Total quality management in Sri Lankan service organizations

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report the results of an investigation on the use of total quality management (TQM) tools, techniques and concepts among Sri Lankan service organizations.Design/methodology/approachThis research consisted of a literature review and a questionnaire survey done among 99 service organizations in Sri Lanka. First, the factors that are commonly used by TQM organizations were identified through the literature review.FindingsThe analysis revealed that there is an enthusiasm among managers in implementing TQM in their organizations. According to the respondents, 41 per cent of the organizations have already implemented TQM. However, deeper analysis of data revealed that there is a lack of thorough understanding of TQM philosophies and techniques among the managers.Practical implicationsThe findings of the paper will provide information to the practitioners to implement TQM in their organizations and to academics to design courses in TQM.Originality/valueIt is important to implement the related tools and techniques in full to realize the benefits of TQM. This paper reveals the level of use and understanding of these tools and techniques by the service sector managers in Sri Lanka.