A review of empirical investigations comparing quality initiatives in manufacturing and service organizations

Digitalization and academic research: knowing of and using digital services and software to develop scientific papers

Purpose

This paper explores how digitalization affects the academic research publication process by taking into account the perspective of management scholars. It provides an overview of the digital professional services dedicated to academic research, and investigates academics' awareness of, the impact on the publication process of, and scholars' expectations regarding digital services and software.

Design/methodology/approach

This explorative study adopted a qualitative approach by performing direct observations of websites regarding digital professional research services and in-depth interviews with national and international management scholars.

Findings

The multiple digital professional services dedicated to academic research enable authors to develop a scientific paper independently or with the support of professionals. The scholars' awareness regarding the digital services and software was limited, because of both the plethora of options on the market and the frequent use of the same digital tools over time. In impact terms, these tools enable scholars to improve research quality and to increase productivity. However, the negative effects led scholars to express different expectations about how they can be improved and what difficulties should be overcome to favor the publication process.

Practical implications

The results of this study provide suggestions both for scholars who engage in academic research and digital services and software providers.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to examine the ongoing development of digitalization in support of the research publication process from the perspective of academics.

Does organizational learning differ in manufacturing and service firms? Evidence from Mexico

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate organizational learning (OL) at the individual, group and organizational levels in service and manufacturing firms in Mexico to determine if there are differences in how OL operates or in the link between OL and firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors surveyed experienced managers from 1,093 Mexican firms across a range of service and manufacturing industries, using the Strategic Learning Assessment Map (Bontis et al., 2002).

Findings

Organizational learning processes (OLPs) were highly similar in service and manufacturing firms and OL had a strong positive association with performance in both types of firms. OLPs at the individual level had a slightly greater impact on performance for service firms.

Research limitations/implications

The results provide further evidence of the strong link between OL and firm performance. There were no significant correlations of firm size or age with the OLPs or firm performance. However, the micro-companies that constitute 95% of Mexican firms were under-represented in the sample.

Practical implications

OLPs are equally important in manufacturing and service firms and across developed and developing economies. Therefore, OL should pervade all organizations. Managers should create cultures that encourage employees to produce new ideas and share those ideas with peers and supervisors through both formal and informal communication processes.

Social implications

The findings indicate that the individual employees’ contributions to OL are the main driver of the impact of OLPs on firm performance and that individual-level learning processes are even more relevant for service firms than for manufacturing firms. As value co-production takes place simultaneously at the moment of the service delivery/service consumption, the individual learning stock is fundamental for enhanced firm performance.

Originality/value

The authors believe this to be the first large-scale study to compare OLPs in manufacturing and service firms across industries in a major emerging market.

The intermediary role of organizational performance as a driver of total quality management and enterprise resource planning towards achieving organizational excellence: the moderating role of demographic factors

Purpose

The study's goal is to look at how total quality management (TQM), enterprise resource planning (ERP) and organizational performance interact to affect organizational excellence.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey questionnaire research design was used to achieve the goal of this study through the hypothesized model. The information was obtained from a Dubai police organization. Out of 550 questionnaires, 320 questionnaires were returned. To analyze the data for measurement and structural models, the structural equation modeling (SEM) partial least squares method was used.

Findings

The statistical results confirmed the positive and significant effects of TQM and ERP on organizational performance. The mediation role of organizational performance between TQM, ERP and organizational excellence also was confirmed.

Practical implications

More details and significant consequences have been explored in this study. The findings have a number of practical implications. The findings also assist practitioners and managers in making the best decisions while incorporating TQM, ERP and excellence practices in their organizations. Organizations will achieve optimum strong excellence and stay competitive in a competitive market by integrating the effects of TQM, ERP and organizational performance.

Originality/value

This study is another empirical investigation into the combined impact of TQM, ERP and performance on excellence relationships. In other words, the current study is one of the few that investigates the mediating role of organizational performance as a variable alongside organizational excellence as the ultimate variable in developing countries, specifically in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Integration of TQM and ERP to enhance organizational performance and excellence: empirical evidence from public sector using SEM

Purpose

The study aims to examine the joint effect of total quality management (TQM), enterprise resource planning (ERP) and organizational performance on organizational excellence.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve the goal of this study through the hypothesized model, a survey questionnaire research design was employed. The data were collected from a Dubai Police organization. Out of 550 questionnaires, 320 questionnaires were returned. The structural equation modelling (SEM) partial least squares approach was used to analyze the data for measurement and structural models.

Findings

The statistical results confirmed the positive and significant effects of TQM, ERP and organizational performance on organizational excellence. The mediation role of organizational performance between TQM, ERP and organizational excellence also was confirmed.

Practical implications

Throughout this study, further details and valuable implications have been discussed. Findings provide several practical implications. Findings also help practitioners and managers make proper decisions when implementing TQM, ERP and excellence practices in their organizations. With the joint effect of TQM, ERP and organizational performance, organizations can achieve maximum strong excellence and remain in a competitive market. This current study presents potential to be used in didactical initiatives.

Originality/value

This study is a unique empirical research that examines the joint effect of TQM, ERP and performance on excellence relationships. In other words, the current study is one of the few studies that investigate the mediating role of organizational performance beside the organizational excellence as the ultimate variable in developing country, specifically in UAE.

Quality management practices as a driver of employee satisfaction: exploring the mediating role of organizational image

Purpose

Total quality management (TQM) has been a universally applienod management strategy to improve organizational performance and thereby to achieve competitiveness. Compared with the scholarly and practical attention paid to identify the consequences of implementing TQM practices, little is known about how those practices enhance organizational image and employee satisfaction. This paper aims to address that research gap and is designed to empirically prove the relationship between TQM practices, organizational image and employee satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire-based survey of 285 employees including administrators, managers and heads of departments of 21 National Accreditation Board for Hospital and Healthcare providers-accredited hospitals in India was conducted. The proposed research model was tested using partial least squares based structural equation modelling.

Findings

The results revealed that TQM practices have positive direct and indirect effects on employee satisfaction, confirming the partial mediation role played by organizational image in the relationship between TQM practices and employee satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

From the findings, leaders can understand that by implementing TQM practices, organizations can enhance image of the organization and bring high level of employee satisfaction.

Originality/value

The study tries to answer questions largely ignored in the TQM literature: the effect of TQM practices on organizational image and employee satisfaction, and the mediating role of organizational image on TQM practices and employee satisfaction.

Impact of total quality management, organisational excellence and entrepreneurial orientation on organisational performance: empirical evidence from the public sector in UAE

Purpose

Drawing upon the resource-based view, the authors examined empirically the total effect of total quality management (TQM), organisational excellence and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on organisational performance

Design/methodology/approach

Hypotheses were formed to be tested using primary data collected through a survey questionnaire. The data were collected from the Dubai police organisation as a field of study. Out of the 500 distributed questionnaires, 280 questionnaires were returned. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data for measurement and structural models.

Findings

The statistical results that were extracted using PLS-SEM confirmed the positive and significant effect of TQM, organisational excellence and EO on organisational performance.

Practical implications

In this study, many valuable implications were found from the results. The outcomes of this study can help managers, decision makers and practitioners in considering the importance of implementing practices, such as TQM, excellence and EO in their organisations. Therefore, the outcomes can help in achieving the best desired performance.

Originality/value

The present study is one of the most important empirical research studies that examine the total effect of TQM, organisational excellence and EO on performance relationships.

Organizational enablers of business process reengineering implementation

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the main organizational factors that contribute to the successful implementation of business process reengineering (BPR) in the Egyptian banking sector. These factors include management commitment, information technology (IT) infrastructure, people management, change readiness, centralization and formalization.

Design/methodology/approach

The key organizational enablers were identified through an extensive literature review. Then, statistical analysis was carried out based on data collected, using a questionnaire instrument, from 184 managers employed in 38 banks operating in Egypt.

Findings

The results of the study indicate that management commitment, IT infrastructure, people management, change readiness and organizational structure with a low degree of formalization are critical enablers for implementing a successful BPR program within the Egyptian banking sector.

Practical implications

The results may support managers of banks in identifying and assessing the influence of integrating organizational factors that facilitate or hinder the successful implementation of BPR.

Originality/value

Since 2004, the Egyptian banking system has involved in major reform programs and many BPR efforts. Much research effort is required to investigate the BPR projects within the Egyptian banks in order to develop a concrete base of knowledge and understanding of the nature of BPR and factors that support its successful implementation. Moreover, there is an insufficiency of empirical studies regarding the implementation of BPR within the Egyptian service sector. The current study fills this gap by exploring and examining the main organizational factors affecting BPR implementation in a developing country.

The moderating effect of structural barriers on TQM-performance relationship in Egyptian service organizations

Purpose

This paper aims to empirically investigate how structural barriers affect the relationship between total quality management (TQM) practices implementation and organizational performance in service industries.

Design/methodology/approach

This research hypothesized the moderation effect of structural barriers on the relationship between TQM practices implementation and organizational performance. A questionnaire was adopted to collect data form 153 Egyptian service companies. Moderated regression analysis was used to test the study hypothesis.

Findings

The empirical analysis suggests that structural barriers partially moderate the relationship between TQM practices implementation and organizational performance. The analysis reveals that the effect of Quality Improvement, Process Improvement, External and Internal Relations and Employee Development – being as TQM dimensions – on performance is moderated by structural barriers. While the results provided insufficient evidence on the moderating effect of structural barriers on the relationship between both Performance Management – being as a TQM dimension – and performance.

Research limitations/implications

This research presents a new perspective for researches to understand the TQM–Performance relationship in the light of the contingency theory. However, the adopted sampling technique and the small sample size might limit the generalizability of the research findings.

Practical implications

This study provides useful insights for service organizations about the necessity of developing suitable structural platform for supporting their TQM efforts to boost their performance which, in turn, improves their competitiveness.

Originality/value

This research proposed and empirically validated how structural barriers play a significant role as moderators to the relationship between TQM implementation and organizational performance within service organizations context.

An empirical investigation of the Baldrige framework using applicant scoring data

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to overcome evaluative limitations of previous studies to provide a more decisive test of the causal relationships implied in the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence (CPE) using a unique data source.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employ partial least squares path modeling on blinded scoring data from Baldrige Award applicants. In addition, the authors conduct multi-group analysis to examine whether the hypothesized causal model is universal across different industry sectors.

Findings

The path analysis provided strong support for the CPE framework in its entirety. However, analysis of sector-specific subsets of the data did not confirm all relationships, suggesting the possibility of industry-dependent performance excellence frameworks and raising new research questions to be explored.

Practical implications

This research offers several pertinent implications for managers who seek to translate the theoretical CPE framework to actionable quality-improvement efforts.

Originality/value

CPE operationalizes many total quality management (TQM) concepts and provides guidelines to TQM programs. This study validates the CPE framework using the most relevant data set to date – the applicant scoring data. The authors are also the first to investigate the cross-industry differences in the relationships between the CPE constructs.

Quality management capabilities of manufacturing industries in the Western Sydney region

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to, using a quality management assessment framework (QMAF), provide a comparative analysis of quality management capabilities of organisations categorised by size and groups, based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) code.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire-based survey was used for data collection. Statistical data analysis, including descriptive statistics, multivariate and univariate analysis of variance and Hsu’s multiple comparisons with/to the best post-hoc test results, was carried out to identify significant differences and similarities in total quality management capabilities between organisations based on the QMAF model.

Findings

Significant differences in quality management capabilities were identified between large organisations and SMEs while no significant differences were found to exist between medium- and small-size organisations. Most of the QMAF-based capabilities do not seem to show significant differences between the four groups of ANZSIC code of firms, except for partnering focus and business outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

The research was limited by the number of returned responses of survey questionnaire from manufacturing organisations in the Greater Western Sydney region. This research provides practitioners with practical guidelines for improving quality management capabilities and can become the basis for comparative analysis in other regions of Australia, and globally. In addition, the research findings can be used by government and quality associations to develop appropriate strategies and policies for supporting the development of quality enhancing programmes in SMEs.

Originality/value

The comparative analysis of quality management capabilities by organisational size and industry type advances the previous work on optimum pathways of achieving business outcomes using the QMAF model. In addition, the research has mapped out differences in quality management capabilities, based on a combined scope of size and industry type, especially in the Greater Western Sydney region where a large number of SMEs are located.

Quality management practices and their effects on the performance of public hospitals

Purpose

To face profound changes from decreasing funding, growing patient expectations and increasing competition in the health-care market, public hospitals began to implement effective quality management (QM) practices following manufacturing and other service industries. However, there was little knowledge relevant to the impact of QM practices on the performance of public hospitals. The study aims to shed some further light on this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper extends the previous empirical research to the health-care sectors and suggests the research framework of QM practice-performance relationships in public hospitals. For validation purposes, a cross-sectional survey involving 204 quality managers and directors of large public hospitals was carried out between April and October 2013 in Zhejiang Province, China. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationship between QM practices and hospital performance.

Findings

Empirical results support that the implementation of QM practices can bring many benefits to sample hospitals. The dimensions of employee relations and process management are directly related to the health-care and non-health-care performance of public hospitals.

Originality/value

It explores the relationship between QM practices and hospital performance based on empirical results from Chinese public hospitals, whereas few studies have been conducted within the context of public health-care sectors in developing countries. The empirical results could enhance hospital managers’ understanding of the nature of QM practice-performance relationship and help mangers re-allocate more resources to those elements of the QM systems that have the most significant impact on hospital performance.

The impact of quality management practices on performance: an empirical study

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between quality management (QM) and performance, specifically how the infrastructure and core QM practices affect quality and business performance, in Indian manufacturing organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the empirical data were drawn from 262 manufacturing organizations in India. The research model was tested using the structural equation modeling technique.

Findings

The findings of the empirical study revealed that infrastructure QM practices have a positive effect on core QM practices and indirectly on quality performance, whereas, core QM practices have a positive effect on quality performance. Also, quality performance has a positive effect on business performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study considered QM from two dimensions (infrastructure and core quality practices), the study further contributes to the understanding of the different roles played by diverse QM dimensions in determining business performance in terms of increased return on investment, shareholder and stakeholder value.

Practical implications

The study showed that infrastructure quality practices support the application of core quality practices. Therefore, managers must develop and maintain their organization’s quality system and sufficient resources need to be allocated to both types of practices in order to achieve the superior business performance.

Originality/value

This study considers both total quality management and Six Sigma practices for defining a new set of infrastructure and core QM practices in Indian manufacturing organizations.

SR, B. R. Measuring service quality in pharmaceutical supply chain – distributor’s perspective

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the services marketing literature by developing a scale based on Parasuraman’s SERVQUAL scale for the measurement of distributor perceived service quality at the distributor–manufacturer interface of the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a literature review and discussions with experts, a questionnaire was designed basing on the widely used service quality measurement scale (SERVQUAL). Personal survey was conducted among selected distributors spread over three major cities of the Indian pharmaceutical market. The study used the exploratory factor analysis to identify the critical factors of service quality followed by the confirmatory factor analysis (AMOS 20).

Findings

A valid scale with four dimensions – (reliability, assurance, responsiveness and communication) and 13 items for measuring the distributor perceived service quality was developed which also satisfied all the reliability and validity tests. The findings of the present study indicate that distributor perceived service quality has an effect on satisfaction.

Practical implications

The proposed scale is an attempt to explore the less researched area. This study will give further insights to researchers to measure service quality at different phases of the pharmaceutical supply chain. The study is limited to three cities; it can be extended to other regions of the country. This study will be helpful to the practicing managers to measure the service quality and improve the performance in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Social implications

Service quality in pharmaceutical supply chain is very important, as it directly effects the health of the people, so the proposed scale can be used to control the quality of service.

Originality/value

The scale developed in this study can also be used for measuring distributor perceived service quality in other manufacturing sectors. This research provides direction and scope for further research to develop new concepts and models in measuring service quality in the supply chain.

The impact of total quality management on service company performance: evidence from Spain

Purpose

– The purpose of the paper is to explore the impact of total quality management (TQM) factors on performance dimensions of service companies.

Design/methodology/approach

– A research project was designed in the Spanish services sector. Companies that had already participated in activities with regard to business excellence were randomly selected and approached through a structured questionnaire, yielding a sample of 151 responding companies. By analyzing TQM implementation and company performance through the exploratory factor analysis, specific TQM factors and performance dimensions are extracted. The TQM factors that significantly influence the performance dimensions are determined through multiple linear regression analyses.

Findings

– According to the findings, the factors describing TQM implementation in service companies concern quality practices of top management, employee quality management, process management, employee knowledge and education and customer focus. Similarly, the performance dimensions revealed concern financial performance, operational performance, customer satisfaction and product/service quality performance. The TQM factors concerning customers, employees and top management significantly affect the performance dimensions.

Research limitations/implications

– The subjective data were collected from quality managers of a small-sized sample of companies operating in a European Union country and belonging to different services sub-sectors. Based on these limitations, future research studies are recommended.

Practical implications

– By focussing on specific TQM factors, a service company can improve its performance dimensions. In doing so, it can lay the foundations not only to survive but to be competitive in the current global scenario that is characterized by an economic downturn.

Originality/value

– This paper describes a reliable TQM model that can be implemented in the services sector and a means by which a service company can improve its performance.

Service production process: implications for service productivity

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to differentiate the production process within services from the dominant manufacturing-based production process, with the objective of delineating the production process in services and highlighting its implication for service productivity.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study critically reviewed the extant literature on the production processes in manufacturing and services from a multidisciplinary perspective and proposed a framework for the service production process and its relationship with service productivity.

Findings

– The production process for services differs from the dominant manufacturing-based production process and entails an input, transformation process and outcome dimensions. Therefore, any advancement in services, particularly the conceptualisation and measurement of service productivity, is dependent on the application of a service-specific production process.

Research limitations/implications

– The understanding and delineation of the production process in services would further scholarly understanding of what is means to be productive in services and the impact on the validity of the conceptualisation and measurement of service productivity and other service-related concepts.

Practical implications

– The proposed service-based production process can further managerial understanding of the measurement and management of productivity in services.

Originality/value

– This paper delineates the production process in services and highlighted its implication for service productivity. This study, therefore, is a step forward in developing service-specific concepts and measures, particularly service productivity.