Suchergebnisse

While quality management practices have spread in recent years,
academic investigation of the phenomenon has lagged behind. Discusses
what TQM comprises and whether there are partial or contingent forms;
employment practices and relations, including the links with HRM and the
issues of incentives, empowerment and political barriers; the themes of
incrementalism and innovation including the relationship of TQM with BPR
and the concern with bureaucratization; and how TQM fits with other
management paradigms.

Notes a broad agreement that small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) fulfil a critical role in modern economies, and therefore their ability to survive, remain competitive and produce high quality outputs is of utmost importance at both micro and macro levels. Focuses on total quality management (TQM), a new management paradigm, which is successfully competing with the well‐established paradigms such as scientific management. Argues that implementation of TQM principles can potentially help SMEs to enhance their robustness, as well as improve the quality of their final output. However, observes that, by comparison with the large organizations, SMEs have been slow in implementing TQM. Examines the differences between the characteristics of SMEs and large organizations; the relationship between the size of organization and inherent characteristics of TQM; and the effect of organization size on the implementation of TQM using deductive research. Using the case data, develops a ten‐step methodology for the implementation of TQM in SMEs.

AbstractThis is an overview of the research reported in this special issue on total quality management (TQM). The elements of TQM are defined, and a case is made for conducting more research in the area. Accordingly, this special issue attempts to contribute by offering articles that help build the theoretical and empirical basis of TQM implementation efforts. A look ahead to the future is presented, with a focus on interdisciplinary research under the TQM umbrella.RésuméIl s'agit d'un tour d'horizon des articles publiés dans ce numéro spécial consacré à la gestion de la qualité totale (GQT). Les éléments de la GQT y sont définis et il ressort qu'il faudrait intensifier la recherche dans ce domaine. Ainsi, ce numéro spécial tente d'apporter sa contribution en proposant des articles qui aideront à jeter les bases théoriques et empiriques des efforts d'implantation de la GQT. Perspective d'avenir: tendance à la multidisciplinarité de la recherche en GQT.

Reviews the main tenets of TQM and strategic HRM, and identifies
both similarities and tensions between the two approaches. Presents a
case study of Tubemakers Australia, winner of an Australian Quality
Award. Illustrates how Tubemakers managed the integration of TQM and
strategic HRM. Particular strengths of Tubemakers′ approach were its
ability to centralize strategic elements of TQM while still providing
the workplaces with sufficient latitude to address the specific needs of
their employees.

AbstractThe scholarship on total quality management (TQM) has provided little conceptual or pragmatic guidance with respect to the management of its adoption and diffusion throughout the organization. This dearth is especially pronounced with respect to the activities of organizational units which do not produce products to be purchased by customers in the consumer marketplace. This paper describes an exploratory research study which analyzed TQM attempts in one of these units, Public Affairs (PA). Using concepts from the scholarship on managerial innovation, the research focused on the factors which inhibit/facilitate TQM attempts in corporate PA.RésuméLes connaissances actuelles sur la gestion de la qualité totale (GQT) fournissent très peu d'orientation conceptuelle et pragmatique sur la manière de gérer l'adoption d'une telle démarche et son implantation dans tous les secteurs d'une organisation. Elles sont particulièrement lacunaires en ce qui a trait aux activités des unités organisationnelles non productrices de biens destinés au marché de la consommation. Les auteurs décrivent une recherche exploratoire ayant pour objet d'analyser diverses tentatives de GQT dans une de ces unités, les affaires publiques (AP). À l'aide de concepts tirés d'études scientifiques sur les nouvelles techniques de gestion, la recherche se concentre sur les facteurs susceptibles d'empêcher ou de faciliter les essais de GQT dans le service Affaires publiques d'une entreprise.