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This study aims to empirically investigate the effects of both soft and hard quality management (QM) on innovation and organizational performance. It also examines the mediating role of hard QM, administrative innovation and technical innovation on the relationship between soft QM and organizational performance in higher education (HE).

The approach of this study is quantitative. The data used to test the hypotheses were obtained through online questionnaire sent to the academic staff of public universities in Naples (Italy). The hypothesized relationships are tested with data collected from 356 respondents by using the partial least squares structural equation modeling technique (PLS-SEM).

The results show that quality practices improve innovation and organizational performance, while innovation positively impacts organizational performance. The findings also indicate that soft QM affects organizational performance directly and indirectly through hard QM. Hard QM and innovation show a partial sequential mediating effect on soft QM-performance relationship

In order to implement quality management properly in HE, directors need to recognize the different roles that soft and hard QM can have on innovation and organizational performance. It is important that higher education institutions (HEIs) allocate resources to establish both types of QM practices to achieve the effectiveness of the whole QM system.

Despite the existence of numerous studies on the relationship between QM, innovation and organizational performance in manufacturing and services, studies conducted in higher education are still few. This is one of the earliest studies that adopt the multidimensional approach of QM in HE which could help directors understand the interdependencies and different roles of soft and hard quality practices.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of soft and hard quality management (QM) practices on innovation performance, considering innovation practices as a contextual variable mediating this relationship.

Using data from 132 Brazilian manufacturing companies, partial least square–structural equation modeling (PLS–SEM) is employed to test if soft and hard QM practices, directly, affect innovation practices and, indirectly, innovation performance. This investigation also aims to identify whether the relationships are maintained regardless of the size of the company.

The results suggest that soft QM has a positive effect on hard QM. However, only soft QM, not hard QM, has a significant effect on innovation practices. Additionally, soft QM has a significant positive effect on innovation performance through innovation practices. Company size does not influence the relationships.

The findings can help managers to adjust their managerial practices to enhance the effective impact of QM on innovation performance.

The previous literature presents conflicting results on the relationship between QM and innovation performance. Most studies have proposed a direct relationship between both constructs. This study considers innovation practices as a mediator in this relationship. Furthermore, this paper adds to the scarce literature reporting related studies conducted in developing countries.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the key “hard” and “soft” quality management factors used by Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and their association with organisational performance.

A survey questionnaire was constructed for this research using Powell's quality management framework. The respondents were required to indicate their degree of implementation of quality management practices and to rate their TQM performance in relation to overall performance, return on assets, market share and customer satisfaction.

The study found that improved overall performance appears to be favourably influenced by a combination of “hard” TQM factors such as benchmarking and quality measurement, continuous improvement, and efficiency improvement; and the “soft” TQM factors consisting of top management philosophy and supplier support, employee training and increased interaction with employees and customers. Furthermore, the TQM factors of employee training, efficiency improvement, and employee and customer involvement would appear to be important in maintaining customer satisfaction, whilst employee and customer involvement also appeared to be important in maintaining a competitive edge in terms of return on assets.

The findings show that it is necessary to focus on a combination of soft or behavioural aspects and the hard “systems‐oriented” aspects of QM to achieve an improvement in overall performance, and that to maintain customer satisfaction and return on assets it is just as important to focus on employee involvement and training, as it is to have a customer focus.

The purpose of this study is to investigate how soft lean practices moderate the performance effects of hard lean practices. The authors provide new evidence from the pharmaceutical industry, which is characterized by a highly regulated and technical environment and has been largely uncharted in the lean literature.

Based on a review of the literature, the authors define a set of soft and hard lean practices. The authors test the hypotheses using factor analysis and moderated hierarchical linear regression on a unique dataset containing survey data and real performance measures of 351 pharmaceutical plants.

The results show that soft lean practices can be both enabling and constraining. When management engages in performance measurement, visualisation and employee empowerment the relationship between hard lean practices and performance is positively moderated. On the other hand, when managers emphasise goal setting and work standardisation the performance outcomes are reduced.

Effective lean managers build organisational commitment by motivating other employees to implement lean. They use performance measurement, visualisation and employee empowerment to focus on the “why”. Less effective managers engage in commanding and micro-management. Such managers focus on the “what” by using practices like goal setting and work standardisation.

This article contributes to the literature on lean management by empirically testing the moderator-variable interaction effects between soft and hard lean practices. In addition, it adds new evidence from the important pharmaceutical industry.

The present study conceptualizes total quality management (TQM) in terms of soft and hard aspects and examines their effects on quality performance and patient satisfaction. The indirect effects of soft and hard TQM on patient satisfaction through quality performance are also investigated.

A multi-item questionnaire was prepared to gather primary data from a sample of 312 medical employees in private hospitals in Jordan. The measurement model was evaluated for validity and reliability and determined to be acceptable. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to test the research hypotheses.

The results revealed that soft TQM has a strong positive effect on quality performance and patient satisfaction. Hard TQM was found to positively affect quality performance but to a lesser extent compared to soft TQM. The effect of hard TQM on patient satisfaction, meanwhile, was not significant. Quality performance positively mediated the relationship between TQM – both soft and hard – and patient satisfaction.

This study is one of the first to conceptualize TQM in terms of soft and hard aspects in a health care context. It offers valuable insights for managers of private hospitals looking to enhance quality performance and patient satisfaction. The results reveal that soft TQM is the primary driver of quality performance and patient satisfaction in the health care context, which is in stark contrast to the manufacturing sector.

This study examines the theoretical and empirical relationships between LM&SS, human resource management (HRM), climate for LM&SS and outcomes (employee well-being and performance) in hospitals. As part of this research, the authors examine the interplay between “hard” and “soft” practices for LM&SS and “soft” HR practices.

A cross-sectional, multisite survey study covering all internal service units at all eight Dutch university hospitals was conducted (42 units, N = 218 supervisors, N = 1,668 employees), and multivariate multilevel regression analyses were performed.

A systems approach involving “soft” LM&SS practices that are specifically HR-related has a positive effect (β is 0.46) on a climate for LM&SS. A climate for LM&SS is not related to perceived performance or employee health. It is, however, positively related to employee happiness and trusting relationships (both βs are 0.33). We did not find that a climate for LM&SS had a mediating effect.

This study shows that a balanced approach involving both “hard” and “soft” factors is crucial to achieving the desired breadth and depth of LM&SS adoption at the macro, meso, and micro levels. The authors found that a climate for LM&SS positively affects employee well-being in hospitals.

In their attempt to create mutual gains for both their organization and their employees, hospitals that adopt LM&SS should foster a climate for LM&SS by embracing a balanced approach consisting of both “hard” and “soft” practices, thereby internalizing LM&SS at the macro, meso, and micro levels.

This is one of the first studies to examine in-depth the impact of “hard” and “soft” LM&SS on both employee well-being (subdivided into different components) and performance in healthcare, as well as the role of “soft” HRM in this relationship. Linking LM&SS, HRM and outcomes to a climate for LM&SS is relatively a new approach and has led to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underpinning the internalization of LM&SS in healthcare.

Modern manufacturing systems require tools and techniques that take cognizance of the social (concerning people and relations) as well as the technical environment. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the social and technical aspects of lean manufacturing practices and their effects on business performance outcomes.

The hypothesized relationships for this study are tested with data collected from 148 Indian manufacturing firms by using SPSS and AMOS statistical software.

The analysis of the study was conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM) technique, which indicated that both “soft” and “hard” lean practices are positively related to business performance parameters. The findings also demonstrated that “hard” lean practices fully mediate the relationship between “soft” lean practices and business performance parameters.

There are some limitations of this study. Although a cross-sectional survey has been applied, the research does not permit us to account for the lag between implementation and performance. It also brings the opinion of a limited number of Indian experts about lean manufacturing systems; hence, the sample size could be increased and the nationality of the respondent could be expanded for future research.

The paper would be of interest to Lean practitioners, and the results of this study can be used in organizations to put a focus on social-cultural changes while applying lean technical tools when it comes to practices as well as importance.

This paper extends theoretical contribution in production and operations management literature, highlighting how social and technical practices have to interact to enable a successful lean manufacturing implementation.

The purpose of the paper is to examine the binary character of total quality management (TQM) in food companies and to determine the impact of the two aspects of TQM – the “soft” and “hard” – on the quality management benefits.

A research project was carried out in 90 Greek food companies, using the questionnaire method. Two measurement models have been formulated. The first model includes the TQM philosophical elements and quality tools/techniques, while the second model includes the quality management benefits. Exploratory factor analyses are applied to extract the latent factors. The factors that significantly influence the quality management benefits are determined through multiple linear regression analyses.

The analysis of the models confirms the binary character of TQM (the “soft” and “hard” TQM elements) in food companies and the existence of internal and external quality management benefits. The “soft” TQM elements have a significant direct impact on quality improvement, employee benefits and customer satisfaction. However, the impact of the “hard” TQM elements on the above quality management benefits is not direct but indirect, through their significant correlation with the “soft” TQM elements. Finally, quality improvement is also a significant factor that directly influences employee benefits, customer satisfaction and business performance.

The small size of the sample of the responding food companies, the diversity of these companies and the subjective character of the data collected are limitations that suggest future research recommendations.

Food companies should realize the leading role of the “soft” aspect of TQM and the supporting role of the “hard” aspect in maximizing the quality management benefits and as a consequence in withstanding the current economic downturn.

Focusing on “quality-oriented” food companies that have ample experience in quality and food safety management systems, the present study reveals a significant direct impact of the “soft” TQM elements and an indirect impact of the “hard” TQM elements on the quality management benefits.

The study aims to deepen existing knowledge on the specific role of soft total quality management (TQM) practices in the ferry sector. Over the last decade, TQM practices have been thoroughly restructured, allowing us to develop an appropriate framework through which the relevance of each practice to this particular sector can be explained.

A narrative case study has been conducted to enhance the quality orientation and soft TQM practices adopted by a medium-sized company in the ferry sector.

The study identifies five soft TQM practices that offer valuable contributions in terms of quality orientation. These are organised into a configurational and systemic approach according to a three-level framework. At the macro level, a customer-orientated approach is paramount, as this orientation clearly points out the fundamental values of TQM. Coherently, at the micro-level, employees should be trained, involved, and empowered to truly internalise and behave according to a quality orientation. At the meso-level, dedicated leadership should support these practices and foster their effectiveness across the organisational structure.

The main limitation of this study is related to its narrative analysis. More empirically-grounded research should be used in the future to test the validity of the model.

TQM practices can leverage soft aspects, finding mutual integrations and offering reciprocal support if a bundle of practices is enforced and co-present across several layers of an organisational structure.

The model offers a configurational approach to help the ferry sector in leveraging soft TQM practices to implement TQM initiatives successfully. This is subject to external contingencies and thus requires adaptability and flexibility.