National culture and total quality management: empirical assessment of a theoretical model

Using a sample of total quality management (TQM) companies operating in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, a structural equation model explaining the influence of Chinese cultural values on TQM was tested. Results indicated that the proposed model demonstrated satisfactory goodness of fit. The underlying Chinese values of abasement, adaptiveness, harmony with people, harmony with the universe, interdependence, and respect for authority were found to have important influences on four quality dimensions, namely climate, processes, methods, and results.