Quality Management Theory Research Articles

Development of a measure to assess quality management in certified firms

The theory of quality management has been studied from different areas: quality leaders' ideas, empirical research and formal evaluation models. This has helped identify a set of critical factors for a successful implementation, as a way to improve customer satisfaction and performance. Our study reviews the literature from these three points of view, in order to identify measures for change towards a quality culture, which can be empirically tested from the answers provided by those responsible for quality in 106 certified firms. The results yield a valid, reliable scale and provide empirical support so that managers know what to do in order to advance towards total quality management.

Quality enhancement in higher education in South Africa: why a paradigm shift is necessary

This article analyses the concept of quality in the context of South African higher education. The focus is on the new system of quality assurance for higher education soon to be implemented by the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC). The new quality system is subjected to analysis, and compared with not only the theory and practice of quality management, but also the systems used in this regard by higher education in other countries. An important finding is that the new system for South Africa tends to be bureaucratic and emphasises accountability, which limits its potential for transformation. Real enhancement of quality is an internally driven process and will be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve through external quality assurance. The current perspective on quality assurance in higher education in South Africa requires a paradigm shift which will turn it into a process in support of a culture of continuous improvement, and which engages institutions in totality and in an integrated manner. (South African Journal of Higher Education: 2003 17 (3): 129-136)

From Customer Orientation to Customer Satisfaction: The Gap Between Theory and Practice

The classical quality management theory suggests that different quality improvement practices have a similar positive effect on overall operational efficiency, leading to customer satisfaction. Based on a study of 225 organizations in the electronics industry in Hong Kong, we find that individual quality improvement practice has a specific effect on operational performance, rather than equally improving the overall operational efficiency. Our investigations indicate that customer orientation practices primarily affect time-based efficiency, while process improvement efforts help cost-related performance. On the other hand, emphasizing process-control systems leads to customer satisfaction directly without necessarily improving operations. While supporting the basic assertions of the classical quality management theory, these findings reveal that several problems exist in the practice of quality management in industry, and suggest that a re-direction of several quality management practices seems necessary. This research refines the understanding of quality management by explicating the specific effect of customer orientation and process management on organizational performance.

The Theory of Culture-Specific Total Quality Management: Quality Management in Chinese Regions

The article reviews the book “The Theory of Culture-Specific Total Quality Management: Quality Management in Chinese Regions,” by Carlos Noronha.

The Theory of Culture-Specific Total Quality Management: Quality Management in Chinese RegionsThe Theory of Culture-Specific Total Quality Management: Quality Management in Chinese Regions, by NoronhaCarlos New York: Palgrave, 2002.

The Theory of Culture-Specific Total Quality Management: Quality Management in Chinese RegionsThe Theory of Culture-Specific Total Quality Management: Quality Management in Chinese Regions, by NoronhaCarlos New York: Palgrave, 2002.

Which Industries Are the Best Employers for Women? An Application of a New Equal Employment Opportunity Index

Abstract: This paper introduces and proposes a policy application for a new Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Index. The index is comprised of multiple measures of employers' human resource management outcomes and is designed to reflect employers' systemic EEO efforts. The index is applied to industry data from the Current Population Survey, and the tenets of Total Quality Management (TQM) theory are used for interpretation of results. It is found that the mining/construction industry provides a relatively inhospitable climate for women in the form, primarily, of a high degree of gender-related occupational segregation. The financial industry demonstrated the overall greatest gains for women during the 1990s. Closer examination of these industries with very good and very poor outcomes highlights the importance of addressing of industry performance on the index. JEL classification: J71, J78, J31, M11 Key words: discrimination, Total Quality Management, glass ceiling, occupational segregation, gender wage differentials The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how policy makers can make use of a new Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Index to evaluate various industries' employment environments for women. An industry application of the EEO Index identifies gender disparities in employment outcomes across industries. Firms operating in poorly-performing industries might be slated for greater enforcement efforts by agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). In addition, policy makers may choose to direct training and other assistance to poorly-performing industry groups to assist them in improving their EEO performance. The impetus behind the use of a single index to measure and compare the experience of female workers is multi-faceted. First, a comprehensive index permits assessment of systemic employment discrimination. Employers' human resource management activities (e.g., compensation, recruitment, and evaluation of workers) are inter-related systems that should be designed and evaluated together (Becker, Huselid, and Ulrich 2001). This suggests that pay, hiring, and promotion outcomes should also be assessed together. The EEO Index in this paper allows distinct human resource management activities to be evaluated as a system. Relatedly, race and gender employment discrimination often go hand-in-hand, and the EEO Index provides a means to consider the systemic employment experience across multiple groups. Second, summarizing an employer's EEO performance in a single index provides a common measure with which to compare the performance of different employers and industries, and it allows quantification and tracing of EEO progress over time. This search for a common index that describes the overall employment experience from the perspective of women and/or minorities is similar to the long-standing search by development economists for a single index to quantify, compare, and trace over time the social development of a country. (1) Third, the single EEO Index used in this paper serves as a more reliable and valid indicator of women's work experiences than previously available because it is rooted firmly in anti-discrimination laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in any employment decision. There are no other existing measures that capture women's work experiences so systematically, or that provide such meaningful benchmarks such as the EEO performance of other industries or EEO performance over time. Variation in the EEO Index across industries will be interpreted within the framework of Total Quality Management (TQM) (Latzko and Sanders, 1995). In part, theories of TQM suggest that there will exist some random or common variation in industries' EEO performances that occur as part of the economic system in which they operate, and there will exist some assignable or special causes of variation that are attributable to particular industries (Stevenson, 2002, chs. …

The Theory of Culture-Specific Total Quality Management: Quality Management in Chinese Regions. Carlos Noronha

<i>The Theory of Culture-Specific Total Quality Management: Quality Management in Chinese Regions</i>. Carlos Noronha

Redesigning health care: new wine from old bottles?

One of the latest remedies for poor quality services is seen as being redesign of the health care system. Redesign is charged with political meaning, representing a radical challenge to practitioners and managers. But is it really a new approach? Although it draws on theories of re-engineering and total quality management, it is a pragmatic blend of components of both. Early findings suggest that quality improvement has been achieved but this has not been as extensive as anticipated. Redesign is in danger of being seen as the new magic bullet and thus may be being set up to fail. It may prove to be one more in a succession of discarded change management fads.

Real-Time Monitoring for Quality Delivery of Directional Drilling Installations

This paper presents an overview of quality management theory and its application in the area of trenchless technology in general, and horizontal directional drilling (HDD) in particular. Current practices that support quality management in the HDD industry are described and are classified using the relevant clauses of ISO 9000. The development of load cell technology aimed at enhancing the quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) of HDD is then described. Based on load cell data collected during 20 commercial installations, electronic records of installation loads are demonstrated to be a powerful tool for implementing QC/QA programs. The records provide installation rates, the average pull load per unit length of pipe, the maximum load exerted on the pipe, as well as the entire load history of the installation. Radio transmitting capability provides real-time load cell data that can be used to adjust drilling practices to match the level of installation effort to the parameters of the given installation, thereby maximizing productivity. Load cell data are expected to benefit owners, contractors, and consulting engineers.

Critical factors and results of quality management: An empirical study

Quality management theory has been influenced by the contributions from quality leaders, standardized quality models and empirical research. This has helped identifiy a set of critical factors for successful quality management implementation, as a way to improve customer satisfaction and performance. This study reviews the literature in order to identify the critical factors and results of quality management, using a factor analysis and, starting from this analysis, we also create a scale that can be empirically tested from the answers provided by those responsible for quality in 106 certified firms.

Rethinking paradigms of service

It is now possible to deliver service in a virtual environment with little or no human interaction. This environment offers the opportunity of new ways of delivering service. This paper examines some of the existing theories of service quality and service management in the context of new Web‐based environment. It draws on field research involving empirical measurement of service levels. Two existing theories are re‐examined, the concept that automation leads to mediation between the customer and the service organisation – the “buffered core”, and the dimensions of service quality. In both cases the capabilities of the Web, and the removal of direct human interaction give cause for rethinking. The research leads to the view that the Web, rather than providing mediation, can provide direction connection between the customer and the service organisation. In addition, the accepted dimensions of customer service do not always fit the actual dimensions for service on the Web. Finally, this paper proposes an empirically‐based model that is based on the proposition that developing service in a virtual environment is sequence dependent. This “sand cone” model is illustrated with an example from the research.

Organizational measures as a form of knowledge management: A multitheoretic, communication‐based exploration

AbstractOne form of knowledge management is the use of measures, to foster learning, to transform individual tacit understanding to shared explicit sensemaking, to evaluate and improve processes and customer service, and even to rationalize and control organizational activities and workers. This article summarizes and applies four theoretical approaches—organizational learning, sensemaking, quality management, and critical theory—to explore how measures are constructed, interpreted, and used within organizational settings as forms of knowledge management. The primary principles, the role of communication, and the role of measures are summarized for each approach. The article ends by discussing some implications of measures in general and this multitheoretic conceptualization of measures in particular for knowledge management.

Process management and controlling in diagnostic radiology in the hospital

Systematic process management and efficient quality control is rapidly gaining importance in our healthcare system. What does this mean for diagnostic radiology departments? To improve efficiency, quality and productivity the workflow within the department of diagnostic and interventional radiology at the University Hospital of Essen were restructured over the last two years. Furthermore, a controlling system was established. One of the pursued aims was to create a quality management system as a basis for the subsequent certification according to the ISO EN 9001:2000 norm. Central to the success of the workflow reorganisation was the training of selected members of the department's staff in process and quality management theory. Thereafter, a dedicated working group was created to prepare the reorganisation and the subsequent ISO certification with the support of a consulting partner. To assure a smooth implementation of the restructured workflow and create acceptance for the required ISO-9001 documentation, the entire staff was familiarized with the basic ideas of process- and quality-management in several training sessions. This manuscript summarizes the basic concepts of process and quality management as they were taught to our staff. A direct relationship towards diagnostic radiology is maintained throughout the text.

STRATEGIC ASPECTS OF QUALITY: A THEORETICAL ANALYSIS

This paper investigates the relationship between aspects of quality and long run profitability and growth of a firm. The paper first determines whether a stable relationship among price, aspects of quality, and the sales rate exists, by examining the equilibrium properties of a dynamic model. Then, we use the derived equilibrium expressions to develop insights into the strategic nature of “quality reputation” and, how to integrate marketing (i.e., pricing) and quality related decisions. The paper shows under certain conditions it might be more advantageous to manipulate “quality reputation” through advertising and product innovations than to increase product quality. We comment on quality based strategic options a firm must consider to ensure long run growth and profitability.

Analysis of quality management practices in services

Theory building efforts in quality management have begun in earnest. However, while services continue to dominate the developed economies of the world, these studies have mostly focused on manufacturing firms. Research that addresses this limitation by specifically addressing quality management in service organizations is presented in this paper. Through a survey of 170 US service firms, this study empirically develops and validates 11 constructs for quality management in services. A comparison between this study and other empirical quality management studies highlights many distinct quality management constructs in services. It also shows that all empirical studies have some gaps in the coverage of their constructs, reiterating the need for continued quality management theory building research in services and manufacturing.

Prioritizing Quality Management and Sociotechnical Variables in Terms of Quality Performance

The purpose of this study was to identify the critical work environment variables for quality performance in a service organization. The study's theoretical framework was based on total quality management and sociotechnical systems theories. This exploratory study concluded that the following organizational variables are the most important when it comes to quality improvement in a marketing services organization: satisfaction with internal processes; commitment of peers toward quality; having easy accessibility to others in the organization; effective communication channels within and between work teams; and achievement of ISO 9001 certification.

Quality management theory and practice: some observations of practices in Australian academic libraries

An outline of the theory and elements of quality management employing Deming’s method is used to compare practices in several academic libraries in Australia. Discussion is based on personal observation of theory and practice.

An instrument for measuring TQM implementation for Chinese manufacturing companies

From an extensive review of the literature in the field of total quality management (TQM), 11 constructs of TQM implementation were identified. An instrument measuring these constructs was developed. The reliability and validity of the instrument were tested and validated using data from 212 Chinese manufacturing companies. Various methods were employed for this test and validation. Comparisons between this instrument and the three other quality management instruments were made. It was concluded finally that the instrument presented in this paper was reliable and valid. Researchers will be able to use this instrument for developing quality management theory. Industrial practitioners will be able to use this instrument to evaluate their TQM implementation so as to target improvement areas.

Total Quality Management in Information Systems Development: Key Constructs and Relationships

:The availability of high-quality software is critical for the effective use of information technology in organizations. Research in software quality has focused largely on the technical aspects of quality improvement, while limited attention has been paid to the organizational and sociobehavioral aspects of quality management. This study represents one effort at addressing this void in the information systems literature. The quality and systems development literatures are synthesized to develop eleven quality management constructs and two quality performance constructs. Scales for these constructs are empirically validated using data collected from a national survey of IS organizations. A LISREL framework is used to test the reliability and validity of the thirteen constructs. The results provide support for the reliability and validity of the constructs. A cluster analysis of the data was conducted to examine patterns of association between quality management practices and quality performance. The results suggest that higher levels of institutionalization of all quality management practices are associated with higher levels of quality performance. Our results also suggest that key factors that differentiated high-and low-quality performing IS units include senior management leadership, mechanisms to promote learning and the management infrastructure of the IS unit. Future research efforts directed at causally interrelating the quality management practices should lead to the development of a theory of quality management in systems development.

Quality: a critical introduction

Quality: A Critical Introduction, fourth edition, continues to provide a complete knowledge platform for all those wishing to study the development of the theory and practice of quality management. Exploring the basics of management theory and the work of the quality gurus, who have formed the foundation of current practice, this new edition builds upon the previous editions’ unique critical perspective of quality. A number of key management practices are considered including the new ISO9001:2015 standards, EFQM, systems thinking, systems practice, business process reengineering, six-sigma, organisational learning, intelligent organisation, skills based quality management and service quality management. An extended, in-depth case studies completes the text, exploring organisational performance transformation through the use of key methodologies, such as: soft systems; viable systems modelling; process analysis, job design and statistical methods. Replete with examples, vignettes and diagrams this comprehensive textbook is ideal for those new to the field of quality management and for students on undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Operations Management where quality management is taught.