Attitudes of middle managers to quality‐based organisational change

The paper explores some factors that may lead to middle managers in organisations holding differing views on their quality programs. In particular, it considers the possibility that differing views are related to job role. The data are from research into the beliefs and attitudes of middle managers towards quality programs in 21 Australian organisations. Findings suggest that quality specialists have more positive views of their companies’ quality programs than other job groups. There was no evidence to suggest that those in operations‐type roles have more positive views about their quality programs than those in non‐operational roles, even though the history of quality development suggests otherwise.