Develops a methodology, including a questionnaire and possible statistical analyses, to answer the question, “Has the implementation of the total quality management process been beneficial in helping my company improve its competitive position?” Empirical support can be gathered for this...

Reviews six years experience with TQ in a large multinational manufacturing company. Commitment alone is not enough – ownership is vital. TQ is continuous but not constant, there will be periodic declines when a change of approach is indicated. On‐the‐job training in the application of TQ...

Companies which seem to have succeeded in complementing TQ programmes over time appear to be those which have acquired the capability to change direction frequently. Argues that the choice managers make about which direction they take depends on the particular mindset they use. Describes...

The article examines the difficulty of defining “quality” and promotes the use of plain English to break down barriers and dispell illusions among management and staff. Highlights the experience of AT&T Istel in educating and motivating senior managers and creating an open, supportive...

The term “transformation” is much used in the practice and literature of management and organizations. We are curious as to why there has been little challenge to or questioning of usage of the term. In this paper we identify a number of dimensions on which usage of ‘transformation’...

Purpose – Experience shows many change initiatives fail to deliver. They are not always a total failure, but they get stalled, misdirected, or only partially achieve the required results. The main purpose of the research reported in this paper was to examine the apparent gap between...

Presents findings from a study that investigated the propagation of quality management practices among Indian manufacturing companies over a period of 16 years from 1980 to 1996. Reports the findings of a mail questionnaire survey conducted on 500 selected companies from 14 manufacturing...

The literature includes many success and failure stories of the firms adopting total quality management (TQM). As many firms in Turkey try to adopt this philosophy, there is a need to clarify quality concepts and comment on applications. This paper attempts a broad review of the current status...