The soft side of TQM and teachers job satisfaction: an empirical investigation in primary and secondary education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Niki Glaveli ◽  
Fotios Vouzas ◽  
Myrsine Roumeliotou
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Secondary Education ◽  
Continuous Improvement ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Primary And Secondary Education ◽  
Appraisal Systems ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe current study provides insights on the application of critical soft TQM practices in primary and secondary education and their impact on teachers' job satisfaction (TJS).Design/methodology/approachBased on a review of the literature related to TQM application in primary and secondary education, six soft TQM elements were traced as critical to the success of TQM implementation in the school environment: participation/involvement in continuous improvement, teamwork, empowerment, appraisal systems/recognition and reward for quality, training and development (T&D) and leadership (vision/commitment to quality culture). Moreover, their relationship to JS was theoretically founded and empirically tested. An online questionnaire was used as the research instrument. The participants were 200 primary and secondary public school teachers working in urban, semi urban and rural regions of Greece. After assessing the validity and reliability of the measurement scales, multiple regression analysis was applied to test the hypothesized relationships.FindingsThe research findings revealed that leadership and empowerment are the most highly implemented TQM practices in primary and secondary education. Moreover, participation/involvement, appraisal systems/recognition and rewards and leadership were the TQM elements that had a positive association with TJS.Practical implicationsThe outcomes of the study are of help to school principals and policy-makers in order to design and implement TQM policies that advance the quality of teaching and the effectiveness of processes in the primary and secondary education system, as well as to satisfy and motivate teachers for continuous improvement.Originality/valueThis was, to the best of our knowledge, the first study that has explored the impact of soft TQM elements on TJS.

The impact of ISO quality management systems on primary and secondary schools in Spain

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Antonio Arribas Díaz ◽  
Catalina Martínez-Mediano
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Secondary Education ◽  
Quality Management ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Quality Management Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Primary And Secondary Education ◽  
Three Phase ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the application of quality management systems (QMS) based on international standards of quality in education (ISO 9001:2008) and ascertain the influence of this quality model on primary and secondary schools in Spain. Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted in 26 publicly funded, private schools in Spain. The research design was a three-phase, mixed-methods evaluation. In all, 809 teachers answered the main survey questionnaire in Phase 3, which was validated through expert reviews and exploratory factor analysis against two theoretically derived dimensions of quality. The total scores of the two dimensions demonstrated Cronbach’s alpha reliability estimate > 0.95. A discriminant function analysis was applied next to compare three groups of schools based on teachers’ QMS ratings, using students’ achievement and other school quality indicators as predictors. Findings The QMS model was perceived to have contributed to improvements in documentation and management through evaluation, continuous improvement processes, the schools’ external image, management of resources and user satisfaction levels. Some of the improvements lasted over time. The schools rated as “high” by teachers on QMS implementation levels had better educational outcomes, as well as user perception and satisfaction levels, as compared to schools rated as “low”. Drawbacks of the QMS model were perceived as high bureaucratic workloads and a top–down management culture. Practical implications The findings suggest that ISO standards of QMS can be adopted in primary and secondary education institutions successfully, and that they are suitable for improving schools and educational systems overall. Originality/value The study’s originality lies in the demonstrated outcomes of the QMS approach, originally created for industrial environments, in a large Spanish primary and secondary education institution using a three-phase, mixed-methods design.

A measurement instrument for implementing total quality management in Greek primary and secondary education

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 1065-1081
Author(s):  
Eleni Sfakianaki
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Education ◽  
Quality Management ◽  
Total Quality Management ◽  
Economic Downturn ◽  
Efficiency Gain ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Primary And Secondary Education ◽  
Starting Point

Purpose Primary and secondary education (P&SE) is fundamentally important for achieving a high-quality education system. P&SE delivers more extensive social returns than higher education and is perhaps the most important locus where core values are established and the foundation for educational super-systems. The purpose of this paper is to develop a structured approach for the implementation of total quality management (TQM) in P&SE and validate it empirically. Design/methodology/approach A 7-dimensioned and a 66-itemed instrument was developed and administered to education professionals at Greek P&SE institutions to measure TQM implementation at present and its potential for the future. The measures were tested for validity and reliability. Findings The findings confirmed that the instrument developed is both valid and reliable. The factors of TQM identified for P&SE were leadership, student focus, continuous improvement, process control and involvement, education and training, measurement and evaluation, and change management. Practical implications P&SE institutions can employ the instrument developed to guide their implementation of TQM practices. Researchers and practitioners can use it to build models to relate facilitating practices to quality performance while enhancing social empowerment and contributing to economic growth, particularly at times of economic difficulty. Originality/value The present study adds value to the existing literature by investigating the unexplored field of TQM in P&SE at a time of economic downturn by offering researchers and practitioners a starting point to identify areas that require further support and improvement or have potential efficiency gain.

The effect of TQM practices on INGOs' staff work-related attitudes

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noorliza Karia ◽  
Firas Izzat Mahmoud Saleh
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Continuous Improvement ◽  
Career Satisfaction ◽  
Job Involvement ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Organisational Commitment ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the impact of total quality management (TQM) practices on the work-related attitudes of International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) staff, including job involvement, job satisfaction, career satisfaction and organisational commitment.Design/methodology/approachThe paper developed and tested 16 hypotheses on the relationship between TQM practices and work-related attitudes. Out of 295 targeted staff working for 59 INGOs operating in Jordan, 126 staff have responded to the research questionnaire. The collected dataset has been analysed using the structural equation modelling-partial least square (SEM-PLS) technique.FindingsAnalysis of the data revealed the significant positive effect of TQM practices. Beneficiary focus, empowerment-teamwork and continuous improvement impact 35% of job involvement. Meanwhile, beneficiary focus and empowerment-teamwork affect 34 and 47% of career satisfaction and organisational commitment, respectively. Significantly, empowerment-teamwork and continuous improvement determine 62% of job satisfaction. However, the low extent of training and education is challenging to enhance employees' positive emotions.Practical implicationsThis research provides further evidence on the importance of TQM practices to the leaders of INGOs. Therefore, to orient their resources towards TQM implementation to enhance work-related attitudes, and in turn, the performance of interventions in this challenging sector.Originality/valueThis research extends the knowledge regarding certain TQM practices that naturally and variably empower job and career satisfaction, job involvement, and organisational commitment within the INGOs. Therefore, to confirm the validity of this research direction in a new uncovered sector, which has its own specificities.

The central role of knowledge management in business operations

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1117-1139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Chatzoudes ◽  
Prodromos Chatzoglou ◽  
Eftichia Vraimaki
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Management Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organisational Climate ◽  
Innovative Culture ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Knowledge Management (KM) is a contemporary research field of high interest for both academics and practitioners. For more than 15 years, successful companies have used KM as their most valuable source of competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is attempt to extend the existing empirical approaches (research models), by focusing on the process of KM and its diffusion throughout the organisation. Design/methodology/approach – The present study proposes a newly developed conceptual framework that adopts a four-step approach, highlighting four areas of interest that have never been simultaneously examined before: knowledge antecedents, KM process, KM outcomes (satisfaction from the KM process) and individual (employee) outcomes. The proposed conceptual framework is tested, using a structured questionnaire, in a sample of 211 bank employees. The reliability and the validity of the questionnaire were thoroughly examined, while research hypotheses were tested using the “Structural Equation Modelling” technique. Findings – The results revealed that companies with enhanced innovative culture and an organisational climate that facilitates cooperation between employees tend to promote and ultimately maximise knowledge diffusion. Moreover, a contribution of the present study is the empirical confirmation of the relationship between the proposed factor “satisfaction from the knowledge management process” and both organisational commitment and job satisfaction. Research limitations/implications – A limitation stemming from the adopted methodology is the use of self-report scales to measure the factors (constructs) of the proposed model. Moreover, the present paper lacks a longitudinal approach, since it provides a static picture (snapshot) of the application of KM within enterprises. Practical implications – The paper highlights-specific areas (factors) that companies should enhance in order to harvest the potential benefits of KM. According to the empirical findings, organisations should focus on their human capital when managing their knowledge processes. After all, employee satisfaction from the KM process is found to be crucial for enhancing their job satisfaction and job performance. Originality/value – The paper proposes an enhanced conceptual framework that incorporates critical issues concerning the successful implementation of KM, thus, providing valuable tools for decision makers and academics. Its originality lies in the nature of its approach. More specifically, the present study examines the impact of KM on individual-level (employee), something that rarely appears in the relevant literature. Additionally, it incorporates “satisfaction from the knowledge management process” as a significant outcome of the KM process, thus, enriching the literature of the field. Finally, it investigates the impact of three contextual factors (innovative culture, organisational climate, inter-functional coordination) on KM process (externalisation, internalisation, socialisation, combination), adopting an approach that acknowledges KM as a function (factor) that transmits contextual influence onto individual effectiveness. The results of the study may be generalised in other sectors with similar characteristics (knowledge-intensive and learning organisations, service sector companies, etc) and in other developed countries whose financial institutions face similar challenges as the ones in Greece.

scholarly journals Knowledge sharing in open source software communities: motivations and management

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 791-813 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zilia Iskoujina ◽  
Joanne Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Open Source Software ◽  
Online Communities ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This paper aims to add to the understanding of knowledge sharing in online communities through an investigation of the relationship between individual participant’s motivations and management in open source software (OSS) communities. Drawing on a review of literature concerning knowledge sharing in organisations, the factors that motivate participants to share their knowledge in OSS communities, and the management of such communities, it is hypothesised that the quality of management influences the extent to which the motivations of members actually result in knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach – To test the hypothesis, quantitative data were collected through an online questionnaire survey of OSS web developers with the aim of gathering respondents’ opinions concerning knowledge sharing, motivations to share knowledge and satisfaction with the management of OSS projects. Factor analysis, descriptive analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis were used to explore the survey data. Findings – The analysis of the data reveals that the individual participant’s satisfaction with the management of an OSS project is an important factor influencing the extent of their personal contribution to a community. Originality/value – Little attention has been devoted to understanding the impact of management in OSS communities. Focused on OSS developers specialising in web development, the findings of this paper offer an important original contribution to understanding the connections between individual members’ satisfaction with management and their motivations to contribute to an OSS project. The findings reveal that motivations to share knowledge in online communities are influenced by the quality of management. Consequently, the findings suggest that appropriate management can enhance knowledge sharing in OSS projects and online communities, and organisations more generally.

The impact of job security, job satisfaction and job embeddedness on employee retention: an empirical investigation of Pakistan’s health-care industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Attia Aman-Ullah ◽  
Azelin Aziz ◽  
Hadziroh Ibrahim ◽  
Waqas Mehmood ◽  
Yasir Abdullah Abbas
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Employee Retention ◽  
Health Care Industry ◽  
Job Security ◽  
Job Embeddedness ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Industry ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of job security on doctors’ retention, with job satisfaction and job embeddedness as the mediators. In doing so, the authors seek to contribute to the existing literature by providing additional empirical evidence on the links between job security, job satisfaction, job embeddedness and employee retention by using social exchange theory. Design/methodology/approach An empirical study was conducted on doctors working in public hospitals in Pakistan. Data from selected public hospitals were collected using semi-structured questionnaires. The simple random sampling method was applied for participant selection and partial least squares-structural equation modelling was used for data analysis purposes. Findings The findings confirmed the direct and mediation relationships. Thus, all of this study’s hypotheses are supported. The results indicate that job security can improve doctors’ retention. Further, job satisfaction and job embeddedness play crucial roles in mediating the direct relationship. Originality/value This study elaborates job security in health-care sector of Pakistan and also provides empirical evidence of the antecedents and mediators of doctors’ intention to continue working in the health-care industry.

Assessing design buildability through virtual reality from the perspective of construction students

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Don Amila Sajeevan Samarasinghe ◽  
Imelda Saran Piri
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Building Information ◽  
2D Drawing ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of visual models on the ability of construction students to assess design buildability.Design/methodology/approachThe study engaged 45 construction students from one selected tertiary education institute in New Zealand. The data collection process involved meeting the students face-to-face and demonstrating the VR model to them, after which the students completed an online questionnaire and assessed design buildability using both 2D drawing and virtual reality (VR) models. To make this assessment, the participants considered a residential earth building modelled to promote sustainable building features. The assessment process required the participants to evaluate the design buildability of the same building design using a 2D drawing and a 3D VR model.FindingsThe study found that VR models have significant advantages for assessing design buildability. Students measured 16.80% higher average buildability with the 3D VR model compared to the 2D drawing. The participants in the evaluation felt that the visual model significantly improved the comprehensibility of complex designs, which helped identify and manage design buildability (overall, 83% of participants strongly supported this).Originality/valueThe paper showed construction digitisation such as VR, augmented reality and building information modelling is highly cooperative as it can easily be made available for online learning. Thus, the findings support construction educators use online-based VR learning to promote efficient teaching of design buildability to students.

In search of virtuous learning circles: absorptive capacity and its antecedents in the education sector

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina Lenart-Gansiniec ◽  
Wojciech Czakon ◽  
Massimiliano Matteo Pellegrini
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
Absorptive Capacity ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Knowledge Flows ◽  
Measurement Scale ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to identify context-specific antecedents to schools’ absorptive capacity (AC) and to show how those can enact “a virtuous learning circle.” Design/methodology/approach The study uses a mixed method: an exploration based on semi-structured interviews with educational experts; the development of a measurement scale and a partial least squares structural equation modelling to test the impact of the antecedents. Findings The results yielded four empirically-grounded antecedents and their measurement scales, namely, prior knowledge, employees’ skills, educational projects and interactions with the environment (Studies one and two). All antecedents are significantly and positively related to AC processes (study three). Using the organizational learning theory perspective, the results have been interpreted as an AC “virtuous learning circle.” Practical implications With increasing pressures to adapt, a case of which was the COVID-19 pandemic, schools can greatly benefit from absorbing knowledge flows. This suggests the construction a favourable environment for AC. To this end, the individual (employees’ prior knowledge and skills), organizational (educational projects) and institutional level of managerial action (interactions with the environment) can be effective when create a recursive organizational learning circle. In addition, this study offers an expert-validated measurement scale for self-assessment of a school’s specific contingencies, and thus, for planning of punctual interventions to develop AC. Originality/value This study advances the existing body of knowledge management in the educational context by rigorously identifying and validating a scale for measuring the antecedents of AC and developing an interpretive approach to the AC “virtuous circle.”

scholarly journals Motivating Information Technology Professionals: The case of New Zealand

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shoaib Ahmed ◽  
Nazim Taskin ◽  
David J. Pauleen ◽  
Jane Parker
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Turnover Intention ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
It Professionals ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
The Impact

IT professionals play a critical role in organizations. Research indicates that they may be unique in their attitudes toward motivation and job satisfaction. In New Zealand, a shortage of skilled professionals may contribute to or impact on motivation. Using a modified model of Herzberg’s two-factor theory by Smerek and Peterson (2007), this research seeks to answer the question: what motivates New Zealand IT professionals? In response, an online questionnaire was distributed to a population of New Zealand IT professionals and the data analysed using Partial Least Squares to understand the relationship between the various dimensions of job satisfaction, the impact of personal and job characteristics, and turnover intention. The findings show that the New Zealand IT professional is primarily motivated by the nature of his or her work, followed by perceptions of responsibility, and how supervisors encourage an environment for such. Satisfaction with salary is a predictor to a lesser degree. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, professional growth opportunities, career advancement, and recognition do not have a statistically-significant positive association with motivation. We conclude that, to motivate their IT workforce, organizations should: 1) focus on the nature of the jobs that IT professionals undertake; 2) train supervisors to provide an empowering environment; 3) offer competitive salaries to retain top talent; 4) not hesitate to employ IT professionals born outside New Zealand; and 5) take account of the singularities of the New Zealand labour market in seeking to attract, recruit and retain IT professionals. Implications for policy, practice and theory are discussed.

Learning processes and job satisfaction in the Spanish wine sector

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 624-643
Author(s):  
Alfonso J. Gil ◽  
Mara Mataveli
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Group Learning ◽  
Structural Equations ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Organizational Size ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Groups ◽  
Wine Sector ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between learning processes (LP) – group learning (GL) and training processes – and job satisfaction (JS), by taking into consideration the mediating role of organizational size (OZ) and employees’ educational level (EEL). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from the Spanish wine sector. The survey was addressed to the workers, and 230 valid questionnaires were obtained. The authors have proven their model of research through a model of structural equations, that is, by means of the partial least squares technique. Findings This paper proposes that LP play a significant role in determining the effects on JS, and OZ and EEL mediate the relationship between GL and JS. Research limitations/implications Owing to certain features of the sample and the use of measurement scales, the final results should be considered with caution. Further research in other contexts using qualitative methods is needed to validate these findings. Practical implications When seeking to improve employee JS, practitioners should take into account the link between LP and JS. It is especially necessary to consider the diversity in learning groups. Originality/value This paper provides an empirical analysis of the relationship between LP and JS and checks the mediation of OZ and worker education of workers between group learning and JS.

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