An exploration of quality management practices in the manufacturing industry of Ethiopia

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sisay Addis

Purpose Total quality management (TQM) has long been viewed as a strategy to attain business excellence. However, it is relatively a new concept in the context of emerging economies. Particularly, this is far beyond the reality in the context of African countries, in general. The purpose of this paper is to study the current state of TQM implementation in the manufacturing industry of Ethiopia (MIE). The study also focuses on several comparisons, between large and medium companies, and ISO and non-ISO companies with regard to the adoption of TQM practices. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on top- and middle-level managers from sample companies. Data were collected using a structured survey questionnaire. After testing scale reliability and validity, descriptive and factor analysis were used for the data analysis. Findings The findings, in general, indicated that Ethiopian manufacturers have implemented TQM at a moderate level (grand mean value of 2.86 on 0–5 scale). It is revealed that ISO companies are significantly adopted TQM practices than non-ISO companies, whereas no difference was found between large and medium companies. Originality/value Given the importance of understanding TQM and paucity of research on the topic in Ethiopia, the study provides practical insights and groundwork that can guide practitioners to understand the drivers of TQM in the region. Particularly, the study is useful to plan corrective actions on practices that are likely to obstruct TQM implementation in the MIE. Moreover, the study adds to the empirical literature that may yield important insights on TQM for under-researched emerging economies, particularly for the eastern part of Africa, where nations share similar cross-cultural norms, economic, social and ethnic settings.

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 636-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veeri Arumugam ◽  
Keng‐Boon Ooi ◽  
Tuck‐Chee Fong

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between total quality management (TQM) practices and quality performance with special emphasis on ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturing organizations in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical data was drawn from 122 ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturing organizations in Malaysia. The data were analyzed using correlation and multiple regression analyses.FindingsThe findings revealed that TQM practices were found to be partially correlated with quality performance of the Malaysian ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturing organizations. It is also found that where customer focus and continual improvement were perceived as dominant TQM practices in quality performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis research paper was limited by excluding non‐ISO 9001:2000 certified organizations in the selection of manufacturing firms in Malaysia, making this a possibly biased selection, which might not adequately represent the Malaysian perspective on the entire Malaysia's manufacturing industry.Originality/valueThe outcome of the study could provide valuable knowledge to top management of ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturing organizations to refine their quality management practices and subsequently improve quality performance.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Rashad ElMelegy ◽  
Mohamad Alnajem ◽  
Nour Albuloushi

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the quality performance of the Egyptian manufacturing industry based on Flynn's quality management practices framework.Design/methodology/approachA literature-based questionnaire was developed to collect the research data. The sample studied included 193 professionals from different manufacturing firms in Egypt. The research model utilized seven first-order constructs to measure infrastructure and core quality practices and the model was analyzed by structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results of the study showed that infrastructure practices had a positive effect on core quality practices, which in turn, significantly influenced quality performance. The findings confirmed that Egyptian manufacturing firms have a good foundation of quality management practices enabling them to improve quality performance.Practical implicationsThis study provides a foundation for Egyptian manufacturing firms to develop a practical plan for implementing total quality management (TQM). In addition, the results of this study will help managers and policy makers develop a thorough understanding of the current status of TQM initiatives, enablers and barriers in Egypt.Originality/valueThe study represents one of the few attempts to examine quality practices and quality performance in the manufacturing sector in Egypt. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study to examine these parameters in this context in Egypt.


2021 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 538-548
Author(s):  
Rushdi Zaiter ◽  
Rabih El Kabbout ◽  
Mahnoud Koabaz ◽  
Ahmad Skaiky ◽  
Mohamad Zalghout ◽  
...  

The aim of the study is find out the impact of applying different total quality management (TQM) practices on the performance of employees in the Lebanese industrial sector. The implementation of total quality management in Lebanese companies is very narrow where few companies work to apply Total Quality Management elements and concepts in its operations. Sanita is a Lebanese company that has applied the principles of total quality management relatively in all of its operations, so it has a large share of its products in the Lebanese market. In this quantitative survey designed study, 160 self-administered questionnaires were distributed for employees working at different career level (Top level management / Middle level management / Supervisor / Operator /technician / other workers) in Sanita main branch (Halat -Lebanon) and Sanita factory (Zouk Mosbeh -Lebanon). The survey concluded various questions related to the dependent variable employee performance and the independent variable related to practices of total quality management (leadership, teamwork, training and education, empowerment, communication). Using the quantitative correlation Pearson test, a strong influence emerged for the implementation of TQM principles on the performance of employees at Sanita and its factories; thus accepting the main alternative hypothesis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 1499-1516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayon Chakraborty ◽  
Michael Mutingi ◽  
Abhishek Vashishth

Purpose Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have now become an important part of economy for not only developed nations but also for emerging economies. Irrespective of the benefits that can be derived, SMEs in emerging economies still lack the will to implement quality management (QM) practices. Using a comparative study, the purpose of this paper is to understand the status of QM practices in SMEs of emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach A survey-based approach was adopted to understand the established QM practices in the SMEs. A survey instrument was designed by reviewing the literature on QM initiatives in SMEs. A sample of 270 SMEs across Southern India and 189 SMEs in Namibia was selected through stratified random sampling technique. Findings The overall response rate was 19.52 percent for India and 26.46 percent for Namibia, respectively. There were similarities and differences in responses from SMEs in both countries. Similarities are in terms of limited implementation of QM practices, and also less use of tools and techniques. Reasons for not implementing include unknown to the authors, and the high cost of training. Differences emerged in the type of market (Indian SMEs catering to one major customer), CSFs and business performance indicators. It was interesting to find that management commitment and involvement do not have a major influence as CSF for SMEs in both the countries. Originality/value The research is the first attempt in bringing a comparative study about QM practices in SMEs from developing countries. The insights will help emerging economies to develop policies for education and training, and thus facilitate implementation of QM practices in SMEs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 374-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saumyaranjan Sahoo ◽  
Sudhir Yadav

PurposeTotal productive maintenance and total quality management are two lean manufacturing initiatives that are used by manufacturing plant managers to improve operations capabilities. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of standalone lean practices and lean bundles on manufacturing business performance.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative approach was used. The survey data were drawn from 160 manufacturing organizations in India. The respondent companies were grouped on the basis of the duration of lean production in operation and then classified based on the profile of their operations strategy. The approach, based on comparative assessment between standalone lean practices and lean bundles, has been directed toward justification of lean bundles for its support to competitive manufacturing in the context of the Indian manufacturing sector.FindingsThe paper establishes the long-term effects of lean bundles in significantly improving manufacturing business performance as compared to standalone lean practices. Further findings of the study revealed the significance of the duration of lean production in operation in achieving higher levels of manufacturing business performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is cross-sectional in nature. It would be interesting to test the analytical framework adopted for this study for more industries and in different countries. The use of subjective measures in survey questionnaire is also another limitation of the study.Practical implicationsThis study offers clear implications for practitioners, proving that they should give higher emphasis on the implementation of lean bundles using total productive maintenance and total quality management practices together, to prioritize their product, production and business strategies, to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.Originality/valueThis paper empirically examines and evaluates the effect of lean practices and bundles in the context of medium- and large-sized manufacturing industries in India. Besides, there are very few studies that comparatively assess the differences in performance contribution of various lean operational strategies considering duration of implementation of lean. Also, the theoretical contribution of the study establishes the essence of integrating total productive management and total quality management for attaining world class manufacturing is of high value.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Pandey ◽  
Nishant Agrawal ◽  
Teena Saharan ◽  
Rakesh D. Raut

PurposeThe theory-building around the quality of human resources has received extensive attention in recent years. Numerous quantitative studies discuss and test theories related to total quality management and human resource linkages. The study aims to understand interlinkages of quality and human resources using Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM) methodology and DEMATEL.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses ISM methodology to examine the interrelationship between the identified variables and the DEMATEL approach to find cause–effect relationships. An integrated approach helps managers for better total quality management (TQM) implementation. This study further extended using Total Interpretative Structural Modeling (TISM).FindingsThe integrated approach of ISM and DEMATEL shows that leadership development, hiring process and training development become most important for TQM implementation. The outcome of ISM shows customer satisfaction and corporate image are depending on other practices, where DEMATEL analysis revealed that eight practices cause and remaining are effective practices.Originality/valueThis research's integrated approach helps the firm identify essential practices, and further interdependency can be developed from cause and effect analysis. The study also provided a novel approach to implementing TQM practices.


2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (12) ◽  
pp. 1487-1505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Sabella ◽  
Rami Kashou ◽  
Omar Omran

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of total quality management (TQM) practices implemented in Palestinian hospitals and their relationship to organizational performance using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria. Design/methodology/approach – A survey of 51 hospitals operating in the West Bank of Palestine was conducted in order to test the validity and reliability of TQM constructs and their relationship to organizational performance. Findings – The results showed that TQM constructs used in this study are positively related to hospital performance and for the most part the relationship was significant; they were capable of explaining a significant portion of variance in performance. Three elements were found to be strongly significant predictors of performance- people management, process management, and information and analysis. Research limitations/implications – Although hospitals operating in the Gaza Strip were excluded from the study, this research promotes critical management practices that help channeling organization resources into areas aimed at improving quality and performance. Practical implications – The study showed that there are certain areas where administrators or managers need to focus on should they aspire for better performance. The constructs used in this study can be used to assess the implementation of quality practices and highlight areas for movement. Originality/value – This paper provided practitioners, administrators, and academics with a fresh perspective on quality management practices and their impact on organizational performance. It also served as a foundation for future initiatives and programs aimed at improving quality in hospitals.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Cavallone ◽  
Rocco Palumbo

PurposeSoft total quality management (STQM) is a requisite for the successful implementation of hard total quality management interventions. However, there is limited empirical evidence on the implications of adopting soft total quality management practices. Inter alia, little is known about the consequences of employee involvement in addressing organizational and management challenges. To fill this gap, the article investigates the effects of employees' involvement on their commitment to organizational excellence.Design/methodology/approachSecondary data were collected from the European Company Survey (ECS). A large sample of 15,958 European companies was involved in the analysis. A parallel mediation model was devised to investigate the effects of employee involvement on commitment to organizational excellence. Training and motivation were contemplated as mediating variables to investigate the indirect implications of employee involvement on commitment to organizational excellence.FindingsEmployee involvement contributed marginally towards establishing an increased individual commitment to organizational excellence. Training and motivation played a relevant and statistically significant mediating role, boosting the implications of involvement on commitment to organizational excellence.Practical implicationsEmployee involvement is critical for establishing an organizational climate conducive to organizational excellence. However, its implications should be contextualized in light of the mediating role of training and motivation. On the one hand, training is expected to increase employees' participation in the enhancement of organizational excellence. On the other hand, motivation fosters employee engagement in the improvement of organizational dynamics.Originality/valueThe article investigates the implications of employee involvement on commitment to organizational excellence in a large sample of European companies, emphasizing that soft TQM interventions should be implemented according to a systemic perspective in order to pave the way for a viable commitment to organizational excellence.


2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 541-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Augustus E. Osseo‐Asare ◽  
David Longbottom ◽  
Pieris Chourides

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to increase awareness of the critical role of “managerial leadership” in total quality management (TQM) implementation in UK higher education institutions (HEIs), and to encourage further research on how to sustain management and leadership best practices for total quality improvement in higher education.Design/methodology/approachA critical review of the literature on managerial leadership provides the theoretical scope which led to the setting of research objectives. The objectives were achieved through a survey of academics and non‐academics responsible for teaching and research quality improvement in a sample of 42 UK HEIs between the period 2000 and 2005. A mix of questionnaires, interviews, inductive analysis and hypothesis testing, was used to explore, describe and to explain the nature of the relationship between the degrees of efficiency and effectiveness of quality management practices in the participating UK HEIs.FindingsThe analysis of the survey results revealed “weak” associations between the degrees of efficiency and effectiveness in the quality management practices adopted by participating UK HEIs. It provides examples of weak quality management practices as empirical evidence of “weak” association between “management efficiency” and “leadership effectiveness” in UK HEIs.Research limitations/implicationsInternational generalization of findings requires the sample size to be increased to include more HEIs from the UK and other countries with similar educational systems. Further quantitative research is needed to provide in depth explanation of the nature of the functional relationship between the degrees of effectiveness and efficiency of quality management practices in higher educational settings.Practical implicationsUnderstanding the nature of the association between the degrees of effectiveness and efficiency of quality management practices would provide a conceptual framework which would enable academics and practitioners to reflect critically on the “efficiency” and “effectiveness” of teaching and research quality improvement decisions and actions to ensure successful implementation of TQM best practices.Originality/valueUses the degrees of efficiency and effectiveness as criteria for evaluating managerial leadership in UK higher education, and recommends strengthening of the association between the criteria through continuous improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of teaching and research quality improvement practices.


2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Assadej Vanichchinchai

Purpose – This study aims to assess the level of supply chain management practices (SCMP), total quality management practices (TQMP) and firm's supply performance (FSP) in the automotive industry in Thailand and investigate the differences across organizational characteristics on SCMP, TQMP and FSP. Design/methodology/approach – Based on an extensive literature review, the measurement instruments for SCMP, TQMP and FSP were developed and validated by experts, pilot test and various statistical techniques. Descriptive statistics were employed to examine the existences of SCMP, TQMP and FSP in the sample companies. MANOVA was applied to test the differences across company ownership, company size, tier in the supply chain and ISO/TS 16949 on SCMP, TQMP and FSP. Findings – The author found that the measurements of SCMP, TQMP and FSP are reliable and valid. The automotive companies in Thailand apply TQMP much more extensively than SCMP. Their SCMP still emphasize efficient flows of information and materials at operational level to minimize transaction cost. Overall, Japanese companies, large companies, first-tier suppliers and the companies with ISO/TS 16949 have more intensively applied SCMP and TQMP and achieved a higher level of FSP. Research limitations/implications – The distribution of paper-based questionnaires was a convenience sample. Although data from a sample of 211 companies were collected, only 19 percent of them provided more than one response. Future research should apply different random sampling methods and investigate the reasons for and ways to improve the low multiple-response rate. Practical implications – The findings are beneficial to the managers who want to improve SCMP, TQMP and FSP through organization management. Originality/value – This study is one of the first to assess the existence of SCMP and FSP and to study the differences across organizational characteristics on SCMP and FSP in the automotive industry in developing countries. The existence and differences across organizational characteristics on TQMP were also confirmed.


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