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The purpose of this paper is to explore the similarities and differences between Total Quality Management (TQM) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Moreover, the paper considers the implications of these similarities and differences for the future development of TQM and CSR.

This paper is a structured discourse analysis which is used to systematically explore these two discursive subjects. Both concepts encompass discursive ideas and practices.

The findings in the paper suggest that the two concepts share similar philosophical roots, that there is a substantial overlap between the elements of the two concepts, and that the ultimate expected outcome shows significant similarities. Despite these similarities, however, implementation of TQM will not necessarily result in CSR.

In this paper the findings lead to the conclusion that it is important to recognise the specific needs of CSR and include them as an implicit part of TQM. This conclusion has an important practical and descriptive theoretical implication and the extent to which CSR is diffused as a part of TQM depends on it.

The paper highlights the need for the development of a descriptive theory, that is to say, the identification of the mechanism(s) through which elements of CSR could be developed and implemented alongside that of TQM.

The paper sees that the question of the intersection between CSR and TQM has attracted the interest of other researchers. The majority of the previous work is normative. The contribution to this developing literature is made by adopting a systematic discursive approach using philosophy, elements of TQM/CSR process and outcomes as the framework for the analysis.

The issue of quality remains an integral feature of the discourse on small firm development. Unfortunately, two potentially conflicting approaches to this issue are evident. There is the essentially prescriptive “consultancy” school which often provides technical solutions uninformed by social processes inherent in the operationalisation of quality. In virtual opposition are more academic and abstract accounts that illuminate the ideological context of quality. Though not without use to practitioners, the implications for entrepreneurs seeking improved ways of working are rarely developed in this approach. The paper weaves a path through these ostensibly oppositional tendencies by explicating the processes involved in implementing a quality management system in the first author’s own organisation, Air Technology Systems (ATS). This case study is based on a collaboration between a small firm owner intent on continuous improvement and an academic institution (the base of the second author) aiming to assist in organisational development. Following an action research approach, the cross‐over between the domains of the “practitioner” and “academic” are illustrated and their contribution to enterprise development demonstrated. What becomes clear is that a systematic approach to the implementation of quality is possible. This involves developing quality recipes organically rather than imposing them from “expert” interventions. Insights from critical treatments of the subject can be drawn on to reinforce the human and social processes central to the implementation of quality systems. However, the nature of work relations is ultimately key to the operationalisation of quality.

For many small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), quality systems, and ISO 9000 (BS EN, ISO 9000‐1, 1994) in particular, are a fact of life. Quality systems are seen as a necessary qualification for trading in certain markets. This can encourage businesses to think of quality only in terms of the cheapest way to obtain a certificate, thereby failing to appreciate the organisational benefits which could be obtained if more resources were applied to the development of effective quality systems. The use of quality consultants is widespread as a means of implementing ISO 9000. The selection and use of consultants can have a major influence on the commercial impact of quality systems developed through their work. Clients do not always appreciate differences between consultants, who all promise registration. As a consequence, a client often places its trust in the cheapest consultant, the first one to come along, or a friend. This paper, which is based on a survey of SMEs registered to ISO 9000, and will be presented at the Small Business and Enterprise Development Conference, 22nd and 23rd March, 1999, explores clients’ perceptions of value through the development of a model of client‐consultant relationships. It is argued that both clients and consultants need to have awareness of these perceptions at different project stages in order to realise the benefits of consultancy relationships. Clients’ perceptions of value are identified in both the experience of the consultancy relationships as well as the outputs. By viewing client‐consultant relationship development as a process, key activities within a project can be investigated, such as initial contracting and ultimate project outputs. The paper concludes that ISO 9000 can act as a bureaucratic constraint on improvement activities, but can also provide an opportunity to develop structures and processes that help to achieve improvements in a controlled manner. It is argued that the achievement of third‐party registration is largely irrelevant to the effectiveness of a quality system in bringing about improvements, although the prospect of registration is often a necessary driver towards instigating a system. It is shown that quality consultancy relationships are perceived by clients as having widely differing outcomes. These can be both favourable and unfavourable, whilst still meeting the objective of registration.

The purpose of this paper is to explore and identify the areas in common between strategic quality management (SQM) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) from the literature. Studying these areas is important to develop any further connection between SQM and CSR because of both the potential for benefit to organisations and society, and in order to minimise resources needed for effective action by capitalising on synergies.

Literature review covering a broad range of publications that addresses the synergies of quality management and CSR to identify areas of commonality and thus simplify CSR implementation.

Identification of opportunities for knowledge transfer between SQM and CSR.

Synergies between SQM and CSR may offer attractive opportunities to capitalise on prior actions and learning, to enhance the value added to an organisation and the society in which it operates.

This evaluation is a part of a more in-depth research study investigating the relationship between and integration of SQM and CSR, and its application in specific contexts.

This paper aims to present a review of extant literature representing attempts to define perceived quality and to propose a new definition. Perceived quality (PQ) is a well-researched, yet vaguely defined subject. Despite a plethora of PQ definitions suggested by various scholars, there is no consensus among researchers on what it really is. The main purpose of this study is to offer a conceptualization of PQ that different researchers and practitioners would agree upon.

This study adopted Garvin's five approaches to defining quality as a frame of reference. The paper utilizes a continuum of approaches to underscore the fact that PQ is neither totally subjective nor wholly objective. After a comprehensive analysis of available conceptualizations, the paper then proposes a new definition that captures the intricate nature of PQ and aligns its various perspectives.

The paper proposes a new definition of PQ as an impression of quality. Such a conceptualization of PQ aligns the various researcher perspectives of it. It also highlights the fact that PQ relies on quality cues under conditions of limited product knowledge by the consumer, a situation known as information asymmetry.

The study contributes to the understanding of the elusive concept of PQ by suggesting a new definition of PQ.

The design and administration of payment schemes present difficult problems for many large manufacturing organisations. These problems have been compounded in recent years by external factors such as unfavourable economic circumstances, high inflation rates and the constraints of government legislation and pay guidelines. It appears, however, that relatively little effort has been devoted by companies to assessing the effectiveness of their payment systems in the face of these pressures. This article is intended as a contribution to the development of appropriate methods of assessment which could be applied within organisations, using commonly available accounting and performance data.

The literature contends that the lack of strategic business planning is a major drawback in the implementation of business process initiatives such as total quality management. In addition, it is evident that strategic planning firms achieve better performance than other firms. However, strategic planning often fails due to problems or barriers encountered at the implementation stage. It is unclear from the limited research carried out to date what actions, if any, firms can take to minimise or eliminate these barriers. This paper examines the concept of strategic planning and identifies the barriers to its implementation. It considers the suitability of formal strategic planning as the key to eliminating or reducing implementation barriers by comparing the extent to which the barriers are experienced in formal and non‐formal planning firms. The paper also examines the extent to which the barriers are experienced by high and low performing firms.

Most organizations recognize that total quality management (TQM) is important but many do not know where to begin or how to sustain it in the long run. There are many examples of organizations that have successfully implemented quality management but there are also as many organizations that have failed in their implementations and perhaps many more that hesitate to embark on the quality journey. In fact, the growth and adoption of TQM in companies have to be facilitated increasingly by national governments. National governments are increasingly playing an active role in promoting and encouraging organizations to embrace TQM practices. Many countries have established national quality awards or business excellence awards to recognize deserving companies. Presents an excellence model for implementing and sustaining business excellence through a structured approach in implementing some of the best practices in TQM found in national quality award winners. Hopes that such a model would guide aspiring organizations in their quality journey. Develops the model using a case study approach on four past winners of the Singapore Quality Award.

To present the main findings of a comparative study conducted in two selected Chinese cities – Hong Kong and Shanghai – on identifying and prioritising the strategy determinants and choices that govern how manufacturing enterprises compete.

Attempts to acquire practitioners' views on strategy formulation efforts, strategy determinants and reactive versus proactive strategy choices in manufacturing enterprises.

Based on the responses obtained from 232 Hong Kong and 85 Shanghai firms, it was found that the majority of respondents considered marketing strengths to be the most important strategy determinant, followed by corporate, operational and technology strengths. Product/service quality and company's reputation were the two leading strategy components that would help gain, attract and retain customers. Many respondents also stressed the importance of management commitment, controlling costs of production/operations, and R&D and innovation capabilities. Despite some exceptions, the hypothesis‐testing results verified that there has been a positive causal relationship between the four strategy determinants and the adoption of reactive and proactive strategies.

By complementing the literature base, the study provides some empirical evidence on identifying and prioritising the strategy determinants and choices for manufacturing business operations in the context of Chinese cities. It also provides a reference for future work in developing strategy‐related paradigms for attaining business excellence in manufacturing enterprises.

It is often claimed that existing quality models can represent the development of total quality management (TQM) within organisations. However, the more recent emergence of critical perspective literature in this area has shown that these models lack both a strategic formulation influence and a dynamic influence for TQM in organisations. Seeks to combine these influences and to evaluate the role of the strategic dynamics of TQM within organisations. Thus, primarily aims to evaluate the strategic dynamics of TQM within case study organisations using an appropriate evaluative framework. A secondary aim is to perform a meta‐evaluation of this framework. The evaluative framework used for the study is Leonard’s grounded theory framework for TQM strategic dynamics. The model was applied to 57 case studies where a cross case analysis was used to guide the analysis. The findings show that the dynamics of TQM are much more complex and recursive than those shown by current models. Furthermore, the main influence of TQM in the cases was found to be at a tactical level and operational level. Those organisations, which applied TQM at a strategic level, were found to have robust TQM programmes with greater longevity, by using frequent regenerative approaches.