The Quality Maturity Model: your roadmap to a culture of quality

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the complete details of the Quality Maturity Model (QMM), and the associated Quality Culture Assessment Instrument (QCAI). The QMM provides a framework for libraries to self-assess their progress towards achieving a culture of quality.

Design/methodology/approach

The research used a Design Science approach and predominantly grounded theory methodology to develop the QMM as a roadmap that defines an ordinal scale for measuring the maturity of an academic library’s quality culture.

Findings

The QMM describes seven facets of quality culture, and five levels for each facet.

Practical implications

The QCAI enables libraries to locate themselves within the quality maturity landscape. They will then be able to use the QMM as a roadmap to plan their route to improvement. Such a strategic approach to improvement allows libraries to make sense of the literature in terms of what is appropriate for them, so avoiding expensive irrelevancies.

Originality/value

The QMM is unique. There are other models that assess quality culture, but the details of these models are kept secret and the only way to be assessed is by paying a consultancy fee. There are other models that make their details public, but they describe only one or two aspects of quality culture, not all.

Citation

Wilson, F. (2015), "The Quality Maturity Model: your roadmap to a culture of quality", Library Management, Vol. 36 No. 3, pp. 258-267. https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-09-2014-0102