Core Quality Management Practices Research Articles

Walking the talk? A multiple-case study of quality management implementation in China

Focusing on the manufacturing industry in China, the study explores factors that contribute to possible implementation gaps between companies’ actual practices and the commonly recognized core quality management (QM) practices. In-depth interviews were conducted with production managers, quality managers, and executives of 11 manufacturing companies in China. The selected case companies vary by firm size, ownership, and markets they operate. Qualitative analysis was conducted using NVivo software program. When assessed in comparison with commonly recognized core QM practices, the case companies showed implementation gaps. The implementation gap refers to the lack of comprehensiveness of QM core practices implemented in an individual company against the benchmark practices. Moderate or large implementation gaps were found in seven out of 11 case companies. The study further explores the contextual and cultural factors that contribute to the QM implementation gaps. Case analysis identified that building of quality-centric culture plays a key role in closing the QM implementation gaps. Company ownership is another important indicator for the QM implementation gaps.

Impact of organizational culture on quality management practices: an empirical investigation

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the organizational culture (OC) of the competing values framework (CVF) on quality management (QM) practices. Specifically, it tests OC on two views, QM practices, i.e. the infrastructure quality and core QM practices.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed hypotheses were tested using empirical data drawn from 262 manufacturing organizations in India. The research model developed was analyzed using structural equation modeling technique.FindingsThe findings of this study revealed that the hierarchical and rational cultures are the dominant types of culture, and top management commitment and Six Sigma structure are the most important aspects of the infrastructure and core QM practices in Indian manufacturing organizations. Further, the results of the study showed that group culture and development culture are the most supportive culture types for both infrastructure and core QM practices. On the contrary, hierarchical and rational culture types are the least supportive for infrastructure and core QM practices. The study proposes the need for the mixed culture approach that facilitates the adoption of business strategiesPractical implicationsBefore implementing infrastructure and core QM practices, managers must understand the importance of cultural values in their organization to facilitate effective implementation of QM.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence leading to the relationship between OC and QM practices. This is the first study that empirically examined the Indian cultural context using CVF, thus contributing to the scarce body of literature particularly in the developing countries.

The Relationship between Infrastructure Practices with Quality Performance in Manufacturing Industry in Malaysia

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between quality management (QM) and performance, specifically how the infrastructure and core QM practices affect quality and business performance, in Indian manufacturing organizations. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, the empirical data were drawn from 262 manufacturing organizations in Malaysia. The research model was tested using the structural equation modeling technique. Findings – The findings of the empirical study revealed that infrastructure QM practices have a positive effect on core QM practices and indirectly on quality performance, whereas, core QM practices have a positive effect on quality performance. Also, quality performance has a positive effect on business performance. Research limitations/implications – This study considered QM from two dimensions (infrastructure and core quality practices), the study further contributes to the understanding of the different roles played by diverse QM dimensions in determining business performance in terms of increased return on investment, shareholder and stakeholder value. Practical implications – The study showed that infrastructure quality practices support the application of core quality practices. Therefore, managers must develop and maintain their organization’s quality system and sufficient resources need to be allocated to both types of practices in order to achieve the superior business performance. Originality/value – This study considers both total quality management and Six Sigma practices for defining a new set of infrastructure and core QM practices in Indian manufacturing organizations.

Exploring the role of core and infrastructure quality management practices in ambidexterity

This paper explores the role of core and infrastructure quality management (QM) practices in creating ambidexterity. Based on an extensive literature review, the paper develops propositions about the modus operandi of each type of QM practices in causing ambidexterity. The paper shows that the core QM practices have a direct positive role in ambidexterity, whereas infrastructure QM practices have an indirect positive role through core QM practices. Overall, the paper makes three key contributions: first, it elaborates the role of core and infrastructure QM practices in ambidexterity. Given the fact that the role of QM in ambidexterity is an emerging topic, a discussion on this role is a genuine contribution. Second, the development of propositions is an important milestone towards developing a theory of creating ambidexterity through QM. Third, since the paper elaborates the role of QM practices in each exploitation and exploration, it can provide practical guidance on which practices to be used to support exploration (such as when finding novel solutions to problems) and which practices to be used for exploitation (such as during streamlining processes and increasing efficiency).

The impact of quality management practices on performance: an empirical study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between quality management (QM) and performance, specifically how the infrastructure and core QM practices affect quality and business performance, in Indian manufacturing organizations.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the empirical data were drawn from 262 manufacturing organizations in India. The research model was tested using the structural equation modeling technique.FindingsThe findings of the empirical study revealed that infrastructure QM practices have a positive effect on core QM practices and indirectly on quality performance, whereas, core QM practices have a positive effect on quality performance. Also, quality performance has a positive effect on business performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis study considered QM from two dimensions (infrastructure and core quality practices), the study further contributes to the understanding of the different roles played by diverse QM dimensions in determining business performance in terms of increased return on investment, shareholder and stakeholder value.Practical implicationsThe study showed that infrastructure quality practices support the application of core quality practices. Therefore, managers must develop and maintain their organization’s quality system and sufficient resources need to be allocated to both types of practices in order to achieve the superior business performance.Originality/valueThis study considers both total quality management and Six Sigma practices for defining a new set of infrastructure and core QM practices in Indian manufacturing organizations.

Critical linkages between quality management practices and performance from Indian IT enabled service SMEs

The purpose of this paper is to critically investigate the relationship among quality management (QM) practices with their direct and indirect effects on performance outcome by means of conceptual extension and generalisation. The paper uses factor analysis and structural equation modelling which has been tested using cross-sectional data collected from IT enabled small and medium service firms in India. The analysis shows the interdependency of QM practices and the importance of a systematic approach for managing QM practices. The findings from this study indicate that the nature of the interrelationships between these core QM practices is unique to the Indian context. The unique contribution of this study has been in terms of its model-building approach towards designing a linkage model showing interdependencies among critical QM practices with its direct and indirect effects on performance outcome. Such a holistic framework with plausible interaction effects has not been studied earlier in the Indian context with sector-specific relevance to IT enabled service SMEs. Further the paper recommends suggestions for improvement along with managerial implications and future scope of study.

The Impact of Quality Management Practices on Innovation in China: The Moderating Effects of Market Turbulence

Do quality management (QM) practices foster or hinder innovation? Attempts have been made to investigate this relationship, but the research has shown inconsistent results. Drawing on a review of related literature, this study proposes a theoretical model and a hypothesis in the Chinese con-text, with the aim of investigating the impact of QM practices on innovation performance. The investigation was made up of 383 questionnaires from nine Chinese provinces and cities. From here, this study further analyses the moderating effects of market turbulence on the relationship be-tween QM practices and innovation performance. The results show that both QM infrastructure practices and core QM practices have a positive effect on innovation performance. Additionally, it is found that market turbulence positively moderates the relationship between the QM infrastructure practices and product innovation performance, but negatively moderates the relationship between core QM practices and process innovation performance. However, market turbulence does not moderate the relationship between infrastructure practices and process innovation performance; also, the moderating effects of core practices and product innovation performance are not significant.

Employee involvement as a key determinant of core quality management practices

The framework of this research consists of eight quality management (QM) principles (customer focus, leadership, involvement of people, process approach, system approach to management, continual improvement, factual approach to decision-making and mutually beneficial supplier relationships) according to the ISO 9001 standard. The implementation of these principles results in QM practices often divided into infrastructure and core practices. The aim of this study is to investigate which infrastructure QM practice affects all core QM practices. The literature review leads to the assumption that implementation of employee involvement (as one of the infrastructure QM practices) might be crucial for the implementation of process approach, system approach to management, continual improvement and factual approach to decision-making (core QM practices). Empirical research was conducted on large-sized Croatian companies. The research instrument was a questionnaire addressed to the board of directors and quality managers. In order to reveal which infrastructure practice has an impact on core QM practices, multivariate analysis of variance was performed. Research results showed that employee involvement through different concepts (employee training, communication, empowerment and rewards and recognition) has a positive impact on the implementation of process approach, system approach to management, continual improvement and factual approach to decision-making.

The relationship between quality management and new product development: evidence from China

Research suggests that organizations involved in new product development (NPD) can adopt quality management (QM) systems to optimize their NPD processes and thereby build their NPD competence. This paper contributes to a further understanding of the link between QM and NPD by investigating why and how more effective QM can promote and assist NPD. Based on taxonomy of QM practices, we examine the differences between the effects of infrastructure quality management practices (IQMP) and core quality management practices (CQMP) on a firm’s NPD capability and NPD performance. We also incorporate NPD practices in a conceptual model, to examine the integration effects of QM practices and NPD practices. The results show that IQMP significantly promotes NPD capability, while the influence of CQMP on NPD capability is relatively insignificant. Furthermore, our results indicate that the integration of design and manufacturing has a significant negative influence on NPD capability. Our findings highlight the significant role NPD capability plays in explaining the link between QM practices and NPD performance. Our findings also suggest to practitioners that they should integrate QM with other technology management practices in order to optimize their NPD processes.

Infrastructure and core quality management practices: how do they affect quality?

PurposeThis empirical study seeks to resolve the conflicting findings in the quality management (QM) literature about how different QM practices, specifically, infrastructure QM practices and core QM practices, affect quality performance.Design/methodology/approachBased on the Socio‐Technical Systems theory and research related to QM implementation and performance, the study proposes a research model of the relationship between infrastructure and core QM practices and their direct and indirect effects on quality performance. The empirical data were drawn from 226 manufacturing plants in the USA. The research model was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) technique.FindingsIn the structural model, two integrated factors were used to represent the two types of QM practices: the infrastructure QM includes top management support, customer relationship, and supplier relationship, and workforce management; and the core QM consists of quality information, product/service design, and process management. The analysis of the structure model shows that the core QM directly leads to improved quality performance, and the infrastructure QM contributes to quality performance by supporting the core QM.Research limitations/implicationsThe study examines the roles of infrastructure QM practices and core QM practices in improving quality performance. It confirms that QM should be implemented as an integrated approach of different practices.Practical implicationsThe major implication of the study is that both core and infrastructure QM practices are important in improving quality. It is important that companies allocate resources to establish both types of QM practices in order to achieve the effectiveness of the whole QM system.Originality/valueThe study utilized the SEM technique to empirically investigate the direct and indirect effects of infrastructure QM practices and core QM practices on quality performance. The SEM results help to clarify the mixed findings in the literature regarding the pattern of the QM practices‐performance relationships.

The Effects of Transformational and Transactional Leadership on Quality Improvement

This article furthers the integration of leadership theory with quality management theory by testing the influence of both transformational and transactional leadership on a firm's quality improvement. A survey of quality managers in the United States was conducted to measure the leadership characteristics of the firm and the firm's quality improvement. This article examines the relationship of infrastructure and core quality management practices to the levels of transformational and transactional leadership in the firm. The authors found that transformational leadership significantly affects both infrastructure and core quality management practices, while transactional leadership does not significantly affect either set of practices. However, there were significantly higher levels of both transformational and transactional leadership behavior exhibited in the successful firms compared to the unsuccessful firms. The implications of these finding for quality management theory are discussed.

The Role of Culture as Driver of Quality Management and Performance: Infrastructure Versus Core Quality Practices*

ABSTRACTIncreasingly, scholars and practitioners recognize the importance of understanding organizational culture when implementing operations management practices. This study investigates the relationships among organizational culture, infrastructure and core quality management practices, and manufacturing performance using two alternative models. Understanding these relationships is important because culture can provide insight into the context dependence of quality management practices and shed light on the mixed results of past studies concerning the link between quality management and performance. Analysis of manufacturing plants from six countries indicates that organizational culture has a stronger influence on infrastructure quality management practices than on core quality management practices, regardless of whether the plants are located in Eastern or Western countries. In addition, infrastructure quality management practices have a significant effect on manufacturing performance. These results contribute to the quality management literature by emphasizing the importance of accounting for culture when making decisions to implement quality management practices to achieve a performance advantage. Finally, we also contribute to the literature on the culture–performance linkage by finding support for a direct link between culture and manufacturing performance.

Total quality management: An empirical test for mediation effect

This study reviews empirical studies of total quality management (TQM) and has identified four different approaches of examining TQM practices-performance relationships. It reveals that a consensus on how TQM practices affect quality performance has yet to emerge. Based on their findings, some researchers conclude that 'supportive' practices can bring quality improvement, while some indicate that 'core' practices do. To add to the complexity, some support both. The current study seeks to examine the relationship between supportive and core TQM practices and their direct and indirect effects on quality performance. A mediation model was hypothesized and tested by hierarchical multiple regression based on a sample of 25 electronics companies in Hong Kong. In general, the survey study gives further support for the interdependent nature of TQM practices. The results showed that the effect of training and employee relations on quality performance might be largely transmitted by certain core quality management practices. In particular, it suggests that core TQM practices mediate the effect of supportive TQM practices on quality performance when the practices are taken as two integrated factors. Both researchers and practitioners are advised to consider the interdependencies of supportive and core factors when assessing the impact of any new technology or new management technique on an organization.

An empirical analysis of effective TQM implementation in the Hong Kong electronics manufacturing industry

The objective of this research is to develop a conceptual model of total quality management (TQM) implementation and test it empirically. The main research problem of this study is to investigate the effect of adopting TQM principles on quality achievement in manufacturing. The hypotheses specifying relationships between the core parts of the model including quality management infrastructure, core quality management practices, quality performance, and customer satisfaction are tested using survey research method. Data were collected from 50 managers of 25 manufacturing companies in Hong Kong. Correlation analysis on the ratings given by two different respondents from the same company shows that employee relations strongly facilitates the use of quality data and reporting, while training supports the function of product design, supplier quality management, and quality data and reporting. The results also indicate that employee relations and training have direct effects on quality performance which, in turn, relates to customer satisfaction. Practitioners are advised to build a supportive environment with a strong emphasis on human and organizational aspects to promote effective TQM implementation. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

An empirical analysis of effective TQM implementation in the Hong Kong electronics manufacturing industry

The objective of this research is to develop a conceptual model of total quality management (TQM) implementation and test it empirically. The main research problem of this study is to investigate the effect of adopting TQM principles on quality achievement in manufacturing. The hypotheses specifying relationships between the core parts of the model including quality management infrastructure, core quality management practices, quality performance, and customer satisfaction are tested using survey research method. Data were collected from 50 managers of 25 manufacturing companies in Hong Kong. Correlation analysis on the ratings given by two different respondents from the same company shows that employee relations strongly facilitates the use of quality data and reporting, while training supports the function of product design, supplier quality management, and quality data and reporting. The results also indicate that employee relations and training have direct effects on quality performance which, in turn, relates to customer satisfaction. Practitioners are advised to build a supportive environment with a strong emphasis on human and organizational aspects to promote effective TQM implementation. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The Impact of Quality Management Practices on Performance and Competitive Advantage

As decision makers become more involved in implementing Total Quality Management, questions are raised about which management practices should be emphasized. In this exploratory investigation of the relationship of specific quality management practices to quality performance, a framework was constructed. It focuses on both core quality management practices and on the infrastructure that creates an environment supportive of their use. In addition, it incorporates two measures of quality performance and their role in establishing and sustaining a competitive advantage.Path analysis was used to test the proposed model, with multiple regression analysis determining the path coefficients, which were decomposed into their various effects. Weak linkages were eliminated. The trimmed model indicated that perceived quality market outcomes were primarily related to statistical control/feedback and the product design process, while the internal measure of percent that passed final inspection without requiring rework was strongly related to process flow management and to statistical control/feedback, to a lesser extent. Both measures of quality performance were related to competitive advantage. Important infrastructure components included top management support and workforce management. Supplier relationships and work attitudes were also related to some of the core quality practices and quality performance measures.The results were interpreted in light of Hill's concept of order winners and order qualifiers and Garvin's eight dimensions of quality. They indicate that different core quality management practices lead to success in different dimensions of quality, and that those dimensions function differently as order winners and order qualifiers.