The extant literature highlights the notable lack of a consensus among operations and supply chain management scholars regarding the theoretical underpinnings and associated empirical evidence for the performance impact of supply chain quality management (SCQM) practices on quality. The aim of this study is to redress this imbalance in the literature through empirical examination of the relationship between SCQM practices and quality performance outcomes. Design/methodology/approach In accordance with the research aim, a quantitative approach was adopted, and a multi-item scale web-based survey was designed to collect primary data. A total number of 325 questionnaires were collected from a sample of UK-based manufacturing companies. Factor analysis, internal consistency and multivariate regressions were employed to validate the multi-item scale and test the hypotheses. Findings The findings confirm the proposed hypotheses and reveal statistically significant results for the performance impact of SCQM practices on quality at an aggregate level. However, the results of the individual level analysis of SCQM practices appear to vary from practice to practice. Of various SCQM practices, customer focus with the highest beta value (i.e. β= 0.303; t-value= 6.120; p=0.000) was found to have the greatest impact on quality performance. Practical implications The findings encourage managers to place high priority on both inter-firm and intra-firm relationships as prerequisites for achieving superior quality performance. The propositions and the results of the study provide managers with some guidelines about effective management of upstream, midstream and downstream supply chain networks and awareness of the potential synergies arising from the combined effects of SCQM practices that could bring about desired quality performance outcomes across the entire supply chain network. Originality/value Real and sustainable quality performance often requires an equal focus on both intra-and inter-firm relationships among supply chain partners. So effective management of quality across the entire supply chain is deemed essential if a 2 firm is to smoothly supply high quality products and services to customers. But, little research has been devoted to understanding conceptual underpinnings of SCQM as well as empirical support and validation for the conceptualisation and measurement of SCQM practices. Based on the insights gained from social network theory (SNT), this paper makes an attempt to address this gap and examine the impact of SCQM practices on quality performance.

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The present paper lays the foundations for the best practices in knowledge management and investigates the degree of awareness and implementation of KM principles and practices in Indian information technology (IT) companies. A purposive sample of 10 IT companies in North India was chosen for study and a survey was conducted with the objective of investigating the degree of awareness and implementation strategies of knowledge management. The present research work is based on secondary data obtained from 10 IT companies. The various phases of knowledge management (knowledge generation, knowledge codification, and knowledge transfer and knowledge application) were taken into account and data were interpreted on the basis of weighted scores for each parameter at each phase. Final conclusions were drawn on the basis of the Knowledge Management Index. The interpretation of data revealed that the Knowledge Management Index (KMI) for awareness and commitment is very high as per the pre-defined rating scale but the involvement of top management in allocating the necessary resource flow to initiate and sustain knowledge management practice is needed. It was very clear that though people are aware of the importance of documentation and it is being prepared to some extent, a lot needs to be done in this field. Only very critical information is documented and maintained in archives, whereas general information (which forms 30% -40% of daily work input) is not documented. The common perception was that there should be a mechanism through which the ideas of engineers/programmers can be implemented since the company can gain only if ideas are translated into tangible benefits. The Knowledge Management Index for awareness of intellectual property in IT companies was found to be too low, which is an area of concern, but the same was high for information technology. It was also revealed that HR professionals have to realise that true competitive advantage lies in the people and the best HR practices should be aligned to strengthen knowledge management.

Using a survey, this paper provides information about the current state of performance management (appraisal) from a sample of UK-based EFQM-affiliated organizations. It particularly focuses on several critical issues of performance management in the context of TQM including: the effectiveness of TQM programmes; the rationale for performance management; degree of internal consistency between TQM assumptions and performance management systems; and the relationship among performance management, effectiveness of TQM programmes, employee satisfaction and overall organization performance. Although the fundamental precepts advocated by founders of TQM appear to be in conflict with performance management practices, however, the article argues that, rather than being contradictory, both can add value to the operations of the other in the interest of the organization as a whole. More precisely, the paper explains how a successful TQM strategy requires a rethinking and changing the organization's performance management system, otherwise it is highly likely to result in a disaster. To conclude, the survey evidence is used, combined with previous literature, to discuss the implications of these results for designing a contextually appropriate performance management for TQM and in the interest of the future research on TQM and HRM.