Resistance to Total Quality Leadership Change: An Evaluation of Individual MarineResponses to TQL Principles and Change

摘要

This thesis is an attempt to make available to Marine Corps planners datagathered about predispositions of Marines of different ranks to change prompted by the implementation of Total Quality Leadership (TQL). A survey was conducted to examine the attitudes of 331 Marine Corps staff noncommissioned officers (SNCOs) and commissioned officers concerning different examples of TQL changes. Criteria were developed for identifying the incidence of resistance by rank to these changes and for identifying characteristics that may influence group response. The results serve to identify that while the principles of TQL do not meet identifiable resistance among the Marines surveyed, certain TQL changes seem threatening to specific groups. Change, resistance to change, and resistance to Total Quality Management/Leadership are explored. Ways to overcome the resistance identified are discussed.