A Holistic Framework for TQM in the Software Industry: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis Approach

Abstract

Global competition, which has now become fierce because of advancements in technology and changing equations in the global economy, has made its impact on the software industry as well. Software quality practitioners are looking upon total quality management (TQM), which is a melange of carefully fabricated approaches from several disciplines, as a competitive strategy for survival and dominance in the market. An understanding of the critical factors of software quality management would help the implementation of TQM in the software industry. In this article, the authors identify the critical factors of TQM in the software industry. Based on the identified constructs, a framework for quality management is presented. An instrument for measuring the levels of quality management practices in software organizations is also presented. The instrument is empirically tested for validity and reliability of its constructs by using a confirmatory factor analysis technique. It is perhaps the first time that an extensive study, with in-depth literature survey on quality management in the software industry followed by empirical analyses, has been undertaken to develop a holistic framework for TQM in the software industry.