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The moderating influence of product orientation on coordination mechanisms in total quality management

Jayanth Jayaram (Department of Management Sciences, Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA)
Sanjay Ahire (Department of Management Sciences, Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA)
Mariana Nicolae (Department of Management Sciences, Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA)
Cigdem Ataseven (Department of Management Sciences, Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA)

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management

ISSN: 0265-671X

Article publication date: 18 May 2012

1527

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to verify whether product orientation (make‐to‐order versus make‐to‐stock) affects how coordination mechanisms combine to influence quality performance in total quality management (TQM).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used survey response data from a large sample of single industry respondents (auto supplier industry) to test the research model.

Findings

The study found support for the idea that organizational and inter‐organizational coordination mechanisms influence product and process quality performance. Moreover, significance of many of these linkages varied according to whether the product orientation was make‐to‐order or make‐to‐stock. The study is one of the first to suggest that the influence of select coordination factors on performance can vary according to product orientation.

Research limitations/implications

The study suggests that plant managers may pursue different approaches to implement select coordination factors (not all) according to whether their product focus is make‐to‐stock or make‐to‐order.

Practical implications

The research isolates those select coordination mechanisms which have significantly different performance effects in one product orientation environment (make‐to‐order) versus another (make‐to‐stock). Managers interested in TQM implementation can gain insights into those select coordination mechanisms identified in this study that could positively enhance product quality and process quality performance.

Originality/value

To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first study that has examined the contextual influence of product orientation on the relationships between select coordination mechanisms in TQM implementation and their impact on process and product quality.

Keywords

Citation

Jayaram, J., Ahire, S., Nicolae, M. and Ataseven, C. (2012), "The moderating influence of product orientation on coordination mechanisms in total quality management", International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, Vol. 29 No. 5, pp. 531-559. https://doi.org/10.1108/02656711211230517

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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