Collaborative Quality Management

Abstract

The challenges within the new business dynamics put higher expectations on visibility, velocity, accessibility and connectivity on supply chain partners (Akyuz & Gursoy, 2010; Zsidisin & Ritchie, 2009). Nowadays, business organizations are facing with a global economic environment in which quick responses should be made to rapidlychanging customer requirements and the market environment (Yan et al., 2010, p.319), with an increasing levels of technological innovation and shrinkage of buying points in many markets (Williams et al., 2006, p.1273). Such a need for flexibility has brought together independent enterprises and increased the importance of supply chains to provide products or services in a more effective and flexible manner. Since these enterprises originate from various geographical locations, belonging to organizations with different interests, the coordination and integration of business processes involving all these independent enterprises becomes increasingly crucial to improve product and service quality to satisfy customers (Yan et al., 2010). As competition moves beyond a single firm to the supply chain, QM (Quality Management) in the context of supply chain has started to attract more and more attention from researchers. As the focus is shifting from internal practices to the integration and assurance of processes spanning customers and suppliers, the integration of QM and supply chain topics has received additional importance for future competitiveness (Flynn & Flynn, 2005; Foster & Ogden, 2008; Kaynak & Hartley, 2008; Matthews, 2006; Robinson & Malhotra, 2005; Soltani et al., 2011). In this respect, the need for closer cooperation both internally (between functions) and externally (among partners), as well as new longer-term relationships have been considered as the key features in modern quality management by Williams et al., (2006). Many literature items highlighted by Kuei et al., (2008) indicate that quality management practices are closely associated with improvements in supply chain performance as well as cumulative capabilities. Also, Flynn & Flynn (2005) have empirically supported the need for integration of quality management practices with supply chain management and emphasised that organizations pursuing quality and supply chain goals simultaneously can achieve a competitive advantage that is difficult to imitate by other enterprises. They have provided clear support for the idea that organizations with stronger quality management practices achieve better supply chain performance. Kaynak & Hartley (2008) also provide empirical support for the relationships among QM practices and performance measures, basing their premises on the confirmed relationships by Kaynak (2003) among the following constructs: