Influence of top management commitment towards the effective implementation of TQM in Iraqi oil companies

Abbas Abdulhameed Aletaiby,Pramodh Kulatunga,Akila Pramodh Rathnasinghe

doi:10.1007/s13202-021-01131-3

Abstract

By raising performance, Total Quality Management (TQM) transforms any industry that is in a state of substantial structural change and facing increased competition. However, Iraq as one of the main global oil suppliers is still lagging on the TQM journey due to decreasing quality levels, particularly in management systems. Thus, this study aims to facilitate TQM in Iraqi Oil Companies by reviewing the TQM practices and the significance of Top Management Commitment (TMC) towards eliminating the barriers for implementation. To achieve this aim, the study utilises a mixed research approach and a single holistic case study strategy by triangulating literature and data collected from one of the leading Iraqi oil companies. The research identified TMC as the most influential factor for effective TQM implementation and six barriers. Furthermore, the research reveals the relationship between the top management commitment required for successful TQM implementation and barriers in that journey. This study will be the first of its kind in the Iraqi oil industry which will lead to a better understanding of TQM practices in Iraq and will encourage other researchers to extend this study through further work.

Highlights

Competing in the current global market conditions has compelled many organisations to adopt appropriate technological approaches, a skilled workforce and managers who possess the skills to coordinate all aspects of these modern trading conditions which places unprecedented emphasis on quality and customer satisfaction (Addis 2019; Castagena et al 2020)
In light of the Iraqi context, the oil industry is the main source of its income, as it is well known that the Iraqi economy relies on the export of oil and is dependent on the world’s economy
The results of this study revealed that an authoritarian and hierarchical organisational structure, lack of managerial commitment, resistance from employees and managers, insufficient managerial competencies, inadequate infrastructure and non-supportive human resources management practices were the most important barriers affecting Total Quality Management (TQM) implementation

Summary

Introduction

Competing in the current global market conditions has compelled many organisations to adopt appropriate technological approaches, a skilled workforce and managers who possess the skills to coordinate all aspects of these modern trading conditions which places unprecedented emphasis on quality and customer satisfaction (Addis 2019; Castagena et al 2020). This has led to the development of several approaches to quality management, the most prominent of which has been TQM.

Objectives

Methods

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Discussion

Conclusion