A feasibility study of the implementation of total quality management based on soft factor
Abstract: Purpose: The aim of this paper is to examine the
feasibility of implementing TQM based on soft factors, which can influence the
successful implementation of TQM.
Design/methodology/approach: A framework has been developed for the TQM
soft factors based on literature review and respectively, questionnaires which
are directly related to the addressed factors have been designed and
distributed to the employees of an engineering service company as the main
enablers of improving the effectiveness of TQM.
Findings: The findings imply that committed leadership, closer customer
relationship, benchmarking and process improvement have the most correlations
amongst the TQM soft factors. Training is the only factor which is not
correlated to other soft factors. Leadership has also the highest value among
the soft factors.
Research limitations/implications: The proposed framework is costly and
time consuming due to the large number of questions it holds. In this study, it
is assumed that sub factors have the same importance. But there is a
possibility in which these subdivisions do not have the same relative
importance weight. The study is also limited to one company and therefore, the
findings should not be generalized.
Practical implications: The proposed TQM soft factors framework can be
useful for those organizations which consider TQM as an integrated quality
management system as the major foundation for achievement of competitive
advantage.
Originality/value: A comprehensive framework for TQM soft factors has
been presented since it involves almost all of the soft factors addressed in
the literature.
Author: Arash Shahin, Reza
Dabestani
Journal Code: jptindustrigg110010
