Quality is Never an Accident: A Survey on the Total Quality-Management Practices amongst Selected Higher Education Institutions in the Philippines

Abstract

Total Quality Management (TQM) is regarded as a gauge of university management, in order to maintain global standards. This study examined Total Quality-Management (TQM) implementation and the practices of higher education institutions in the Philippines. It utilized a cross-sectional survey-study design to 347 respondents recruited from the total population of 3847 administrators and academic members of nine selected institutions in the Philippines. The measure of TQM adoption and practices was extracted from several sources of previous TQM researches. This study was done for six months. The analyzation and interpretation of the data were done by using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicated that participating Filipino HEIs had a high degree of adoption on top-management commitment, Teaching and Learning Delivery Modes, campus amenities, system and process management, customer satisfaction, and linkages. In contrast, the HEIs have a modest degree of acceptance in strategic planning and Data Management. The test of differences indicated that strong confirmation to top management commitment and strategic planning as indicators of TQM is significantly more evident in private-type HEIs; and it was placed at the university level, when compared to those of the provincial and national HEIs. The findings provide some practical implications to further enhance Filipino HEIs in the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.