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To provide insights into current IT and total quality management (TQM) theory and practice on operational and quality performance, in particular the use of IT in supporting TQM policies and practices.

Hypotheses derived from the key features of TQM and IT presented by previous authors are tested using structural equation modelling through field research on a sample of 234 manufacturing companies in Spain.

The results indicate that the sampled firms make considerable use of IT to support their TQM initiatives and that overall such efforts generate significant positive gains on operational and quality performance. The few exceptions to this are noted and discussed.

The implications and limitations of the survey together with suggestions for further research are fully discussed.

A survey of IT in support of TQM initiatives on operational and quality performance in manufacturing suggests how firms and other organisations should focus their IT investments to improve performance.

Both information technology and TQM have had, and continue to have, a significant impact on most organizations. Although each paradigm has been widely researched there is little empirical research on the relationship between the two and how they both relate to business performance.

Businesses face increasing competition in local, international and global markets where responsiveness to changes within these markets is the key to success and survival. Consequently business strategies need to be consistently re‐defined to effectively reflect the different requirements of customers and to respond to changes in the business environment. The process of generating strategies is not always a simple decision‐making task and revised business and corporate strategies are often generated without considering the structure of the business, particularly at operational level. Furthermore, there is considerable vagueness in the literature and in practice about what constitutes strategy management. This paper reviews the diverse literature in strategy management and presents a business process model of the strategy generation process to ensure consistent generation and communication of strategy throughout an organisation. The performance of a business strategy can then be measured against a model of initial alignment and effective implementation.

This monograph progresses from a consideration of definitional issues to the development of a conceptual model for marketing‐logistics interaction and finally to a discussion of the issues of implementation of the model within the context of marketing strategy. Thus, following an introduction, Part II begins with definition of the field and examines the position of physical distribution in relation to marketing. Part III discusses the relationship of physical distribution and macro‐marketing, and is thus concerned about the social, aggregative goals of logistics systems, including the costs of distribution. Part IV continues this argument, examining specifically the influence of physical distribution on channel structure. Part V then focuses on the assumptions underlying the customer service function, asking how physical distribution can influence final demand in the market place. Part VI presents a conceptual model of marketing‐logistics demand stimulation. The operational issues concerned with its implementation are shown in Part VII; and a summary of the relevant points is presented in Part VIII. The concern has been not with presenting either new computational models nor empirical data but with presenting a new perspective on the marketing‐logistics interface. There is a need to reduce the barriers between these fields and to present more useful ways for co‐operation.

Many companies are taking a process view as a result of business‐process re‐engineering exercises, statutory compliance (e.g. Securities and Futures Authority), reaction to market forces (e.g. to achieve accreditation under ISO9001:2000 or BS5750) and the promotion of integrated computer and information systems (e.g. computer integrated manufacture). This means questioning the way in which companies operate and has implications for management. Business process modelling (BPM) and business‐process simulation (BPS) help to facilitate process thinking. BPM provides management with a static structured approach to business improvement, providing a “holistic” perspective on how the business operates, and provides a means of documenting the business processes while BPS allows management to study the dynamics of the business and consider the effects of changes without risk. There are a number of BPM and BPS methodologies, approaches and tools available, each of which may be applicable to different circumstances. This paper briefly reviews the diverse literature in relation to manufacturing management. Evidence from the literature indicates that few tools are available for supporting manufacturing‐business‐process‐management and that, except for a few small‐scale processes, BPS implementations in manufacturing have had limited success. This paper identifies the reasons for this and suggests a practical way forward until hardware and software limitations are overcome.

Many organisations, particularly SMEs, are reluctant to invest time and money in models to support decision making. Such reluctance could be overcome if a model could be used for several purposes rather than using a traditional “single perspective” model. This requires the development of a “general enterprise model” (GEM), which can be applied to a wide range of problem domains with unlimited scope. Current enterprise modelling frameworks only deal effectively with non‐dynamic modelling issues whilst dynamic modelling issues have traditionally only been addressed at the operational level. Although the majority of research in this area relates to manufacturing companies, the framework for a GEM must be equally applicable to service and public sector organisations. This paper identifies five key design issues that need to be considered when constructing a GEM. A framework for such a GEM is presented based on a “plug and play” methodology and demonstrated by a simple case study.

Many studies claim that the implementation of quality management practices and specific information systems can help organizations to improve performance. The objective of this article is to provide insights into current quality management and information systems theory and practice in the purchasing function and their impact on purchasing performance.

Hypotheses derived from the key features of quality management practices in purchasing (QMPP) and related information systems (IS) practices presented by previous authors are tested using Structural Equation Modelling through field research on a sample of 306 manufacturing companies in Spain.

Findings from this study indicate that there is significant evidence to support the hypothesized model in which QMPP has a direct impact on related IS practices and purchasing performance, as well as an indirect impact on purchasing performance mediated through IS.

Use of a single key informant is a possible limitation as opposed to information directly obtained from actual suppliers and internal customers. Also a more stringent test of the relationship between QMPP, IS and purchasing performance requires a more protracted time‐span rather than a singlular point in time. Finally, future research could include SRM, ERP, MRP, etc. in the purchasing department

A survey of QMPP and IS practices in manufacturing suggests how firms and other organisations should focus their investments to improve purchasing performance.

While many researchers have studied information systems and total quality management operations strategies individually, the relationship between the adoption of quality management practices in purchasing and purchasing‐related information systems and QMPP's effect on purchasing performance has not yet been analyzed.

To start a new venture is indeed a risky and costly undertaking. The odds are against successfully creating something new whether it be a new system, a new product, a new organisational structure, or an entirely new company. The probability for success in new venture creation can be significantly increased and the corresponding risks of failure reduced when the information on the intentions, actions, and potential reactions of the environment are systematically considered in each strategic decision.

The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate and compare the moderating effects of the two basic business process change paradigms – business process reengineering (BPR) and total quality management (TQM) – on the business value generated for firms by their information and communication technologies (ICT) investment.

Using data collected through a survey of 271 Greek firms, moderated regression models founded on the Cobb‐Douglas production function are estimated, which have as the dependent variable the firm value added (objective measure of business performance), and as independent variables the yearly labour expenses, the value of the non‐computer capital, the value of the computer capital and BPR (TQM) measures.

From the above models it is concluded that both BPR and TQM have considerable positive moderating effects of a similar magnitude on the relationship between ICT investment and firm value added. Also, different BPR and TQM activities have different moderating effects on ICT business value; process simplification, process improvement and the creation of a horizontal interdepartmental process are the BPR activities with the largest moderating effects, while measurement of employee satisfaction and simplification of work methods for quality improvement are the TQM activities with the largest moderating effects.

The basic limitation of this study is that it is based on data from Greek firms. Another limitation is that only one business performance measure, although quite important and theoretically fundamental (i.e. firm value added), is used.

Both BPR and TQM are important ICT “complementary factors”, which, if combined with ICT, can increase the business value it generates. Therefore ICT should not be used simply as a tool for automating existing business processes, but for creating and supporting new business processes and practices, such BPR and TQM.

This study investigates and compares the moderating effects of the two main business process paradigms – BPR and TQM – based on reliable measurement of both through validated multi‐item scales, and also on theoretically sound models, founded on the Cobb‐Douglas production function.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate into the usage of information technology (IT) to support the various quality management (QM) processes through empirical analysis.

This research has analysed in depth the data collected through questionnaire survey consisting of 180 ISO 9001:2000 certified organisations, so as to assess the impact of IT on the various QM dimensions. Factor analysis and other statistical analyses were carried out using the SPSS software.

It was found that IT does actually have a substantial impact on QM. Subsequently other analysis was conducted to understand better how IT actually impacts on QM and to investigate the situation in Mauritius through a comparative study, such as between manufacturing and services firms, among others.

There is scope to assess in more depth the impact of IT on QM by conducting case studies, in support of this empirical study and there is scope also to go more in depth in this research by analysing the usage of IT in specific QM tasks and IT applications.

This research has empirically demonstrated the impact of IT on the different QM processes; it is thus hoped that it will contribute by increasing awareness of the actual importance of IT in the success of QM initiatives and encourage intelligent investment in IT which is geared towards effective use in supporting QM processes.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between the extent of adoption of TQM, using Kaynak’s (2003) core TQM practices (quality data and reporting, supplier quality management, product/service design, process management) model and competitive advantage. In addition, the study examines the antecedent role of organisational-related factors (intensity of market competition, information technology (IT), expert systems and the supplier evaluation programme) in respect to the extent of adoption of TQM.

A survey was conducted of 673 business units of garment organisations in a developing country, Bangladesh.

The findings indicate that the extent of adoption of TQM practices was positively associated with competitive advantage. In addition, two organisational-related factors (intensity of market competition and IT) were positively associated with the extent of adoption of TQM.

The findings provide an insight into the ability of TQM to facilitate competitive advantage in developing countries. Practitioners are also provided with an insight into which organisational factors facilitate the adoption of TQM practices.

The findings provide an important insight into the use and value of TQM practices in developing countries.