Testing the readiness of an organisational culture profile to a TQM implementation

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to apply an existing theoretical model of organisational culture contextualised for total quality management (TQM) as a means of assessing the readiness for implementing TQM in the workplace. The “Amalgamated Model” is a hybrid that encapsulates organisational culture traits and their relative contribution as indictors of effective TQM implementation.

Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire that would test the theoretical model was devised and administered to a sample population in a production facility located in Central Europe, Organisation X.

Findings: A profile of the organisation was derived which revealed the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation in relation to the cultural traits of the theoretical model.

Research limitations/implications: The research population comprised management/supervisory staff only and thus provides a partial view of Organisation X.

Practical implications: For practitioners, particularly those who specialise in quality management, the practical implications of this research are twofold: first, it provides insights into aspects of organisational culture and TQM implementation; and second, it demonstrates how a theoretical framework may be applied in the workplace to assess readiness for TQM implementation.

Originality/value: This research contributes to the subject area body of knowledge by applying a recent theoretical model to assess readiness for implementing TQM.