Effectiveness of total quality management on business performance in Nigerian manufacturing firms: an empirical analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the critical success factors (CSFs) of total quality management (TQM) implementation, as well as, examine specific relationships between these critical success factors of TQM and perceived business performance measures (PBPM) of Nigerian manufacturing firms. The empirical study was conducted via a survey on 566 senior and management staff of 14 Nigerian manufacturing companies, randomly selected from a business-to-business database maintained by a national list provider. Using the framework from Agus (2001), factors manifesting PBPM were regressed on the critical success factors, manifesting successful TQM. Findings based on the survey revealed significant positive relationships between successful TQM and PBPM in Nigerian manufacturing firms. The model provides predictive implications on improved business performance, given the activities of CSFs manifesting successful TQM. Hence, to improve business performance, manufacturing firms could control their TQM programme.