The contribution of quality tools and integration of quality management systems to the organization

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 677-689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasileios Ismyrlis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the contribution from the use of quality tools and the implementation of quality management systems (QMSs) to the management of an organization. The question is if these aspects have an impact on the important elements of a QMS, like critical success factors (CSFs), but more on the performance derived from its functioning. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was created and addressed to Greek companies which were certified with at least one QMS standard, in this case ISO 9001:2008. Findings It was concluded that companies implementing more than one QMS and more than nine quality tools gave more importance to specific CSFs of the QMS and also displayed better performance from the rest of the companies. The final conclusion is that the utilization of tools, techniques, and the implementation of more than one QMS – integration of management systems (MSs) – can contribute to many aspects of organization functioning. Research limitations/implications This study was based on the perception (subjective data) of only one quality manager/representative of each company. The companies were not asked about specific actions they have established to integrate their MSs. Practical implications This paper provides a closest look to the utilization of more than one QMS and the use of quality tools. These actions, as concluded, can play an important role in the management of organizations, and managers could use them in an appropriate way. Originality/value This paper aims to evaluate the value of QMS integration and the utilization of quality tools to specific issues of QMS as CSFs and performance in Greek companies.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Mehrabioun Mohammadi ◽  
Ali Jalali ◽  
Arezoo Hasani

PurposeThis manuscript concentrates on addressing the success and failure factors to satisfy the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need when facing challenges during the implementation of the quality management systems (QMSs) such as lack of both the financial and human resources and inadequate technical knowledge of quality management and employee indifference.Design/methodology/approachThis research employs a mixed-method research approach in three different steps. First, based on interviews and a review of previous research, a list of critical factors influencing the success and failure of QMS implementation in SMEs is provided. After conducting the interview and extracting the results, a quantitative questionnaire is recruited as a complementary tool to demonstrate the accuracy of the literature review and interview findings and to increase the validity and reliability of the data. By applying the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) method, the factors affecting the failure and success of QMS implementation are identified separately. In the third step, a focus group meeting is used to name the factors and identify the relationships among them. The relationships among the factors are also shown using the concept map. Finally, after conducting the focus group meeting, several key issues have been extracted from practice and literature to realize the critical success and failure factors.FindingsThe current study reveals that the factors supporting the SMEs during the implementation of the QMSs may be classified into nine groups. Of these, six factors are related to critical success factors (CSFs), and three factors are related to critical failure factors (CFFs).Originality/valueThere have been several studies developed and conducted to address the success factors supporting the QMSs in SMEs. However, the scope of these studies has only been set on either qualitative or quantitative approaches. Hence, the proposed method presented in this essay, which is, in turn, a new contribution, attempts to use a combined approach based on both the semistructured interviews and survey methods. The results of this study can be used as a reference by scholars and practitioners to identify the relevant issues of QMSs and their application in SMEs.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 184-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Aquilani ◽  
Cecilia Silvestri ◽  
Alessandro Ruggieri ◽  
Corrado Gatti

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic literature review to identify new avenues of research in line with the ongoing changes in quality and management required to firms, especially regarding customers. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a systematic review of the literature contained in the three databases Ebsco, JSTOR, and Springerlink and on the search engine Google Scholar. Findings An analysis of the literature identifies three different clusters of papers: “identification” papers, which show that customer focus has gained importance in recent times; “implementation” papers, which highlight that a general or shared model or scale to successfully implement total quality management (TQM) does not yet exist; and “impact-on-performance” papers, which show that few studies have considered the relationship between TQM and the issues of both marketing and performance, underlining the most significant gap in the TQM literature. Research limitations/implications This study is limited by the small number of databases and search engines used and by the restricted number of keywords used in searching these sources. Practical implications This work highlights a gap in the existing research and thus an incomplete consideration of the interplay between management, marketing, and quality issues, all centered on customers and other stakeholders. Researchers and firms are thus advised to adopt a wider view that considers the role of the quality process to support the firm’s engagement of customers in activities that enhance both the customer role and customer satisfaction. Originality/value This study uses a systematic literature review to review all critical factors of TQM and identifies new research avenues and different approaches to implementing TQM, focusing on the central role that customers play in achieving firm success.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasileios Ismyrlis ◽  
Odysseas Moschidis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate in which management aspects could Six Sigma (SS) methodology help the organization that implements it. Another subject to be examined is the integration of SS and other quality management systems (QMSs) in practice and in a theoretical way. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was addressed to 146 Greek companies of all business sectors, with at least one QMS; here was ISO 9001:2008. It included questions concerning the importance of the critical success factors (CSFs) of QMSs and performance measures after the implementation of ISO 9001. Correspondence analysis was used for the analysis of the data. A theoretical investigation in literature was also accomplished to express the characteristic aspects of SS. Findings Companies implementing SS seemed to outperform the companies without it, in the importance given in most CSFs and equally in the performance measures. People-oriented factors distinguished as more important, and this is consistent with the literature concerning SS. Practical implications This paper provides information for practitioners and researchers about SS methodology and presents some of its advantages, deriving from its integration with ISO 9001 QMS. Originality/value It makes available a perspective of SS deployment in Greek organizations. It also clarifies points that demonstrate the differentiation of SS from other quality approaches and the case of integration with ISO 9001. It also presents the demographic profile of the companies that implement SS.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 150-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasileios Ismyrlis ◽  
Odysseas Moschidis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the benefits of ISO 9001 certification and the association between them, the level of implementation of the critical success factors (CSFs) required for the appropriate functioning of the quality management system in ISO 9001:2008 certified companies and between other demographic variables. Design/methodology/approach – A research project was carried out in Greek companies from all business sectors using the questionnaire technique. The selected companies implement a quality management system in accordance with the ISO 9001:2008 standard. Correspondence analysis, a methodology from the field of multidimensional statistics, was used to identify significant differences between the effects on performance and other variables such as the implementation level of CSFs relating to the quality management system and years of certification. Findings – External benefits seem to be more important than internal benefits. The least important benefits were mostly business results, such as profits, costs and market share. Differences were detected between the level of performance and certain demographic variables such as the use of International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) alone, size and years of certification. The certified companies have generally benefited from ISO implementation. Research limitations/implications – The study was based on the perceptions (subjective data) of only one quality manager/representative from each company. The motives for ISO certification, which can seriously affect the benefits derived, were not examined. Practical implications – The measures presented here can be used by certified companies to evaluate performance (financial or not) related to ISO 9001 certification and to discover those factors that contribute to the better exploitation of the ISO 9001:2008 standard. Originality/value – This paper aims to evaluate performance since the implementation of the ISO 9001:2008 standard in Greek companies, which are confronting a tough economic environment and to analyse this data with a methodology from the multidimensional field, with the complementary use of some special tables of coincidence.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 545-563
Author(s):  
Edward Asante ◽  
Patrick Ngulube

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the critical success factors for total quality management implementation and implications for sustainable academic libraries in Ghana. This study is part of a PhD project that focussed on selected technical university libraries in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a quantitative approach to collect the data. Samples of 124 participants were involved in this study. PLS-SEM (Smart PLS3) software was used to analyse the data. Convergent, discriminant validity assessment was computed. Eight variables of critical success factors were tested in relation to total quality management implementation at selected academic libraries in Ghana.FindingsThis study established that out of the eight variables tested, six of them (i.e. top management commitment, employee innovation employee training, organisational culture, teamwork and effective communication, quality performance) indicated a significant positive relationship with total quality management implementation apart from strategic planning and human resource management.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was limited to eight variables as the critical success factors mentioned in the previous paragraph. The use of one methodology might be a limitation as the use of multimethod might have given a more comprehensive picture than the case. This study was limited to only technical university libraries in Ghana hence caution must be exercised when applying the results to contextually different academic environments. The results are applicable to academic universities library in Ghana and beyond if they are adjusted to suit the context.Practical implicationsThis study is timely as it may lead to effective total quality management implementation and the sustainability of technical university libraries in Ghana and Africa in general.Originality/valueThe proposed model can be used to enhance the smooth implementation of total quality management in academic libraries in general and Ghana in particular. The framework is termed as Eddie and Pat's Achievement of Quality Performance (EPAfQP) model.


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 394-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco José Fernández Cruz ◽  
Inmaculada Egido Gálvez ◽  
Rafael Carballo Santaolalla

Purpose Quality management systems are being used more frequently in educational institutions, although their application has generated a certain amount of disagreement among education experts, who have at times questioned their suitability and usefulness for improving schools. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to this discussion by providing additional knowledge on the effects in educational institutions of implementing quality management systems. Specifically, this study investigates teachers’ and managers’ perception of the impact that quality management systems have on one essential dimension of schools, the teaching–learning processes, with impact being understood as sustained medium- and long-term organisational change. Design/methodology/approach The responses were analysed and classified into a set of sub-dimensions linked to quality management processes in a total of 29 Spanish primary and secondary education schools that have used such systems for at least three years. Findings The results showed that, according to the respondents, the following sub-dimensions were improving as a result of implementing quality management plans: teaching and learning processes, the analysis of student results, tutoring, consideration of attitudes and values and assessment processes. Conversely, quality management systems did not seem to have a clear impact on the teaching methodologies used by teachers or on family involvement in student learning. In fact, the perceived impact in these sub-dimensions varied among teachers of public and private schools as well as when comparing different regional autonomous communities. Originality/value As the main objective of a school is to guarantee student learning, one of the essential purposes of school quality assurance systems is to perform all the activities aimed at ensuring high levels of student performance.


2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica Prisacaru ◽  
Aurelia Litvin

Abstract This investigation is focused on two objectives: 1) explaining the relationship between quality management and performance management in higher education; 2) evaluating the existing quality management systems in the higher education institutions of the Republic of Moldova. In order to accomplish the first objective, a comparative theoretical analysis of the quality management and performance management was carried out in terms of common aspects and distinctive peculiarities. Consequently, it was reasoned that the performance management system of a higher education institution is created and functions on the basis of the quality management system by extending the area of the quality objectives to the level at which they will ensure performance or, in other terms, by moving towards excellence. In order to achieve the second objective, an opinion survey for the teaching and managerial staff from 6 universities was carried out. As a consequence of processing the obtained results, there were identified problems related to the functioning of the quality management systems. The investigation resulted in the formulation of a set of recommendations for the higher education institutions of the Republic of Moldova in order to increase the efficiency of the quality management systems functioning and thus to ensure an efficient management.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 164-175
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Dinas ◽  
Eleftherios Vavoulidis ◽  
Georgios Chrysostomos Pratilas ◽  
Alexandros Basonidis ◽  
Anastasios Liberis ◽  
...  

Purpose Today, quality management systems (QMS) are a promising candidate for the improvement of healthcare services. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the opinions/attitudes of gynecology healthcare professionals toward quality and quality management in healthcare facilities (HFs) in Greece. Design/methodology/approach An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was distributed to healthcare professionals, asking for opinions on quality objectives associated with the everyday workflow in HFs (e.g. management of patients, resources, etc.) and on QMS. The study was conducted in Hippokration Hospital of Thessaloniki, including 187 participants. Statistical assessment and analysis of the questionnaires were carried out. Findings Although 87.5 percent recognized the importance of potential QMS implementation and accreditation, over 50 percent believed that it would lead rather to increased workload and bureaucracy than to any considerable quality improvement. More than 60 percent were completely unaware of the implementation of quality objectives such as quality handbook, quality policy, audit meetings and accreditation status in their HFs. This unawareness was also reported in terms of patient, data, human and general resources management. Finally, awareness over medical malpractice and positive attitude toward official reporting were detected. Originality/value Most respondents acknowledged the significance of quality, QMS implementation and accreditation in Greek hospitals. However, there was a critical gap in knowledge about quality management objectives/processes that could be possibly resolved by expert teams and well-organized educational programs aiming to educate personnel regarding the various quality objectives in Greek HFs.


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