Analysis of Total Quality Management Practices in Manufacturing and Service Sectors

Quality gurus such as Juran, Deming and Crosby have advocated various methodologies for business success and single out some quality practices. These practices have a positive impact on business performance in both manufacturing and service sectors.This paper attempts to identify the TQM practices in two different sectors and examines the difference between them by analyzing their commonalities with respect to their implementation as applicable to both the sectors. The methodology adopted was critically examining the literature on TQM practices followed by manufacturing and service sectors. Altogether, 30 published research studies (15 research studies on TQM practices in the manufacturing industries and 15 on the service industries) were identified that focused on TQM principles and practices used by them. The finding showed no significant difference in the level of most of TQM practices and broadly the same group of identified TQM practices do exist and are applicable to both the sectors except few differences were found and were presented in this study. The results can provide guidance for service managers and quality practitioners aiming to implement TQM. Further, some managerial implications and future scope of this study are also presented at the end