Individual differences in TQM change compliance: A study of service organizations in Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose

The present paper seeks to identify what individual differences exist among employees in compliance with a management change; to examine the case of total quality management (TQM), and more precisely, to examine personality factors like extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism, and locus of control as variables of individual differences in the study.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary source of data collection is employed, as employees in some service organizations implementing TQM served as participants for data collection. The research design adopted is correlation. A regression analysis of employee compliance with TQM on the personality variables of the study was run. Self‐report measures of participants were obtained for the personality attributes, while their respective bosses rated them on TQM compliance.

Findings

It is established that individual differences exist in employee compliance with a management change program. Specifically for TQM compliance, high extraversion and low neuroticism are desirable individual difference factors for enhanced compliance with TQM philosophy.

Research limitations/implications

The research was conducted among employees in service organizations only; this limits the generalizability of the present findings. Also, the employees were mainly Nigerians; cultural differences might limit the research findings. The present study does not exhaust all possible factors of individual differences.

Practical implications

The present research has implications for personnel selection and development in times of organization change. To ensure compliance with a novel management design, some personality factors could serve as favorable dispositions of employees. Management of organizations therefore needs to consider such factors in selection and placement of employees in such organizations.

Originality/value

What is original about the paper is the identification of personality factors that could enhance the implementation of a TQM program.

Citation

Osayawe Ehigie, B., Clement Akpan, R. and Aide Okhakhume, S. (2006), "Individual differences in TQM change compliance: A study of service organizations in Nigeria", The TQM Magazine, Vol. 18 No. 2, pp. 103-117. https://doi.org/10.1108/09544780610647838