There is a considerable number of publications that is focused in the link
between quality management and organizational performance. However, the analysis of the direct effects and results of the quality management principles and
practices in Portuguese organizations quality performance is an innovative issue.
The American Society
for Quality (ASQ) research entitled “The Global
State of Quality Research Overview” (2013) highlight the best quality management organizational structure which includes the quality management principles and practices that lead to a maximization of the organization results.
From the ASQ study, explanatory key factors, which are extensively being used during the whole research and which are highly related to the variability in the application of principles and practices, were established. 1) There are significant differences in the use and application of quality management and practices in organizations from the industry sector as well as in organizations from the service sector. 2) There is a general idea that the organizations of higher dimension tend to use more mature quality practices. Although this idea is appropriate for various practices, in general, the dimension of the organization has less impact than the organization activity sector concerning the application of mature quality practices. 3) There is no relevant indication that the use of quality principles and practices differs per region, generally. Some variations do exist, but normally they are related to the dimension, sector or other unidentified factors. (ASQ, 2013).
From the ASQ study, explanatory key factors, which are extensively being used during the whole research and which are highly related to the variability in the application of principles and practices, were established. 1) There are significant differences in the use and application of quality management and practices in organizations from the industry sector as well as in organizations from the service sector. 2) There is a general idea that the organizations of higher dimension tend to use more mature quality practices. Although this idea is appropriate for various practices, in general, the dimension of the organization has less impact than the organization activity sector concerning the application of mature quality practices. 3) There is no relevant indication that the use of quality principles and practices differs per region, generally. Some variations do exist, but normally they are related to the dimension, sector or other unidentified factors. (ASQ, 2013).
Hence, the aim of this research is to develop a conceptual
model that reflects the relationship between the implementation of quality management principels and practices (QMPPs) and impact on the organizations quality
performance.
Based on the
literature review carried out, we have identified the most common and
used QMPPs and then proposed a conceptual model that relates those QMPPs with the
companies’ quality performance. In order to validate these QMPPs and
consequently the conceptual model developed, we conducted several
semi-structured interviews with the Portuguese Quality Leaders. Figure 1 presents the conceptual model developed.
Figure 1 - Conceptual Model:
Relationship between QMPPs and their impact in organizations quality performance.
The goal of this research is to analyze if the implementation of QMPPs results in an improvement of companies´
quality performance.
Our final conceptual model will be statistically validated based on a
survey that will be sent to the Portuguese companies. The structural equation
modeling (SEM) technique will be used for statistical validation.
This
work will not only contribute to bridge the gap, that is reflected
in open literature, but it will also provide to the quality professionals an
approach to an efficient quality management implementation in the
organizations. It may also be used by researchers to develop the quality
management theory.
Síria Barros
PhD Student
Research Group in Quality and Excellence University of Minho
