Quality management in TQM versus non‐TQM firms: an empirical investigation

Abstract

The TQM revolution of the 1980s has led to a formal adoption of TQM by many firms. However, several organizations fail in their campaigns because of a variety of reasons ranging from lack of top management commitment to focus on tools instead of approach. Through a focused survey of 359 manufacturing firms in a single industry answers two critical questions: is it necessary for a firm to embark on a formal TQM campaign to manage quality effectively?; and is it worthwhile for a firm to embark on a half‐hearted TQM campaign? Using a criterion of existence of a formal TQM campaign in a firm and quality of products offered by the firm, classifies firms into four groups: high performance TQM firms, low performance TQM firms, high performance non‐TQM firms, and low performance non‐TQM firms. Compares them along ten literature‐based, empirically‐validated TQM constructs and derives the following major conclusions: it is not necessary for a firm to implement a TQM campaign formally in order to practise elements of TQM philosophy and thereby manage quality well; a firm should implement a formal TQM campaign only if it plans to execute the TQM constructs to their full extent, or it is better off by not investing in the formal campaign; and the product quality of a firm improves with the extent of the rigour associated with TQM implementation. Discusses implications of these findings for TQM research and practice.