The archetype of excellence in universities and TQM

The impacts of total quality management practices in Algerian higher education institutions

Algerian universities rely on total quality management. TQM is one of the most successful strategic options for improving the quality of higher education. In addition, achieving academic accreditation and progress in international rankings. The study aims to address relevant contemporary issues by examining the impact of total quality management on the quality of higher education. The data were analyzed using a mixed-method approach; the study was done as a survey, with data collected via questionnaires issued to 610 students. The questionnaire included Likert scale items that were quantitatively evaluated and modeled using structural equation modeling (SEM) using Amos to accomplish the path analysis of the research model. Furthermore, qualitative data were acquired through interviews with 24 professors who are members of the Quality Cells, and qualitative data were evaluated using content analysis with NVivo. The study findings revealed that TQM has a direct and significant impact on the quality of graduates, scientific research, and community service in Algerian universities. The main results have been presented, and recommendations for future research are made.

Quality, resilience, sustainability and excellence: understanding LEGO’s journey towards organisational excellence

Purpose

This study aims to reflect on quality, sustainability and resilience as emerging organisational priorities within total quality management (TQM) and organisational excellence.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a conceptual approach based on reflection and theoretical studies on the philosophical foundations of quality, excellence, resilience and sustainability as cornerstones for organisational excellence. Bearing in mind that sustainable excellence rests upon a combination of systemic and soft issues that define organisational ability for resilience and sustainability, there is a need to analyse and reflect on short business cases from world-leading companies and further reflect on the fundamental principles, which have helped such companies to survive, grow and sustain. This study includes such a business case – the LEGO case. In addition, a Japanese case has been included. Japanese training material on human motivation developed in the 1980s exemplifies how company managers were trained, at that time, to understand and practice human motivation, excellence principles and tools.

Findings

Organisational excellence constitutes an evolving concept as the world becomes more chaotic and interconnected with multiple disruptive shocks. Organisational excellence challenges the inflexibilities of Newtonian mindsets, recognising the paramount importance of interactions and further underlining the significance of invisible elements such as human potentiality, motivation and values that formulate the principles of organisational excellence.

Originality/value

The paper investigates the notions of quality, resilience and sustainability and their relation to motivation and organisational excellence within the framework of business management and TQM. A world-leading company – LEGO – will be used to exemplify the theoretical findings together with the Japanese Motivation Training Programme case.

Towards the “Homo Deus” excellence perspective?

Purpose

The evolution of management underlines the importance of the human, systemic, technological and contingency element and their interaction along with an amplified awareness of organizations for achieving excellence. This paper aims to discuss whether the fusion of digital, biological and physical world leads to a new excellence perspective and to investigate the potential value of informative neuroscientific findings for setting the foundations for smart services.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a literature review regarding the advances of neurosciences and its implications for business. Their usefulness and potential contribution for the provision of smart services are investigated.

Findings

The fusion of technological evolution and biological sciences may potentially give birth to a new excellence conceptualization complemented by genetic data whose consequences are hard to predict. Neurosciences offer insights for various human behavior areas that can be used by business practitioners, to refine their thinking and management style and build brain-friendly organizational contexts. The combination of using neuroscientific evidence and technology in service systems sets the foundations for an “intelligent” provision of services in a quality context.

Originality/value

The paper investigates the conceptual development of excellence within the receding context of the “smart era” and the potential contribution of neurosciences for the provision of smart services with reference to quality pioneers’ theories and ideas.

Responsible management education in Egyptian public business schools

Purpose

Out of 24 public business schools in Egypt, the purpose of this paper is to focus on three in order to investigate how responsible management education is perceived and exercised by academics there.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 168 academics were contacted and interviewed in 42 focus groups. The length of each focus group was about 45 min, and all of them were conducted in Arabic because the majority of respondents are not fluent in English. The authors used thematic analysis to determine the main ideas in the transcripts.

Findings

Based on data analysis of the perceptions of academics concerning business education, research and management process at the target business schools, the authors of this paper found that responsible management education is not considered a priority in the work agendas of the Egyptian public business schools. Furthermore, the authors believe that besides issues with the general acceptance of the need for responsible management education, there are functional, procedural and edu-academic barriers that these schools need to overcome first before proceeding with implementation and expecting positive outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

This research maybe subject to criticism because the authors address only the perspectives of academics in the chosen business schools while neglecting other academic partners, particularly those in managerial positions, such as rectors and heads of departments. Future researchers may use the same research questions to investigate a managerial level perspective to depict a more holistic picture of the situation. Moreover, including Egyptian private business schools may also enrich the findings. In fact, the authors suggest that scholars from different academic disciplines such as sustainability management, business ethics, higher education, sustainability and cultural diversity work together to produce more interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary research on the global responsibility themes business schools have to manage.

Originality/value

This paper contributes by filling a gap in sustainability, HR management, business ethics and higher education literature in which empirical studies on responsible management education and the responsible practices of academics have been limited so far.

Narcissistic business leaders as heralds of the self-proclaimed excellence

Purpose

The paper aims to investigate the relation of narcissism to leadership in business contexts and presents its impact on specific organizational variables, which are crucial for the pursuit of excellence. Narcissism constitutes a personality trait which is considered responsible for both positive and negative behavioral outcomes that impact decisions and actions.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach, by which this paper is structured, is theoretical and has been based on a literature review regarding narcissism (and more specifically, narcissistic leadership) in business contexts.

Findings

Narcissism can have positive (mainly in the short term) and/or deleterious effects both for the individual and the organization. The self-proclaimed excellence of narcissists results from a combination of their beliefs about their extreme intelligence, abilities and leadership and their high motives for reassuring their supremacy. However, the behavior of narcissistic leaders impacts various organizational parameters which are preconditions for organizational excellence.

Research limitations/implications

The study at hand can be used as an input for further research on the effects of narcissism on quality performance variables.

Practical implications

The behavior of narcissists (and its positive and/or negative consequences) should be evaluated in relation to any specific organizational context and circumstances.

Originality/value

The study examines narcissistic leadership and attempts to examine its implications for factors that are crucial for the achievement of organizational excellence.

Learning from the past to envision the future: a five-year review 2005-2009

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the topics published in the journal in the five-year period from 2005 to 2009.

Design/methodology/approach

– A qualitative examination of content by year identifies prevalent themes.

Findings

– The beginning and ending of the time period demonstrate continued interest in major figures of our field and the context of their thinking. Quality, excellence and continuous improvement were recurrent topics as were those of business in society, ethics and social responsibility. The value of historical analysis with suggested methodologies for further study was included.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper is limited to the topical papers within this five-year timeframe and a qualitative analysis of themes. Fewer than expected papers were published on leadership and international subjects given their important to the field.

Practical implications

– Aspiring authors may find the historical background for the current topics of entrepreneurship, quality, ethics and social responsibility convenient. Helpful advice from experts about how to study management history is highlighted. Cross-cultural and international historical linkages on themes and concepts are identified as areas in need of additional research.

Social implications

– The social construction of studying and teaching history is discussed. The context in which major writers lived and events occurred is recognized as a major factor in interpreting situations.

Originality/value

– The paper reviews over 100 articles to categorize the historical origins of current and recurring topics into major themes. Papers are organized by topic, person or event into a chart by year.

The sustainable management vision for excellence: implications for business education

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to: analyze the meaning of sustainability and its relation to excellence, in an era of management transformation, integration and evolution; to present the global challenges for sustainable management of the future; and to examine how sustainability should be approached by business schools.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach of this paper is theoretical and has been based on scholarly literature regarding sustainability and its integration in business education, for which critical issues are presented.

Findings

The findings of the paper suggest that sustainability and excellence are two interrelated concepts (under certain conditions). The post crisis management vision includes the refinement of management practice through the integration of specific factors in business strategy, which allows sustainable corporate growth. Hence, the role of business education becomes crucial. While a steady progress regarding the incorporation of the sustainability concept in business education is being made, further improvements can be achieved. Business education should be considered as an odyssey towards personal advancement that will allow systemic, multidisciplinary and innovative business thinking for sustainable management and excellence.

Practical implications

The paper suggests some critical issues for business education, so that future managers have a wider and diversified knowledge repository that will allow them to practise management in ways which are scientifically and ethically correct.

Originality/value

The paper presents the relation of sustainability to excellence and emphasizes certain future sustainable management challenges. In addition, it gives an overview of how sustainability in business education should be approached.

Searching for excellence in business education

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to contradict past and present perceptions of excellence in business education, and to present excellence as a primary element for future business education in an era of new challenges for global management.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach, by which this paper is structured, is theoretical and has been based on literature regarding excellence in business education and philosophical works.

Findings

The findings of the paper support the view that current business education results in a partial conception or misconception of management with immediate consequences in managerial decision making and business activity. Business education should be seen as an odyssey towards personal (balanced spiritual and technocratic) advancement that can pave the way for noble management behaviour.

Practical implications

The paper brings out an alternative perspective on business education by considering economics and management as part of a unified context. The attainment of excellence in business activity signifies necessary changes in the foundations of business education, so that future managers have a wider and diversified knowledge repository that will allow them to act in a harmonious way.

Originality/value

The paper offers an alternative way of viewing excellence in business education combining knowledge on management and philosophy which perhaps needs to be taken into consideration by business schools worldwide in order to build a mentality of excellence in business behaviour.