The role of strategic planning in implementing a total quality management framework: An empirical view

摘要

Purpose:To examine the significant role of strategic planning as an important dimension for successful implementation of total quality management.Summary:Total quality management (TQM) is implemented by organizations with an aim to satisfy customer requirements, remain competitive and hence achieve business excellence. There is a well-established framework for implementing TQM philosophy that contains fourteen dimensions. Out of these fourteen dimensions, six are termed primary dimensions and the remaining eight are grouped as supportive dimensions. Strategic planning is one of the primary dimensions of TQM. Changing needs of customers and variations in market demands force TQM to evolve over years. This has resulted in varying levels of importance of these dimensions. Motivated by this, the article studies empirically the significant role played by strategic planning in the successful implementation of TQM. A questionnaire survey is conducted among the members of eight South African Air Force bases that apply TQM. The survey data are statistically analysed and it is observed that strategic planning is extremely important and is an influential dimension to implement TQM successfully. Based on this, useful indicators are also suggested for managers on how to use strategic planning to improve and ensure successful TQM implementation.Results:In order to be successful in today's competitive market place, organizations throughout the world have gained increased awareness of the importance of adopting and specializing in the total quality management (TQM) philosophy. TQM enables organizations to achieve competitive, sustainable excellence while improving their productivity and profitability initiatives, building organizational capabilities with high product quality performance standards, and meeting service delivery objectives that satisfy customer requirements.