Identification and prioritization of barriers to total quality management implementation in service industry

Adopting quality management (QM) principles in managing facilities management service delivery

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the quality management (QM) principles in facilities management (FM) service delivery for office buildings. This is to create a quality culture that will enhance the performance of FM service delivery towards meeting the users' requirements and needs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a quantitative methodology via a questionnaire survey for the data collection. In total, 24.41% of respondents from the registered FM companies in Malaysia attended the survey. SPSS 27.0 was used to interpret the collected data, which were then reviewed through descriptive and inferential analysis.

Findings

The study signifies that customer focus, leadership, improvement, evidence-based decision-making and relationship management indicate positive connections with FM service delivery in ensuring a cost-effective working process and meeting both user requirements and legal and regulatory corporate compliance. There are 18 elements of strategic, people and structural barriers that may hinder the implementation of QM in the FM service delivery. Correspondingly, the five main key enablers suggested being teamwork and participation, leadership, continuous improvement, process management and resources and competency development-based enablers.

Research limitations/implications

The study was conducted during the pandemic crisis with limited access and response from participants. However, this in-depth study was still able to synthesize the imperative QM practice in FM among FM practitioners in Malaysia.

Originality/value

This study provides insight into the implementation of QM principles to cultivate a quality culture that will enhance the performance and productivity in FM service delivery specifically for office buildings in Malaysia. Prior to this study, there was a lack of research pertaining to these two themes: QM and FM.

Re-conceptualising Total Quality Leadership: a framework development and future research agenda

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to theoretically explore the concept of leadership in a Total Quality Management (TQM) context by developing a new theoretical framework of understanding Total Quality Leadership (TQL) as well as by opening the dialogue in researching further key elements of TQL.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach that the paper adopts is conceptual. Based on exploration of the wider management and leadership literature of empirical and theoretical studies, this paper develops a framework of TQL.

Findings

The suggested TQL framework is composed by three main pillars, namely the proactive, adaptive and the relational. The former consists of elements like anticipation of current business environment complexities and filtering of information that enhances practice decision making. The second pillar refers to adaptation, autonomy and feedback while the last one emphasises on the importance of aspects like social interactions, engagement and empathy. The paper explains why the specific pillars with the additional elements are critical for TQM success.

Originality/value

Given the tremendous challenges that organisations face due to increased complexity and demanding competition of the business environments globally, the role of leadership as the major “soft” aspect of TQM approach, seems to be vital more than ever. But the type of TQL appropriate to enhance total quality success nowadays, is still (and should be) under continuous exploration. This conceptual study attempts to provide new theoretical insights of TQL as well as to open the dialogue around the main elements consisting of TQL and how the future research agenda is formulated.

Leaders' attitudes towards, and commitment to quality management of training within the military

Purpose

The successful implementation of quality management in organizations is dependent on people, particularly leaders. It seems as if leaders' affective states (attitudes and commitment) in the military were connected to their capability to inspire people and a group (corps training unit) to achieve a common goal. The research reported in this article was aimed at examining officers in corps training units' attitudes towards, and commitment to quality management in training in the South African Army.

Design/methodology/approach

Focus group interviews were conducted with a sample of 49 officers on various levels (senior, junior and warrant officers) at six South African Army corps training units.

Findings

The findings indicate that the attitudes of leaders played a significant role to ensure that quality management of training is conducted effectively. Participants experienced that leaders in the South African Army were mostly responsible for the negative attitudes of officers in corps training units. Inadequate leadership support and lack of trust contributed to a lack of transparency and poor communication that resulted in poor commitment among officers at corps training units. The investigation further revealed that a positive affective state (attitudes and commitment) of leaders is essential in ensuring effective quality management of training.

Originality/value

The potential usefulness of this research may provide insight into how leaders' affective state could be improved to ensure effective quality management. This research may also be of interest to other organizations that conduct in-house training.

Modelling the abstract knots in supply chains using interpretive structural modelling (ISM) approaches: a review-based comprehensive toolkit

Purpose

This study endeavours to (a) develop a comprehensive interpretive structural modelling (ISM) toolkit containing sufficient details about the suitability and procedural aspects of each ISM approach and offer points of reference for budding researchers, (b) highlight the compatibility of ISM approaches with other qualitative and quantitative approaches, and (c) chalk-out an agenda for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on an extensive review of 74 studies where researchers have used one or more ISM approaches. These studies span across the different industry sectors.

Findings

There exists a huge void in terms of the methodological synthesis of ISM approaches. ISM approaches are frequently used in sync with other qualitative and quantitative approaches. Furthermore, it highlights the need of improving the robustness of the proposed ISM models by sharing the critical details of research process.

Research limitations/implications

Being a review-based work, it could not illustrate the discussed ISM approaches with real data. However, it offers a research agenda for the prospective researchers.

Practical implications

The prerequisites, pitfalls, suitability and the procedural aspects of various ISM approaches contained in this toolkit are equally useful for the academicians as well as practitioners.

Originality/value

In the absence of a synthesized framework, this study contributes a comprehensive ISM toolkit which will help the researchers to choose a suitable ISM approach in a given case.

Factors contributing and promoting Open Innovation in Indian female-owned Food Processing SMEs- Prioritizing through the AHP technique

The prime motivation behind this investigation is to recognize and organize the different factors connected to Open Innovation in the already up and running from last five years Indian female owned SMEs in Food Processing Industry. Fifteen Indian female owners were chosen. An AHP system was utilized to examine the weight of basic elements leading towards Open Innovation. All things considered, the respondents organized advancement technique, opportunity acknowledgment, money and inspiration as the principle criteria that leads to Open Innovation in Indian females owned SMEs in Food Processing. COVID-19, gender gap, raising inner and outer funds were likewise observed as a hindrance ladies face that usually would keep them away from innovative tasks performed for business. The result of this examination is giving policymakers in India food for thought regarding the significance of the factors connected to development of Indian female owned SMEs in Food Processing Industry and will be able to move towards sustainable development goals- Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and Goal 5 (gender equality) which is required for the economic development of the country. This will assist them with systemizing and organizing the basic, advancement of open innovation factors in Indian female owned Food Processing SMEs, which will give a boost to the contribution of Indian females in the financial development of India, which a developing country currently.

Identifying and Prioritizing Sustainable Urban Mobility Barriers through a Modified Delphi-AHP Approach

Sustainable urban mobility has been the epicenter both at the scientific and administrative level during the last decades, with a high number of relevant research projects, awareness campaigns, and other initiatives taking place at the local, national, and international level. However, many urban areas have so far achieved limited results in this direction because of political, institutional, organizational, technological, infrastructural, and socio-economic barriers as well as unforeseeable (e.g., COVID-19) conditions. The overall aim of the present research study is to support policy-making by proposing a methodology that identifies and prioritizes the sustainable mobility barriers for a specific urban area, with a view to developing effective policies. Towards this purpose, this work provides, in the first phase, a comprehensive inventory of barriers based on a literature review. In the second phase, a methodology using as a basic scientific tool a modified Delphi-AHP is proposed for the adaptation of this inventory to a specific urban area and for both the evaluation and prioritization of sustainable mobility barriers. The whole process is then applied in Thessaloniki, Greece, a European city suffering from many problems related to sustainable mobility. The above pilot application confirms that this approach can be integrated as a supporting tool in the first steps of sustainable urban mobility plans (SUMPs).

An integrated AHP and ISO14000, ISO26000 based approach for improving sustainability in supply chains

Purpose

Typically, adoption of sustainability in organizations are often done in an unstructured way without the consideration of other partners in the supply chain. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a coherent plan to improve sustainability in the supply chains utilizing ISO standards for environment and social responsibility.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws on literature on ISO14000 and ISO26000 to derive a set of variables applicable to supply chains, which are then prioritized for real organizations utilizing analytic hierarchy process.

Findings

The findings highlight that not all the variables of environmental, social and economic responsibility are equally important. Besides, the work reported in this paper justifies the application of multi-criteria decision-making (AHP) to prioritize elements of sustainability in context supply chains. The suggested method is illustrated using inputs from large manufacturing companies in Qatar.

Practical implications

ISO14000 and ISO26000 are well known standards; however, there was no effort to integrate these standards to improve sustainability in supply chains. The suggested methodology provides invaluable help to the managers to implement sustainability in a coherent manner across the supply chain.

Originality/value

The research contributes to the extant literature by proposing a new methodology based on the integration of three-approaches: Analytic Hierarchy Process, ISO14000 and ISO26000 systems.

Classification and positioning of TQM practices for implementation in steel industries

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to classify the total quality management (TQM) practices and position them based on their importance in the implementation of TQM in steel industries for obtaining improved business performance and customer satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

The study undergoes a deep literature review to recognise the TQM practices necessary for the implementation of TQM in the steel industry. The identified 17 practices were grouped under three activities such as “breakthrough activities”, “improvement activities” and “routine operational and maintenance activities” with experts’ suggestion. The positioning of 17 TQM practices and 3 activities of TQM was done using an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) technique as per their relevance in TQM implementation.

Findings

The findings of the research show that though all the 17 practices and 3 activities of TQM play a vital role in the successful implementation of TQM in steel industries, breakthrough activities have gained more weightage as compared to the other two activities. Top management commitment, quality system and continuous improvement are relatively more important than the other practices.

Research limitations/implications

The research has limitation analogous to the AHP technique. The technique considers all the sub-sets of each nod to be independent from each other, whereas in real world this does not stand true.

Practical implications

The study positions the TQM practices and activities on the basis of their relevance in TQM implementation in the steel industry, thus helping the managers in understanding which practice has to give how much importance for TQM implementation in steel industries. By following the practices according to the weights, the managers can achieve the results desired from TQM implementation.

Originality/value

The study gives the implementation priorities of TQM practices in the steel industry. To the best knowledge of researcher, it is the first study in the steel sector for TQM implementation. The lacuna was reported by the literature, and the researcher has made an attempt to fill that gap.

Understanding TQM implementation barriers involving construction companies in a difficult environment

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors that affect TQM implementation in construction companies and it suggests solutions for TQM implementation in a difficult environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Studies were carried out at six large construction companies who ply their trade in Southern Africa and in-depth investigations were conducted to assess TQM implementation practices and associated TQM barriers. Interviews were conducted on directors and key personnel that play important roles in TQM implementation in their respective organisations. The empirical study also utilised a number of organisational documents which added rigour to the findings.

Findings

This study identified three core categories and ten main barriers affecting TQM implementation in Southern Africa construction companies. The core categories are motivation, infrastructure and penchants and tendencies while the factors are lack of quality support, poor TQM knowledge and TQM awareness, poor information sharing, temporary workers, overdependence on contract document, poor data collection measurement, undefined TQM roles and responsibilities, award to lowest bidder tendency, poor business environment and corruption.

Research limitations/implications

The study was conducted based on companies plying their trade in Southern Africa and mostly around Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique. It does not study companies in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Angola, South Africa and Botswana.

Practical implications

TQM cannot be exported wholly from another region to a new setting without taking into consideration the local factors associated with that setting. For successful TQM implementation in construction in Southern Africa, characteristics of this region have to be known. This study illuminates a number of TQM implementation barriers associated with construction especially applied to this difficult environment. Application of this knowledge would enhance TQM and heighten competitive advantage initiatives. The proportions highlighted in this study therefore help build up the TQM implementation awareness.

Social implications

At society level, the findings of this study indicate societal problems such as corruption and business environment which require wide level approaches to deal with these barriers. In addition, if TQM applied in road construction projects, the quality of the roads will be improved, this in turn will have direct impact on quality of life in the society, better roads means easier access to hospitals, schools and public places, better transport and movements of goods and services, etc. It can also save money for the country in long run and economic benefits to the society.

Originality/value

The factors identified in this study are based on current TQM implementation practices at established construction companies in Southern Africa. They provide a practical basis for guiding TQM in construction companies operating in difficult environments.

Development of a Holistic Assessment Framework for Industrial Organizations

The evaluation and selection among the best production practices beyond the conventional linear models is, nowadays, concerned with those holistic approaches drawn toward environmental assessment in industry. Therefore, researchers need to develop an analysis that can evaluate the performance of industrial organization in the light of their environmental viewpoint. This study implemented a pilot co-integrated scheme based on an innovative in-house Holistic Assessment Performance Index for Environment (HAPI-E) industry tool while assimilating the principles of circular economy through the Eco-innovation Development and Implementation Tool (EDIT). For the latter, nine qualitative indicators were motivated and enriched the weighting criteria of the questionnaire. The decomposition of the complexity and preferences mapping was accompanied by a multi-criteria holistic hierarchical analysis methodology in order to synthesize a single index upon a need-driven scoring. This multi-criteria decision approach in industry can quantify the material and process flows, thus enhancing the existing knowledge of manipulating internal resources. The key-criteria were based on administrative, energy, water, emissions, and waste strategies. Subsequently, the HAPI-E industry tool was modeled on the food industry, being particularly focused on pasta-based industrial production. Then, the parameters of this tool were modeled, measured, and evaluated in terms of the environmental impact awareness. The magnitude of necessary improvements was unveiled, while future research orientations were discussed. The HAPI-E industry tool can be utilized as a precautionary methodology on sustainable assessment while incorporating multifaceted and quantification advantages.

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.

Self-efficacy’s role in success of quality training programmes

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore why some firms succeed while others flounder or fail to implement quality improvement programmes. It synthesises self-efficacy literature to propose a model of self-efficacy’s role in affecting implementation success of quality improvement programmes in organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of scholarly articles on the topics of self-efficacy and quality initiatives brings to light self-efficacy’s role in successful quality programme implementation. When considered in the context of organisation barriers, it can lead to organisational success.

Findings

It is determined that quality training programmes play an important role in affecting existing efficacies and leading to “quality self-efficacy” in employees. The proposed model and related propositions suggest that right approaches of implementing quality training among certain types of employees and/or organisations can promote teamwork to achieve performance success.

Research limitations/implications

Moving forward, the proposed model should be empirically tested to improve our understanding of quality self-efficacy construct and its role in aiding organisational success. Furthermore, it would offer guidelines for the implementation of quality programmes in the most optimal way.

Practical implications

In applying theories on self-efficacy, motivation, empowerment, and quality training, the authors posit that existing efficacy and quality self-efficacy are crucial for quality implementation efforts to overcome organisational barriers and lead to effective teamwork and performance success.

Social implications

The authors postulate that deciding factors for organisational success originate from employees themselves as existing efficacies. Even though employees can foster quality self-efficacy through the implementation of quality improvement initiatives, existing self-efficacy, and organisation barriers will be moderating forces on eventual effectiveness of quality self-efficacy, teamwork, and organisational performance.

Originality/value

The model and related propositions, linking self- and collective efficacies to quality training, teamwork, and quality performance, offered in this paper will prove useful for organisational decision-makers in selecting quality programmes for implementation in organisation to achieve performance success.

Contradictions in TQM implementation

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to confirm the existence of contradictions in total quality management (TQM) implementation among some Ghanaian companies and to provide a framework for balancing these contradictions.

Design/methodology/approach

Closed-ended questionnaires were used as a survey instrument. A sample of 80 managers from 40 Ghanaian multinational companies implementing TQM responded to the questionnaires.

Findings

The results showed that the implementation of TQM comes with inherent contradictions, which may hinder the success of TQM if not checked. Three pairs of contradictions were established in this study, namely “Standardization vs Innovation,” “Manipulation vs Empowerment,” and “Collectivism vs Individualism.” A framework was proposed to balance these contradictions in order to ensure TQM success.

Research limitations/implications

The study used all the 40 ISO certified firms in Ghana, but this number is quite small relative to ISO certified firms worldwide. Further, the study was done in Ghana and, for these reasons, generalization to the rest of the world is limited.

Practical implications

The proposed framework when applied by managers to balance the contradictions will achieve success in TQM implementation.

Originality/value

Previous studies have talked about the existence of the contradictions. This paper proposes a framework to balance the existing contradictions. This framework is new and has never been proposed in the literature to minimize the adverse effects of these contradictions on a firm’s profit generation.