The mediating effect of human resource on successful total quality management implementation: An empirical study on SMEs in manufacturing sectors

The boosting of the total quality management on corporate green growth in emerging markets: the mediating roles of corporate social responsibility and customer loyalty

Purpose

The primary purpose of this research is to examine how total quality management (TQM) boosts corporate green growth (CGG) with the involvement of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and customer loyalty (CL) as mediators in the relationship between TQM and CGG for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in an emerging economy.

Design/methodology/approach

This research adopts a quantitative approach. According to the scope of this study, constructs of TQM, CSR, CL and CGG and the conceptual relationships between them are established using a systematic literature review. This study uses enterprise-level primary data collected from a questionnaire-based survey. The respondents are those holding managerial positions in their enterprises. There were 424 valid responses obtained following the necessary screening steps to ensure the eligibility of the collected data for analysis using AMOS version 20.

Findings

This study reveals that TQM has a positive and significant relationship with CSR, CL and CGG. Amongst these direct connections, TQM has the most substantial influence on CGG, followed by CL and CSR. Furthermore, the findings assert that CSR positively and significantly affects CGG and CL. When comparing the weighting of these effects, the results show that the impact of CSR on CGG is stronger than that on CL. Furthermore, the results confirm that CSR and CL partially mediate the relationship between TQM and CGG, both independently and simultaneously. The article also discusses the theoretical and managerial implications based on the stated findings.

Originality/value

The originality of this study stems from its contribution to enriching the body of the current literature on TQM and its combined influence on corporate performance. In this respect, this study adds to the existing literature by providing additional empirical evidence on the mechanism by which TQM boosts CGG with the involvement of CSR and CL in mediating the stated relationship between TQM and CGG for SMEs in an emerging economy. To the best of the author’s knowledge, such holistic incorporation is rare in the current literature. Furthermore, this study sheds light on the TQM enabling factors that are extended beyond the quality or technical scope as previously assumed. The stated contributions deserve to be originally derived from the attempt of this scientific work that may be of interest to academics, professionals and business practitioners.

Total quality management in Peruvian goods companies during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose

The aim of this research is to empirically assess the nine dimensions of the Total Quality Management (TQM) model, which have been categorized into four blocks: the top management block, the supplier block, the process management block and the customer block. The nine dimensions represent key strategic activities of company performance. A comparative analysis of companies with ISO 9001 certification and those without certification in a developing country during the COVID-19 pandemic is carried out.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was administered to the management of 259 Peruvian goods companies (in the mining, repair and manufacturing sectors) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey consisted of 35 Likert-scale items, which were grouped into the following nine TQM dimensions: Top management (leadership), quality planning, quality audit and assessment, product design, suppliers' quality management, process control and improvement, education and training, quality circles and focus on customer satisfaction. Then, Cronbach's alpha, the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, the Mann–Whitney U test and means were computed for each of the dimensions. This analysis made it possible to estimate significant differences between ISO 9001 certified and non-certified goods companies in terms of the dimensions.

Findings

The results showed that, for ISO 9001 certified companies, the averages for all of the dimensions were significantly different from those of non-certified companies, except for the education and training dimension. ISO 9001 certified companies scored higher than non-certified companies in the TQM dimensions. For both certified and non-certified companies, the leadership dimension had the highest average and the quality circles dimension had the lowest average.

Originality/value

This study addresses two main gaps highlighted in the research on quality management: the application of Quality Management Systems (QMS) in developing countries like Peru, and the impact of ISO 9001 on the performance of goods companies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Total Quality Management Practices and Corporate Green Performance: Does Organizational Culture Matter?

Bearing in mind the environmental corrosion primarily triggered by the service sector, as well as the lack of studies detecting the factors that enable an organization to deal with this concern, the aim of this study is to analyze the impact of total quality management (TQM) practices on corporate green performance (CGP) and to investigate the causal relationship between total quality management practices and corporate green performance. This research also explores the mediating role of organizational culture (OC) within the relationship between TQM practices and CGP. In particular, this study is based on the MBNQA model, institutional theory, and green theory. The researchers collected data from 369 participants across 123 large and medium-sized private firms in the health sector in Pakistan. The structural analyses revealed the significant and positive impact of TQM practices on CGP. This demonstrates that TQM practices substantially augment organizational competencies to achieve green performance objectives. TQM practices have also had a positive and significant impression on organizational culture; furthermore, a parallel impact is seen between OC and CGP. Finally, OC is shown to have positively and significantly mediated the relationship between TQM and CGP. This study’s contextual analysis suggests that TQM is an equally important factor in accomplishing CGP objectives for both large and medium-sized firms.

The framework of talent analytics using big data

Purpose

The era of work 4.0 demands organizations to expedite their digital transformation to sustain their competitive advantage in the market. This paper aims to help the human resource (HR) department digitize and automate their analytical processes based on a big-data-analytics framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology applied in this paper is based on a case study and experimental analysis. The research was conducted in a specific industry and focused on solving talent analysis problems.

Findings

This research conducts digital talent analysis using data mining tools with big data. The talent analysis based on the proposed framework for developing and transforming the HR department is readily implementable. The results obtained from this talent analysis using the big-data-analytics framework offer many opportunities in growing and advancing a company's talents that are not yet realized.

Practical implications

Big data allows HR to perform analysis and predictions, making more intelligent and accurate decisions. The application of big data analytics in an HR department has a significant impact on talent management.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature by proposing a formal big-data-analytics framework for HR and demonstrating its applicability with real-world case analysis. The findings help organizations develop a talent analytics function to solve future leaders' business challenges.

Addressing strategic human resource management practices for TQM: the case of an Indian tire manufacturing company

Purpose

This study aims to identify SHRM (strategic human resource management) essential practices for the TQM (total quality management) program regarding an Indian tire manufacturing company and formulate an inclusive interrelationship to prioritize them.

Design/methodology/approach

Semistructured interview with ten experts from the company was made to give SHRM practices scores. The SLR (systematic literature review) and TOPSIS (technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution) techniques are used to establish the model for 12 key practices and rank them afterward.

Findings

The findings clearly show that strategic planning and staffing, teamwork and leadership development have appeared as the top three essential practices. Simultaneously, performance measurement and evaluation, work design and analysis and promotion are identified as the bottom three practices. These essential practices are identified as contributing attributes.

Practical implications

The findings prioritize the SHRM practices as contributing attributes that help other tire manufacturing industries identify their key practices. Moreover, it provides the necessary inputs comprised of ten experts' decisions to become more active and well prepared.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study is to identify the key practices by using SLR and measured by the TOPSIS method to rank and consider a tire manufacturing company as a case-based approach to gain high productivity and competitive advantage.

Evaluating the total quality and its role in measuring consumer satisfaction with e-healthcare services using the 5Qs model: a structure equation modeling approach

Purpose

This article initially aims to explore the factors of every quality construct of the 5Qs model of service quality and, second, identify the significant factors affecting the total quality of e-healthcare services and its association with consumer satisfaction using a multidimensional hierarchical 5Qs model of e-healthcare service quality.

Design/methodology/approach

Questionnaire-oriented research was performed at three public hospitals of Punjab and Chandigarh. In total, 53 variables were covered in all quality constructs for data collection from the designated public hospitals. The respondents who agreed to have knowledge regarding e-Healthcare services and were availing these services were included in the study. The analysis comprised structural equation modeling technique using AMOS 21.

Findings

The outcomes suggest that the 5Qs model is more comprehensive and can be used to evaluate service quality perceptions using e-Healthcare services. The research identified 11 sub-dimensions for the five quality constructs of the 5Qs model, representing total quality, which is primary to consumer satisfaction. “Overall objectivity” and “technical objectivity” defined the quality of object. The quality of process of e-Healthcare services was characterized by “functionality,” “timeliness” and “responsiveness.” Quality of infrastructure was defined by “technical infrastructure,” “physical infrastructure,” “manpower skills” and “organizational infrastructure.” “Manner of interaction” and “timely interaction” defined the quality of interaction. The atmosphere was represented by only one factor. The results also suggest that quality of infrastructure, quality of interaction and quality of atmosphere play the most significant role in total quality leading to consumer satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

Theoretical implications: The multidimensional hierarchical model will help the researchers study the e-Healthcare service quality in a more organized manner, and the outcomes of this study can be linked with that of future studies for more generalized application in other public hospitals. The sub-dimensions of each quality construct of the 5Qs model can be applied in private hospitals, and the hierarchical model can be tested in different industries to measure service quality perceptions of the consumer

Practical implications

The outcomes of the study can be applied in various public sector hospitals to redesign the e-Healthcare services based on consumers' perception for better consumer satisfaction and quality services. This paper identifies the role of each quality construct in e-Healthcare services for improvement in the total quality, which in turn will lead to higher satisfaction for the consumers.

Originality/value

In this study, the original 5Qs model has been used for the first time in a new instrument to understand better and design quality e-Healthcare services. The paper explores the sub-factors of each quality construct and its significance in measuring the total quality.

A study of performance measures and quality management system in small and medium enterprises in India

Purpose

The paper aims to identify causality amongst small and medium enterprises' (SMEs') performance indicators, propose an integrated index of business performance and quality practices and investigate the effect of quality management system (QMS) on business performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposes a two-stage approach. In the first stage, the authors gathered responses with a questionnaire on variables affecting business performance and identified dimensions using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Path analysis was carried out to identify causality between the dimensions. In the next stage, the validation of stage 1 findings was carried out to substantiate the proposition that QMS affects performance. Questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews were conducted during the second stage. The analysis was done following the case study protocol – within- and cross-case analysis and validated with supportive and conflicting literature.

Findings

The results show that the employee – dimension is crucial to process effectiveness, customer satisfaction and finances. Customer satisfaction results from employee satisfaction and processes. QMS impacts processes and employee performance, thus establishes the causality between business performance factors and QMS. QMS impacts finances in the short run but yields long-term benefits and is dependent on two factors – degree of knowledge of quality practices and its application in business.

Originality/value

This study reveals the performance dimensions of SMEs, their causality and the impact of QMS on performance. It suggests a shift from traditional approaches, correcting defects using statistical quality control approaches, to a sustainable growth path – a long-term approach. This study puts forward two associated indices – the business performance and the knowledge of quality practices and its application index.

The effect of organizational culture and HR practices on female managers’ commitment and job satisfaction

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the structural relationships among organizational culture, human resources (HR) practices and female managers’ organizational commitment and job satisfaction in South Korea.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data obtained from the Korean Women Manager Panel, 230 responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The findings indicated that organizational culture directly affected HR practices and indirectly affected job satisfaction and organizational commitment. In addition, HR practices directly influenced job satisfaction and organizational commitment and indirectly affected organizational commitment through job satisfaction. Finally, job satisfaction had a direct and significant effect on organizational commitment.

Originality/value

The authors provide an empirical analysis of how organizational culture and functional factors influence organizational commitment and job satisfaction for female managers in the Korean context. The findings of this paper are expected to encourage scholars to pay more attention to the connection between organizational support and HR interventions to improve female managers’ commitment and satisfaction within organizations by emphasizing the alignment between organizational culture and HR practices.

Exploring the effectiveness of maintenance and quality management strategies in Indian manufacturing enterprises

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to examine the impact of human-related support practices, total productive maintenance (TPM) practices, and total quality management (TQM) practices on manufacturing performance parameters and their inter-relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A research project was carried out in 94 Indian manufacturing companies, using the questionnaire method. The survey data was drawn from 169 respondents working in these companies. In this paper, the impact of TPM and TQM practices on manufacturing performance parameters and especially the role of support practices is investigated empirically using various structural equation models.

Findings

Two factors namely top management and leadership and human resource development categorized as support practices were found to positively influence the adoption of technical practices, i.e., TPM and TQM practices. Hence support practices were found to indirectly affect the manufacturing performance parameters via the technical factors. Also analyzing various structural equation models (SEM), shop floor implementation of TPM practices were found to be influenced (or guided) by the philosophy of TQM practices. In other words, through the proper adoption of TQM practices, the effectiveness of TPM practices gets increased.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further using a case study approach.

Practical implications

The present study provides useful insights to practicing managers. The result of the study explaining the interrelationship between support practices (behavioral aspect) and technical practices can be used by practicing managers to develop a better understanding of the contribution of support and technical practices towards the realization of organizational objectives of growth and sustainability. In practice, TQM plays a great role in the adoption of TPM practices, which in turn helps to achieve quality in processes and therefore in products.

Originality/value

Previous research has often either concentrated on technical practices as one dimension without studying the effects of support practices on improving the adoption of technical practices. The results of the study take one step further by investigating the relationship between multiple aspects (support and technical aspects) of manufacturing practices and their impact on manufacturing performance.

An original framework for strategic technology development of small manufacturing enterprises in emerging economies

Purpose

Technology and knowledge have become the buzzwords of the new millennium. Technological changes and demanding customers are creating a more knowledge intensive, turbulent, complex and uncertain environment. Organizations, which are able to continually build faster and cheaper new strategic assets than their competitors, create long-term competitive advantages. Thus, the growth of companies is directly associated with innovativeness and technological development, especially for small organizations that are more vulnerable to dynamic changes in market place. Organizations need a strategic framework that can help them to achieve the goal of technology development and competitiveness. The purpose of this paper is to develop such strategic framework for small organizations for their technology development and, hence, survival in marketplace.

Design/methodology/approach

Options field methodology, options profile methodology, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy set theory are utilized to generate various options and profiles to propose a conceptual framework for technology development.

Findings

The results from the study showed that “mixed approach,” “strategic simulation approach” and the “regulatory environment approach,” in this order, emerged as the top three important options for the strategic technological development of small manufacturing enterprises.

Originality/value

This result can provide an original and more accurate implementation pathway toward technological innovative development in emerging economies. The proposed framework can provide valuable guidelines and recommendations to practicing managers and analysts for policy development to promote innovative and technological developments.

Human Resource Abilities and Skills in TQM for Sustainable Enterprises

Total quality management (TQM) is a lean manufacturing tool that focuses on ensuring the production of goods that meet design specifications and give customer satisfaction, both attractive benefits highly appreciated by managers. However, there are several factors involved in the success of TQM programs, many of which are cultural aspects associated with human resources (HR). This article presents a structural equation model that integrates three latent variables related to internal HR: “managerial commitment,” “employee integration,” and “training and education,” which are linked to the operational benefits of a manufacturing system. The variables are connected through six hypotheses that have been validated with information obtained from 398 responses of a questionnaire applied to manufacturing industry professionals. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was carried out to describe the probabilities of occurrence for the variables at low and high levels. The hypotheses were statistically validated with the partial least squared technique, where the results showed that human factors play an essential role in the success of TQM, since the direct, indirect, and total effects of managerial commitment, employee integration and training, and education processes on the benefits obtained from the implementation of TQM were statistically significant at 95% confidence.

Critical success factors for TQM implementation among manufacturing SMEs

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address a perennial question regarding the importance of soft total quality management (TQM) as part of the TQM implementation process – a topic that has been significantly understudied. Specifically, the authors address previous calls in the literature for stressing the soft aspects of TQM and for drawing a critical success factor (CSF) list that is formulated on the basis of empirical research instead of theory.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a comparative qualitative case study of three manufacturing SMEs combining empirical data from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a large variety of stakeholders – from top managers to shop-floor workers, site visits and observations.

Findings

The study identifies 12 soft CSFs, and while most of these factors have been well-documented in the literature (e.g. top management involvement and leadership), the authors show evidence for the existence of other soft constructs that have not been considered or have been given little importance previously (i.e. middle management involvement and support, reward and recognition, CSR focus).

Research limitations/implications

The study fills two major gaps in the (T)QM literature. First, it enriches the understanding of TQM implementation among Japanese SMEs. Second, it addresses the importance of soft TQM as part of the TQM implementation process.

Practical implications

This paper provides company owners and managers with valuable knowledge that may assist their organisations in the pursuit of business excellence including higher product quality and employee satisfaction.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first (international) study to investigate TQM implementation within the context of Japanese SMEs.

Prioritizing the barriers of TQM implementation from the perspective of garment sector in developing countries

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relative importance of different total quality management (TQM) implementation barriers in the context of Readymade Garment (RMG) industries in Bangladesh. Present study has developed a hierarchical framework of several TQM barriers to assess their importance. Expert opinions from RMG industries have been taken to evaluate the importance of one barrier over another.

Design/methodology/approach

Methodology adopted in this study to find out the rank of different TQM barriers is fuzzy analytic hierarchy process.

Findings

The study shows that, according to order, inappropriate planning of TQM implementation program, lack of financial support, lack of employee training, lack of empowerment of employees, lack of sufficient physical resources, etc. are critical barriers and hampering the successful implementation of TQM program in this sector.

Research limitations/implications

This study has both theoretical and practical implications. It has found out strong and weak contribution of different barriers during TQM implementation. Therefore, this finding will strengthen the knowledge of successful implementation of TQM and will further enrich the existing literature in the context of manufacturing industries in developing countries. Moreover, this finding will also help the decision makers in preparing an effective plan for successful implementation of TQM by utilizing limited resources.

Practical implications

Moreover, our results will aid the managers of RMG sector to find the weight of importance of different barriers. Accordingly, they will make a plan to overcome the major TQM barriers which will increase the success rate of TQM implementation. Every Successful program will bring business excellence. These findings could be a guideline for TQM implementation program in developing countries.

Originality/value

Present study possesses some significant values. First, so far our knowledge go, no other study has developed a hierarchical structure of TQM barrier on the basis of overall change needed within the organization for TQM implementation. Second, this study could be a good guideline for TQM implementation program in RMG sector in developing countries.

Total quality and socially responsible management (TQSR-M)

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated conceptual framework of total quality management and corporate social responsibility.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on stakeholder theory, which stresses the satisfaction of all stakeholders. Therefore, companies generate profit for their shareholders by producing high quality products and services to emphasize human dignity and to satisfy their employees without harming people and the natural environment.

Findings

The results of the study suggest an integrated conceptual framework by identifying the critical factors that are parallel between quality management and social responsibility to satisfy key stakeholders’ demands.

Research limitations/implications

This study is conceptual in nature, and empirical research is needed to identify the critical factors that promote the application of TQM and CSR practices, which are limited.

Practical implications

The proposed conceptual framework may facilitate the management of an organization to evaluate its quality and social programs and will highlight problem areas that can be improved. This study contributes to the literature on TQM and CSR and captures the important factors for effective TQM and CSR practices. The conceptual framework will help researchers and firms to recognize TQM and CSR initiatives and establish a strengthened relationship between corporate strategy and social conditions.

Originality/value

Previous studies have been conducted separately in the areas of TQM and CSR, and there are still not sufficient number of studies to simultaneously integrate quality management and social responsibility. Thus, there is a critical research gap, which raises the question of how the integration of TQM and CSR practices can be developed. There is a need to recognize the mechanism through which the specific element of CSR would be included as an implicit and/or explicit aspect or whether it should be addressed along with TQM. Therefore, this study proposes an integrated conceptual framework that can be applied to the broader issues of responsibility rather than just quality.

Can continuous improvement lead to satisfied customers? Evidence from the services industry

Purpose

To achieve higher customer satisfaction (CS), companies implement continuous improvement (CI) programs, regardless of the growing evidence of their failure to achieve declared goals. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to identify whether companies are able to improve CS through the application of CI; and, second, to identify what organizational practices are able to facilitate the impact of CI on CS.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the developed assumptions, the study uses the structural equation modeling technique. The data for analysis were collected from 304 service companies via a custom web-survey.

Findings

The research confirms the direct positive impact of CI on CS. Further, the study demonstrates that management commitment and rewards system that encourages employees to participate in CI play the major facilitating role in improving CS through CI. These practices accompanied by quality-oriented culture and employee training in the improvement tools provide necessary infrastructure to sustain CI in the companies over time. Additionally, regardless of the vital role of goal setting for CI established in previous research, the proposed study finds a limited ability of goal setting, as compared to other organizational practices, to facilitate CI–CS relationship.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the scarce field of research on CI implementation in the services environment. Further, the research assesses CS as a variable of interest, as opposite to the previous studies, considering CS as a part of the composite variable. The research assesses the impact of the training in CI methodology on the CI–CS relationship, while previous research focuses on the general, work-related training. The findings provide an important basis for further academic work in the area of quality management. The identified practices can serve as guidance for managers, implementing CI in their companies due to the high fit of the proposed model.

Identification and analysis of employee branding typology using fuzzy c-means clustering

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyse the typology of employee branding in an airline company using fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering to improve the quality of employee brand (EB).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from employees of Air India, Chennai division, using a questionnaire and analysed using FCM to find the optimum cluster number. The nature of each cluster was analysed to know its type.

Findings

The results prove the presence of four types of EB, namely, all-stars, injured reserves, rookies and strike-out kings in the aviation company. It is proven that employees in all-star have high level of knowledge of the desired brand (KDB) and psychological contract (PC), those in injured reserves have high KDB and low PC, rookies have low KDB and high PC and strike-out kings have low KDB and PC.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this study are limited to the Air India employees. This study contributes to employee branding by empirically substantiating the proposed typology using FCM. It proposes the need to analyse organisations individually before comparisons.

Practical implications

The management must focus on the quality of training and development programmes to enhance the position of rookies and strike-out kings. It must also receive regular feedback from injured reserves and strike-out kings to evaluate their perception of PC.

Originality/value

This is the first paper to empirically prove the typology of employee branding and to implement FCM in clustering employees for enhancing the EB’s quality.