The utilization of influence tactics for the implementation of quality improvement policies

The results of company‐wide quality‐improvement programmes are usually new company policies. Implementation of these quality‐improvement policies can be extremely difficult, because employees may not comply with them. A survey among 41 middle managers and 143 front‐line workers was conducted in Hong Kong to investigate how far influence tactics affect employees’ compliance with quality‐improvement policies. The results indicate that the companies’ commitment to quality‐improvement policies is very high. Front‐line workers responded best to exchange and upward appeals tactics, assertive tactics receiving the lowest score. Managers were more responsive to rational persuasion and consultation tactics and less to assertive and exchange tactics.