An empirical investigation of total quality management in Palestine: A proposed generic framework of implementation. The construction of a generic framework for effective TQM implementation in Palestinian organisations: An empirical investigation of critical quality factors and best practice.

摘要

Although academic interest in TQM increased substantially in the last decade, stilludthe gap in the literature is hardly surprising given that research and theory in TQMudimplementation are still at a very early stage in the West. To-date, there are only audhandful of empirical researches reported in the literature that have attempted toudidentify what constitute as constructs of TQM that can be manipulated toudeffectively implement TQM. All but very few are studies done in developedudeconomies. Moreover, knowledge of TQM in developing economies is almostudtotally lacking. Against this backdrop, this researcha ddressesth e identified gapsudin the literature on TQM. Thus this thesis focuses on the effective implementationudof total quality management in Palestine, a developing economy, through anudempirical investigation of critical quality factors.udThe research methodology involves combining quantitative and qualitativeudmethodologies to identify the key quality factors cited in the literature andudconsidered by consultants and experts as essential to successful TQMudimplementation. The research design also included: Lan empirical investigation toudassessth e level of TQM awarenessa nd understandingi n the Palestinian context,ud2. determining which key quality factors are critical to successful implementationudusing a survey questionnaire, 3. determining what tactics and techniques are usedudin addressing and implementing these critical quality factors by Palestinianudorganisations, using semi-structured interviews, 4. determining the prerequisitesudof effective TQM implementation in the pre-launch stage using in depthudinterviews. By complementing and integrating the findings, an implementationudframework was constructed with the support of the knowledge acquired from theudliterature review. A simple and practical step by step with implementationudguidelines framework aiming at assisting Palestinian organisations in planning onudeffective implementation of TQM was constructed. The research findingsudindicate that top management commitment and involvement, employeeudcommitment and involvement, managing by customer-driven system andudprocesses and continuous performance improvement, are essential to effectiveudimplementation of TQM. This implies that Palestinian organisations recogniseudand implement the same critical quality factors found in Western countries.udThe proposed framework is built around four major constructs that relate to topudmanagement commitment, employee commitment, customer-driven system andudprocesses, and continuous improvement. It emphasises an implementationudapproach of top-down deployment and bottom-up participation focussing onudbusinessp rocessesth at add value to customers atisfaction.udIn conclusion, this empirical research revealed that TQM could be implemented inudthe developing economies (such as Palestine) as Palestinian organisationsudsubscribe to the same quality factors as those found in the developed economies.