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Explores the impact of cross‐cultural differences on the facilitating effects of corporate culture on the implementation of total quality management (TQM). Measures corporate culture using the competing values model pioneered by Quinn and Rohrbaugh. Measures implementation levels of TQM using a questionnaire developed at the University of Missouri‐Rolla by Wu. Applies these measures to 133 manufacturing companies in the USA, Switzerland and South Africa to investigate the relationship between corporate cultures and the implementation of TQM. Using canonical correlation analysis on the two variable sets (corporate culture and TQM), identifies the relationships between corporate culture and TQM for each region. The results show that, in each region, several distinct relationships between the dimensions of TQM implementation and corporate culture exist. Also determines that the relationships differ between the regions, implying that the application of TQM should take into account ethnological cultures. Makes conclusions and recommendations for management action.