The relationship of performance with soft factors and quality improvement

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine the influence of soft factors of quality management on firm performance, and analyse the link between quality improvement practice and firm performance. The study used data from 255 electrical and electronics (E&E) firms in Malaysia and it developed regression and correlation analysis to test these relationships. The findings showed that the following soft factors have significant influence on firm performance: management commitment, customer focus and employee involvement. Finally, this study has empirically shown that firm performance will increase when the organisations implement more quality improvement practices. The results of this study may be used by managers to prioritise the implementation of the soft factors in order to allocate resources to improve firm performance.

Liderança e gestão da qualidade – um estudo correlacional entre estilos de liderança e princípios da gestão da qualidade

“…For the authors, such results confirm the impact of hard elements on the organization's performance is less significant than the impact of soft elements (Fotopoulos & Psomas, 2009). Abdullah et al (2009), analyzing dates from 255 Malaysia companies, found that some soft factors of quality management had significant influence on companies performance, as management commitment, customer focus and employee involvement. Also Prajogo (2005) demonstrated that the adoption of quality management principles for service and manufacturing companies significantly promoted a product quality improvement in terms of reliability, performance, duration and requirements conformity.…”

Total quality management practices, competitive strategies and financial performance: the case of the Palestinian industrial SMEs

“…For TQM implementation, literature classified TQM practices in two groups: soft and hard TQM practices (Abdullah et al 2009;Green,2012;Fotopoulos and Psomas, 2009;Ho et al, 2001;Hoang et al, 2010;Ingelsson et al, 2012 ;Leavengood et al, 2012;Rahman and Bullock, 2005). Soft TQM practices are related to human aspects and associated with management concepts and principles (Dahlgaard-Park, 2012;Leavengood et al, 2012;Vouzas and Psychogios, 2007).…”

“…Based on the literature review (Abdullah et al 2009;Fotopoulos and Psomas, 2009;Ho et al, 2001;Hoang et al, 2010;Kaynak and Hartley, 2008;Leavengood et al, 2012;Powell, 1995;Rahman and Bullock, 2005;Saraph et al,1989;Vouzas and Psychogios, 2007), eight practices have been identified as critical for the successful TQM implementation in the Palestinian industrial SMEs: management leadership, customer focus, training, employee relations, quality data and reporting, supplier management, product and service design, and process management.…”

A new perspective to productivity measurement

“…Irrespective of the absence of productivity measurement models which critically show the availability of ineffective inputs, there are enormous studies related to measuring the costs associated with ineffective inputs and investments made for preventing their existence (Abdullah, Uli, & Tarí, 2009;Freiesleben, 2005;Jurison, 1997;Schiffauerova & Thomson, 2006;Westlund & Lothgren, 2001). For example, Freiesleben (2005) developed an analytical model to show the expanding nature of ineffective inputs when products are progressing through subsequent stages.…”