-enabling factors in the context of the Bangladeshi RMG sector, and it, therefore, provides direction to increase the success rate of TQM implementation. Furthermore, the research methodology can be used in other studies for variation of contextual variables such as size of the industry, developed or underdeveloped country and manufacturing or service industry.

Originality/value

The methodology used in this study can lead the way for other industries in the RMG sector that implements TQM in their organization. Also, this research further contributes to the existing literature by investigating the contingency of various TQM enabling factors in the context of the Bangladeshi RMG sector and developing associated strategies to raise success rate of TQM implementation.

Synergetic success factors of total quality management (TQM) and supply chain management (SCM)

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to present a set of critical factors for total quality management (TQM) and supply chain management (SCM) practices through an extensive literature review; and, second, to identify the relationships among them by comparing the identified TQM and SCM practices in order to explore the concept of supply chain quality management (SCQM).

Design/methodology/approach

To meet the goals of this work, a review of published quality research papers was carried out. For this, the authors identified papers on TQM and SCM practices and observed how these practices improve the business performance of organizations. Further, on the basis of identified practices, a conceptual model of SCQM was developed.

Findings

The results presented a set of six critical factors each for TQM and SCM practices. Further, it was found that management support and commitment, customer focus, information and supplier partnership are the most common practices found in both TQM and SCM practices. The integration of TQM and SCM (SCQM) throughout the supply chain has the strongest impact on the organizational performance.

Research limitations/implications

The study used data from various research papers of reputed journals which considered the study of India’s manufacturing industry as well as other countries, which may not provide a clear picture. However, this can be overcome by applying the findings of this paper to collect data from Indian manufacturing industry in future studies.

Practical implications

Indian manufacturing industry can improve its competitive image through the synergy of TQM and SCM. The result of this paper will help in providing a greater understanding of identified TQM and SCM practices that will lead to the successful implementation of TQM and SCM strategies to enhance business performance in terms of the improved levels of customer service.

Originality/value

Much of the attention is given on TQM and SCM practices, and very few studies have been undertaken to integrate TQM and SCM practices. But as far as the authors know, there is no study undertaken to integrate TQM and SCM practices in India for the manufacturing class. Therefore, this study compares TQM and SCM practices and considers their integration and can be thus treated as filling a gap in the extant literature. Therefore, the findings of this review paper will contribute in future research.

Factors affecting quality management at the Thai national institute of health

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to confirm and examine organization-related factors that could affect quality management at the Thai national reference laboratory known as National Institute of Health.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors invited 340 laboratory staff members to complete a questionnaire that enquired about their skills, opinions, perceptions, leadership, work environment, organizational culture and organizational commitment in relation to quality management. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data.

Findings

In total, 65 percent of institute members responded to the questionnaire. CFA revealed that all factors were related to quality management. Three factors, leadership, organizational commitment and work environment, significantly affected quality management, but organizational culture did not.

Research limitations/implications

Other data types should be collected for an in-depth understanding, i.e. focus groups or in-depth interviews. A longitudinal study could also enhance quality management understanding to see how each variable changes over time.

Originality/value

Analyzing quality management through confirmatory factor and regression analysis showed that the four analyzed variables are statistically significant in relation to quality management at the laboratory. Managers could apply this information to revise the current policy.

Assessment of TQM implementation level in Palestinian healthcare organizations

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the level of total quality management (TQM) implementation in Palestinian governmental and non-governmental hospitals using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on collecting data using a survey questionnaire that was designed according to the MBNQA criteria. In total, 363 questionnaires from governmental and non-governmental hospitals operating in Gaza Strip were analyzed to assess the level of TQM implementation level in all hospitals (governmental and non-governmental).

Findings

The main results of this study indicate that Palestinian hospitals operating in Gaza Strip perform at a relatively acceptable level. Comparing results shows that the performance of non-governmental hospitals is better with higher degree of TQM implementation than the governmental hospitals. Detailed analysis identifies improvement opportunities-related specific aspects of the human resources focus and the performance results.

Research limitations/implications

Although this study has collected data from one Palestinian Territory, the Gaza Strip, it still identifies the critical factors and practices for TQM implementation within the Palestinian healthcare organizations to improve performance.

Practical implications

This paper suggests that business excellence models such as the MBNQA criteria can be used to assess the level of implementation of quality practices and identify the strengths and weaknesses to improve the quality of service delivery, processes, and performance of hospitals.

Originality/value

Despite the widespread use of TQM in the developed countries, little attention has been placed to implement and assess the quality initiatives by organizations in the developing countries and even fewer in low-income Arab countries (Aamer et al., 2017; Øvretveit and Al Serouri, 2006). In addition, a very few number of studies in reference to the assessment of TQM implementation in the Palestinian context, in general, and in healthcare organizations, in particular, highlight the need for this study. To move the field in that direction, the goal of this research was to assess the level of TQM implementation in the healthcare organizations (mainly hospitals) in Gaza Strip (one of the least fortunate areas of the Palestinian-occupied territories) where no prior similar research studies could be found. Therefore, this study contributes to filling this gap in the literature by providing empirical assessment of TQM level of implementation in Gaza Strip hospitals.

What is the effect of size on the use of the EFQM excellence model?

Purpose

By contrasting a contingency with a universal approach to business excellence models (BEMs), the purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of size on the use of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model by organizations that were officially “Recognized for Excellence” in Spain. It considers the potential differences between large organizations and SMEs on the level of adoption of EFQM criteria and on the impact that enablers-criteria may have on key performance measures.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses actual sub-criteria and criteria scores attained by organizations in their assessment for EFQM recognition. Scores of a population of 216 organizations are analyzed via analysis of variance, factor and structural equations models.

Findings

Although there are some criteria in the EFQM model that appear to be universally adopted irrespective of size, the empirical analyses indicate that size may shape the adoption of other criteria and the impact that enablers can have on results, thus supporting a contingency perspective. Moreover, the findings call for the revision of the relationships embedded in the EFQM model.

Originality/value

In contrast to most previous research, which relied on surveys of managers’ perceptions, this study uses the actual scores achieved by organizations in their assessment for EFQM recognition. It addresses the effect of size on the whole model, which so far has been neglected in the literature. All in all this study contributes to the literature on contingency approaches to best practices, and more specifically to BEMs. To the practitioner, it provides guidelines for addressing perceived performance gaps in their pursuit of recognition for excellence.

Multicriteria model for selecting TQM consultancy and certification services

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to establish the need and the importance of adopting a structured model to support the decisions by using a multicriteria focus to guide drawing up a methodological framework. In addition, this study considers the maturity level of the organization, and the importance of continuous improvement after implementing ISO 9001.

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents a scientific technical foundation of the qualifying and selection criteria of the consultancy and Accredited Certification Body (ACB) by using ISO standards, and the guidance document CB25, which is related to quality. Finally, a numeric application with realistic data is undertaken using the PROMETHEE II method, and the GAIA plan.

Findings

The development of this study provides a new insight into the importance for selecting consultancy, and certification services in order to implement quality management systems within organizations.

Research limitations/implications

The current study is limited to the quality management services. If necessary to apply the same model to other areas, it is necessary looking for documents and regulations of this field. In addition, this model is focussed on a model for small or medium companies, which are still trying to achieve a higher position in the sector, and do not have experts in quality management.

Originality/value

The differential of this study is the foundation of the criteria for the proposed model. Other studies choose these criteria without any scientific basis. On the other hand, this study goes over many documents.

Investigating the readiness of people in manufacturing SMEs to embark on Lean Six Sigma projects

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to focus on three fundamental human-related behaviour factors associated with Lean Six Sigma (LSS) projects in German manufacturing small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the readiness of people (managers and their staff) to commence LSS projects. These are core personal competence, strategic vision of the people and the organisational culture of the specific organisation.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on a thorough review of the academic literature a set of hypotheses were constructed to examine the level of association between people’s competence, vision and culture with LSS readiness within SMEs. This was done using correlation and regression analysis. Data collection were carried out in seven different German manufacturing SMEs involved in aerospace supply and agro-food manufacturing using a survey instrument.

Findings

– It was found that there is a strong positive association between the core competence of people and organisational culture with readiness for commencing LSS in the manufacturing SMEs studied. The core values of people, education level and the vision of making continuous quality improvement were identified as key variables in promoting LSS readiness in these manufacturing SMEs. This study indicates that these “softer” variables can be essential to successful LSS implementation and need to be explored further before undertaking the process.

Practical implications

– From the perspective of the implementers of LSS the results of this research could be of interest to different manufacturing SMEs intending to embark upon an LSS journey as it highlights the significance of human-related behavioural factors in the process. SME organisations may consider carrying out development or training with their managers and employees around personal and organisational values, addressing core competence and strengthening organisational culture in order to facilitate LSS readiness and enhance the prospect of its success.

Originality/value

– It would appear that this LSS research has not been carried out within the German manufacturing SME context before and although discrete in nature has surfaced the “softer” variables of core competence of staff and organisational culture as important readiness issues to address when undertaking LSS. This integrated approach of human behavioural factors, organisational culture, LSS and manufacturing SMEs demonstrates the originality of the research.

The impact of TQM practices on organizational learning case study: automobile part manufacturing and suppliers of Iran

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the correlations between TQM and organizational learning in the context of automobile part manufacturing and suppliers of Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

A research project is carried out in 191 automobile part manufacturing and suppliers plants, using the questionnaire method. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is applied to assess the measurement instrument reliability and validity. The correlations between latent constructs are examined through Partial Least Squares (PLS) method.

Findings

Findings indicate that, both, the core and infrastructure aspects of QM practices have significant positive effect on organizational learning. At the lower levels, HRM and information and analysis contribute to enhancement of the organizational learning.

Research limitations/implications

It is recommended that a more complete construct be designed for measuring the organizational learning. Some contextual factors such as culture need to be noticed in future researches.

Practical implications

in this article some beneficial insights are addressed to assist managers in recognizing the organizational problems which weaken the organizational learning.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the TQM advance, organizational learning research literature and provides better foundations for organizational learning improvement through TQM practices in the Middle East. By investigating the correlations between infrastructure and core QM practices and organizational learning, this study fills the current gap in this field.

Benchmarking of TQM practices in INGOs: a literature review

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to aggregate significant part of debates in the field of International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) toward performance improvement by benchmarking of the Total Quality Management (TQM) practices, and to propose TQM-Benchmarking model as a seed for future research in the context of INGOs.

Design/methodology/approach

– TQM practices for INGOs were first identified based on critical synthesis of the literature for both, existing for-profit TQM literature and the INGOs field-specific quality and accountability frameworks, initiatives, and practices (Jordan introduced as an example) followed by solicitation of the opinions of experts and colleagues through personal interviews and focus group discussions to define the proposed TQM-Benchmarking model.

Findings

– TQM-Benchmarking model of six practices vital to INGOs performance are proposed by this review including leadership and management commitment, beneficiaries focus and participation, partnership management for sustainability, human resource (HR) focus, process management and learning and continuous improvement, and use of quality information.

Originality/value

– While TQM practices succeed in improving performance of for-profit organizations, this review proposed TQM-Benchmarking model with field-specific practical pillars of performance improvement in the INGOs.

The mediating effect of human resource on successful total quality management implementation

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study the mediating effect of human resource (HR) between independent variables (i.e. leadership and quality culture (QC)) and successful total quality management (TQM) implementation for firm performance as dependent variable.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this paper, the authors have used exploratory factor analysis output as input for mediation statistics. The mediating regression analysis has been performed using exploratory factor analysis based on four steps technique proposed by Baron and Keene in the year 1986 to test the theoretical model.

Findings

– The mediation statistics output suggests that HR is a complete mediation between independent variables (i.e. leadership) and successful TQM implementation for firm performance and QC is having direct impact on firm performance without any mediation effect of HR.

Research limitations/implications

– Mediation regression has its own limitations. Satisfying four steps does not, however, conclusively establish that mediation has occurred and also there persists a measurement problem. The cross-ectional data is one of the present limitation of our present study. While this study was able to provide additional insight into leadership and QC of TQM and its relationship with firm performance, it also revealed areas that would benefit from further research.

Originality/value

– This study provides an insight into leadership together with right QC mediates with HR practices to help successful TQM implementation for firm performance on the basis of survey conducted among Indian manufacturing sector is unique contribution.

Assessing quality of management practices in Palestinian hospitals

Purpose

– This paper aims to provide an assessment of the quality of management practices and implementation in hospitals operating in the West Bank of Palestine using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) Criteria.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on the MBNQA Criteria, a survey of 51 hospitals was conducted using questionnaires, interviews and focus groups to gather data. Data were analyzed and compared across all administrative types of hospitals using the MBNQA points system.

Findings

– The results show that the performance of non-governmental organizations and private hospitals was superior with respect to all other administrative types. A closer look at the results show that all hospitals exhibit areas of concern such as human resource focus, information and analysis, as well as performance results.

Research limitations/implications

– Despite the exclusion of hospitals operating in the Gaza Strip, this research promotes critical management practices aimed at improving quality of management practices and their subsequent implementation in the surveyed hospitals.

Practical implications

– The MBNQA Criteria, as well as other quality assessment tools, can be used to measure the various activities of hospitals and identify competencies and weaknesses in a tangible manner to improve hospital performance.

Originality/value

– This paper presents a fresh perspective on the quality management issues in Palestinian hospitals to practitioners, administrators and academics using the MBNQA Criteria. Also, it serves as a foundation for future initiatives and programs aimed at improving quality in hospitals.

Achieving employee commitment for continuous improvement initiatives

Purpose

– Although prior research has found that employee participation is key to successfully implementing quality management initiatives (Baird et al., 2011; de Menezes, 2012; Lagrosen and Lagrosen, 2005), little research in operations management exists that investigates which management actions and behaviors lead to employee commitment to such initiatives. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap in the operations management literature by investigating which influence tactics are the most effective in soliciting employee commitment to continuous improvement tasks. The paper also examines how influence tactics affect the supervisor-subordinate relationship and the manager’s effectiveness in implementing continuous improvement initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey instrument was used to measure supervisor-subordinate relationship quality, usage of influence behaviors and participants’ task commitment to continuous improvement initiatives.

Findings

– The results indicate that five of the 11 influence tactics identified in the prior literature, i.e., collaboration, consultation, ingratiation, inspirational appeals, and rational persuasion, are significant and strong predictors of employee commitment to continuous improvement initiatives. Further, analyses show that these influence tactics are significant drivers of the quality of the supervisor-subordinate relationship, which was found to partially mediate the relationship between influence tactics and the supervisor’s effectiveness in implementing continuous improvement projects.

Research limitations/implications

– Since the extant CI and Total Quality Management literature has looked at the plant or program level rather than the worker-level as in the research, the findings offer one explanation as to why earlier studies investigating the relationship between quality management programs and increased organizational performance reported mixed results.

Practical implications

– Increasing managers’ awareness and usage of influence tactics may increase the success rate of continuous improvement projects as well the quality of the relationship with the manager’s subordinates.

Originality/value

– While the extant literature has argued that management support and employee commitment are key components of a continuous improvement project implementation, little has been written about the specific management actions and behaviors that lead to success.

Quality management practices and their relationship to organizational performance

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of total quality management (TQM) practices implemented in Palestinian hospitals and their relationship to organizational performance using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria.

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey of 51 hospitals operating in the West Bank of Palestine was conducted in order to test the validity and reliability of TQM constructs and their relationship to organizational performance.

Findings

– The results showed that TQM constructs used in this study are positively related to hospital performance and for the most part the relationship was significant; they were capable of explaining a significant portion of variance in performance. Three elements were found to be strongly significant predictors of performance- people management, process management, and information and analysis.

Research limitations/implications

– Although hospitals operating in the Gaza Strip were excluded from the study, this research promotes critical management practices that help channeling organization resources into areas aimed at improving quality and performance.

Practical implications

– The study showed that there are certain areas where administrators or managers need to focus on should they aspire for better performance. The constructs used in this study can be used to assess the implementation of quality practices and highlight areas for movement.

Originality/value

– This paper provided practitioners, administrators, and academics with a fresh perspective on quality management practices and their impact on organizational performance. It also served as a foundation for future initiatives and programs aimed at improving quality in hospitals.

Gomes P, Filipe Lages L, Lopes Pereira Z. The role of TQM in strategic product innovation: an empirical assessment

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of total quality management (TQM) resources on strategic product innovation. It addresses the apparent tension between quality management and innovation management and seeks empirical support for the proposition that quality management resources can be used to support strategic innovation. Based on resource-based view, it defines key resources that firms develop during implementation of TQM systems: TQM culture, product design capability, and process improvement capability – and assesses the role of these resources in the success of product innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey of 112 manufacturing firms was conducted and the resulting data were analyzed using partial least squares (PLS) to determine how TQM constructs affect strategic product innovation.

Findings

– The main finding suggests that only product design capability contributes to strategic product innovation. TQM culture has a direct influence on process improvement and product design capabilities but not on product innovation. The effect of innovation capability and innovation orientation on product innovation was only supported for innovation capability. The effect of innovation orientation is mediated by the development of innovation capability.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper focusses on the level of maturity of capability development without taking into consideration the time since adoption. Also, the measure of product innovation is based on the degree of product newness but does not dichotomize in terms of radical vs incremental. Several arguments supporting a negative relationship between TQM and innovation often refer to radical or breakthrough innovation. It would be interesting to test the model while distinguishing between radical and incremental innovation. The use of cross-sectional data is a methodological limitation.

Practical implications

– The results suggest that managers can leverage their quality management systems to support product innovation. In particular, the ability to design quality into products leads to higher levels of strategic production innovation. The successful deployment of TQM capabilities requires an integrative and well-structured approach, involving top leadership engagement of employees and customer orientation. While TQM culture is critical to the development of quality management capabilities, it does not directly affect the innovativeness of a firm.

Originality/value

– The paper explores the relationship between quality management systems and strategic product innovation. Further work is needed to test whether TQM effect on strategic innovation is different for radical and incremental products, and for other innovation outcomes such as process and service innovation.