Citation
(2002), "The relationship between total quality management (TQM) and corporate strategy: the strategic impact of TQM", Measuring Business Excellence, Vol. 6 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/mbe.2002.26706baf.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2002, MCB UP Limited
The relationship between total quality management (TQM) and corporate strategy: the strategic impact of TQM
The relationship between total quality management (TQM) and corporate strategy: the strategic impact of TQM
D. Leonard and R. McAdam, Strategic Change, Vol. 10 No. 8, December 2001
Asks whether TQM, focusing on continuous improvement, is perceived as an operational tool rather than exerting a strategic influence on top management and quality policies. Comments on the shortage of systematic and rigorous evaluation in many TQM studies and the need for theory-grounded and contingency-based research in order to develop insights into the use of TQM in complex dynamic organizational settings. Reports on case studies of 19 organizations, providing an in-depth analysis of the relationship between TQM and corporate strategy. Discusses the bureaucratic and functional perspectives on TQM emerging from many of the cases, providing illustrative quotations from interviews. Considers the role of TQM as a driving force in corporate strategy, drawing attention to the separation between the strategic and the operational functioning of the organization. Highlights the need for tactical consideration of how these things can be brought together, aligning the strategic goals with the means by which they can be achieved.
Comment: As the realization dawns that TQM must be aligned with the rest of a corporate strategy, this article provides a useful insight into current strategic quality concerns.