Total quality management and theory: An exploratory study of contribution

This paper explores the position of total quality management (TQM) with respect to theory. Amongst the findings of this exploratory examination is that: TQM is still in the early stage of theory development; TQM tends to be viewed as part of operations management rather than an academic subject in its own right, but this is changing and TQM is becoming established as an independent discipline; and that the works of international quality management experts such as Crosby, Deming, Feigenbaum and Juran have provided the baseline for the advancement of TQM theory through areas such as management by fact, customer focus, process orientation and teamwork. It is also pointed out that to extend the scope of TQM theory it is necessary to incorporate appropriate management theories into its development and that much remains to be done for TQM to reach the stage of 'refine/extend' in the theory building process. The paper also argues that TQM has made a contribution to management theory and some of the developments in this area are pointed out.