2012 Perception of Leadership Issues Involved in the Implementation of Total Quality Management by Leaders of Business and Academe in Saudi Arabia Ali Aljodea West Virginia Universit
“Globalization and Quality” has become a slogan for everyone seeking to survive (Ehigie
& McAndrew, 2005) The concept in today’s era of competition, “Globalization and Total
Total Quality Management (TQM) has elevated organizational standards and productivity in today’s competitive landscape and has reshaped workplace culture over the past few decades The core principles of TQM cluster into three elements: a guiding philosophy focused on customer satisfaction, the active participation of all people involved in the process, and the tools to collect, measure, and analyze performance data For these principles to translate into real results, leadership must consistently champion customer satisfaction as the paramount goal, drive a systematic program of continuous improvement, and articulate a clear vision that empowers employees to work toward shared objectives It also requires training in group processes, quality assessment, and measurement, as well as an open environment that supports change and learning By embedding these elements, organizations can align leadership, people, and processes toward higher quality outputs and sustained performance.
Total quality management (TQM) is a philosophy and process used in both business organizations and higher education institutions (Deming, 1986; Seymour & Collett, 1991) The specific methods of implementation, however, differ across organization types, reflecting each group's unique characteristics This variation in methodology arises from differences in purpose, culture, structure, and processes, which shape how TQM is adopted and practiced in any given setting.
According to Seymour (1993a), successful total quality management (TQM) leadership strategies are culture-dependent, meaning a TQM approach that works in one cultural setting may not succeed in another As a Saudi Arabian student, I set out to study TQM strategies within two of the country’s leading institutions—Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and King Saud University (KSU)—spanning the industrial and educational sectors The aim is to understand how cultural context shapes the adoption and effectiveness of TQM practices in Saudi Arabia’s top industry and academia.
Total Quality Management (TQM) is a continuous-improvement process that drives performance for a business or educational institution under strong leadership and a collaborative workforce By implementing TQM, organizations commit to delivering high-quality education and excellent customer service to students and parents, while also fostering a positive working environment that supports and motivates employees.
Effective implementation of TQM, as argued by its advocates, can improve organizational performance and effectiveness, boost productivity, reduce operating costs and errors, and ensure future survival (Crosby, 2004, pp 15-48)
Change agents implementing Total Quality Management (TQM) must recognize that business organizations and higher education institutions differ markedly, and they should tailor facilitation methods to the distinctive characteristics of the organization under change The required leadership approach will also vary with culture and work environment, so multiple leadership strategies may be necessary to support successful TQM adoption (Tukiainen, 2001).
Implementing Total Quality Management (TQM) in industrial and higher education settings requires active, long‑term leadership commitment to overcome resistance and sustain a strategic reorientation The literature shows that organizational change cannot occur without a particular type of executive leadership, making leadership a critical driver of change (Burns, 1978; Cameron & Ulrich, 1986; Tichy & Devanna, 1986) Building on this view, Tushman and Nadler (1978) argue that effective change hinges on the capabilities and commitment of top leaders.
A key challenge in implementing Total Quality Management (TQM) is the lack of strong leadership, while organizational culture, insufficient employee empowerment, and uncommitted top management also hinder TQM adoption in organizations (Kravchuk & Leighton, 1993, pp 70-72; Milakovich, 1990).
Bateman and Roberts (1992) contend that TQM initiatives frequently fail in the corporate world because of faulty implementation Similarly, research indicates that improving the quality of education in universities and colleges hinges on strong leadership—leaders who actively champion quality, align objectives with improvement strategies, and ensure the effective execution of these initiatives.
(executive officers, presidents, vice-presidents, deans, heads of departments) adopt certain leadership strategies to implement total quality management in the educational structure
Successful implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) hinges on introducing new processes such as continuous improvement techniques (Carr & Littman, 1990), a systems appreciation (Deming, 1986), and statistical process control (Rosander) These elements together create a framework for ongoing quality enhancement by reducing variation, enabling data‑driven decisions, and ensuring operations align with customer needs When embedded into daily practice, these processes support iterative learning and systematic process monitoring, driving sustained long‑term performance gains.
1989), it is also important to understand the role of leaders and managers For example, their complete attention and involvement in the success of total quality management implementation efforts is viewed as one of the fundamental keys to its success (Reeg, 1992) Nowlin and
Hickock (1992) described concerns in many companies involved with TQM regarding the cost associated with poor quality, including what they believed to be the sum cost of a lack of ability in leadership roles While acknowledging management commitment as a fundamental requirement for initiating any effort or program, Swords (1992) emphasized that genuine leadership is needed to make quality efforts successful
According to Al-Qahtani (1993), research shows that the implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) can boost institutional performance in select Saudi industrial and educational sectors The study aimed to analyze TQM implementation strategies and leadership roles across two distinct organizational settings in Saudi Arabia: educational institutions, represented by King Saud University, and industrial institutions, represented by SABIC The findings indicate that effective TQM adoption, guided by strategic implementation and strong leadership, is associated with improved performance in these sectors.
Many bureaucratic organizations in developing countries have lost the will to change, but continuous improvement through Total Quality Management (TQM) remains the crucial path to future survival Adopting TQM is seen as the best way to raise quality and respond to public demands by enabling ongoing adaptation In the Saudi public sector, there is cautious experimentation with various TQM programs as organizations seek to embed continuous change and strengthen their performance for the next century.
Because each institution differs in its culture and work environment, every setting presents its own hurdles The question then becomes how to overcome these obstacles in a way that fits the local context The answer lies in diagnosing the unique environment, engaging stakeholders early, and designing practical, context-sensitive strategies This typically includes a clear change-management plan, targeted training, transparent communication, and robust support systems By prioritizing cultural sensitivity, defining measurable goals, and using data to guide iterations, organizations can bridge gaps between policy and practice, accelerate adoption across departments, and sustain improvements over time.
Hurdles to implementing Total Quality Management (TQM) in educational settings must be addressed, and no strategy can fully eliminate them, because these obstacles affect the quality of higher education The issue relates to how well higher education is delivered, making effective management vital for improving institutional performance and productivity, a view supported by Wageman.
TQM in the Saudi Context
inclusive, organization-wide efforts on one hand, to the smaller, focused ones on the other Some TQM programs are based on management-oriented quality constructs like the program by
Deming (1986) stressed that management commitment, organizational structure and strategy, training, problem identification, measurement, and a culture that supports quality are foundational to Total Quality Management (TQM) Definitions of TQM vary: some view it as conformance to customer requirements (Crosby, 1998), others frame it in economic terms (Taguchi, 1986), and still others see it as an enterprise-wide initiative (Feigenbaum, 1991; Ishikawa, 1982) Some perspectives focus on statistical control methods (Juran, 1992) The variety of TQM philosophies is further complicated by differing notions of quality itself: Crosby emphasizes conformance to specifications, Deming emphasizes meeting and exceeding customer expectations, Feigenbaum focuses on variance control, Deming links quality to the value of excellence and worth, and Juran concentrates on quality processes Overall, researchers have supported the view that leadership is key to successful quality management implementation, as noted by Caudron (1993a) and Chase & Federle (1992).
For organizations around the world, quality management has become the focus as a process to improve quality in the products and services provided to customers In the early
In the 1950s, Feigenbaum coined the phrase "total quality control" to describe an approach that applies quality management to an organization as a whole He argued that quality is directly influenced by nine factors, including markets, money, management, and people, illustrating how these elements interact to determine overall quality within a business.
(5) motivation, (6) materials, (7) machines, (8) modern information tools and methods, and (9) mounting product requirements (Evans & Lindsay, 1996)
After World War II, two American consultants, W Edwards Deming and Joseph M Juran, went to Japan to help rebuild its industries and introduced the Japanese to statistical quality control They emphasized that quality goes beyond numbers and that true quality comes from management’s responsibility to build quality into every process By focusing on leadership, systems, and continuous improvement, Deming, Juran, and other quality pioneers sparked a lasting quality revolution in Japanese manufacturing that reshaped global industry.
Crosby, Ishikawa, and Feigenbaum, quality management began to be taught as a philosophy, focusing on organizational behavior including the whole organization rather than focusing just on production (Crabtree & Miller, 2009)
Chase (1993) views commitment and leadership as the two foundational elements of the Total Quality Management (TQM) structure These foundations are linked to the remaining TQM components through improved communication and teamwork The model places improved communication beneath teamwork, signaling its higher priority Elements such as customer satisfaction, process improvement, employee focus, and supplier involvement are shown in parallel to indicate their equal importance Finally, continuous improvement sits at the apex of the structure, acting as an overarching umbrella that covers all other elements.
Figure 1 The structure of TQM (modified from Chase, 1993)
Management commitment and leadership are essential for the success of any Total Quality Management (TQM) program Before committing, managers must have a thorough understanding of TQM principles and objectives This commitment must be paired with active leadership and ongoing support to translate intent into action Once management is genuinely committed, they will allocate the time and financial resources needed to enable improvement Senior management should oversee the effort through a Quality Steering Committee that provides direction, aligns TQM with business strategy, and drives continuous improvement across the organization.
Committee, might need to draft vision and mission statements that summarize the organization’s philosophy with emphasis on customer satisfaction and quality
Total Quality Management (TQM) requires active management participation and a shift in how employees work; to drive new behaviors and improve quality, the organizational environment must be transformed Without these fundamental cultural changes, an organization's TQM efforts will falter Achieving this transformation demands a long-term management commitment to quality work and continuous improvement (Culp, 1993).
Management should learn to deal with challenge (Deetz, 2008) It should bring about changes and not continue to execute policy and cope with existing organizational systems
In the early 2000s, as higher education faced critique over inadequate responsiveness, college leaders began adopting total quality management (TQM) principles borrowed from business Proponents such as Deming, Juran, and Crosby share core components, which Marchese (1991) summarized for higher education as a twelve-part framework: a focus on quality and a customer-driven philosophy; continuous organizational improvement; making processes work better; extending the mindset of continuous improvement; using information for decision making (management by fact); eliminating rework; subscribing to teamwork; empowering people; training staff and recognizing their contributions; establishing a clear vision; and developing strong leadership Together, these elements describe how TQM aims to elevate performance in higher education through a customer-centric, data-driven, and continuously improving approach.
Marchese (1991) views Total Quality Management (TQM) as a dual concept: a managerial approach and an array of practical tools It aggregates both contemporary and established ideas—from systems thinking and statistical process control to insights on human behavior, leadership, and planning—into a unified, new orthodoxy (p 4).
Seymour's 1993b work on Total Quality Management (TQM) in higher education identifies ten core principles: a commitment to exceeding customer needs; continuous improvement; strong leadership; ongoing human resource development; a systems approach to organizational behavior; reduction of fear; recognition and rewards mechanisms; teamwork; rigorous measurement; and systematic problem-solving.
Cornesky (1992) applied total quality management (TQM) principles to develop an alternative model of the education market Drawing on Deming’s foundational TQM ideas and the work of others, he created a TQM-based approach for the classroom In this model, students are simultaneously viewed as products, customers, and workers Cornesky also identifies other education “customers”—parents, alumni, businesses, and graduate schools—and places them alongside students within the quality framework His approach integrates Deming’s (1991) and Crosby’s quality management principles to align classroom processes with the needs of all stakeholders.
(1998) major points and interprets them for the classroom
As a pragmatic approach, Total Quality Management (TQM) emphasizes service to others (Spanbauer, 1995) In education, a specific TQM model centers on leadership, the use of scientific methods and tools, and teamwork-driven problem-solving These interlocking features form an integrated system that shapes the organizational climate, strengthens education and training, and provides meaningful data, all with customer service at the core (Figure 2).
Figure 2 Model of total quality management (Spanbauer, 1995)
Education is a service delivered to customers, whose satisfaction with the institution’s services and instruction reflects quality (Spanbauer, 1995) Lasting, meaningful change depends on educators and other staff being directly and actively involved in planning and developing those changes through teamwork Such teams tackle problems by applying the right tools and scientific approaches within a shared decision-making atmosphere (Spanbauer, 1995).
As learning organizations, institutions prioritize the individual development of the learner Total Quality Management (TQM) endorses the principle that organizations should listen to their customers, continually assess how well they are meeting their needs, and drive change to fulfill or surpass customer expectations (Yudof & Busch-Vishniac, 1996) Consequently, input from employers and professional bodies should inform decision-making.
Total Quality Management (TQM) comprises continuous improvement activities that involve everyone in the organization in a totally integrated effort to boost performance at every level Goetsch and Davis (1994) describe this approach as an ongoing, enterprise-wide drive that aligns people, processes, and systems toward consistent quality enhancements In addition, Kanji's ideas, as cited by Dahlgaard, Larsen, and Norgaard, reinforce the view that sustained quality improvement is a collective, organization-wide pursuit.
As noted in 1997, Total Quality Management (TQM) serves as a strategic tool for leaders who actively support continuous change within the organization Organizations that implement TQM consistently pursue ongoing improvement, which makes the enterprise a dynamic system that adapts and evolves over time (DeSanctis & Poole, 1994).