Total quality management implementation in engineering education in India: an interpretive structural modelling approach

Abstract

In the past decade, much has been written about total quality management (TQM) in manufacturing; however, less attention has been paid to the education sector. In this paper, 13 principles of TQM implementation have been identified using the Delphi technique and applied to engineering education. A relationship among these principles is developed using interpretive structural modelling (ISM) methodology. It helps in identifying the hierarchy of actions to be taken to improve the quality of engineering education. Categorisation of these principles based on their driving power (principles which hold other principles) and dependence (principles which are dependent on other principles) have also been examined for TQM implementation to study the driving power and dependence power of these principles. The objective is to determine a roadmap of TQM implementation and categorise TQM principles based on their driving power for quality improvement in engineering education with the use of an ISM-based model. The results indicate that the principles possessing higher driving power, such as quality mission and vision statement and top management commitment and visionary leadership should be given more attention for overall improvement in quality. The major contribution of this research lies in the development of a contextual relationship among various identified principles of TQM and the determination of their driving and dependence power through a single systemic framework.