Total quality management (TQM) implementation in automotive industry: a case study of selected firms in India

Abstract

i newlineAbstract Total Quality Management (TQM) has become a frequently used term in discussions concerning quality. The international and national competitive environment is in a process of constant change by the globalization of markets and the increased interdependence of economic agents. This process of change has brought increased demands on the organizations competitiveness and customers have gained a central role in the organizations focus. TQM is considered to be an important management philosophy, which supports the organizations in their effort to obtain satisfied customers. However, there exist extensive numbers of examples of failed or badly performed implementation process of TQM. This is a problematic phenomenon, which negatively affects organizations in their development towards business excellence and ultimately survival in a competitive environment. Furthermore, diversity among researchers exists regarding the actual benefits of TQM. The issues regarding the critical success and barrier factors of TQM implementation, when considering the incentives for the large organizational change a TQM implementation implies, is important. The developments related to Indian companies, concerning quality of products and services, need to be examined on a comparative global scale. It is, therefore, imperative for the Indian automobile sector to understand and analyze the complex interactions and the dynamics of factors affecting TQM, and factors which are the outcome of TQM over a longer time horizon. This will allow India to evolve a development plan through the integration of all the identified dominant factors interacting or being acted on. The present research focused on assessing TQM implementation initiatives in selected Indian automotive industries to explain and identify similarities and differences in the implementation approach, benefits achieved, critical success and barrier factors of TQM implementation.