Is management commitment to quality just “a given”?

Reports on interviews held with management at six factories in the UK, which had received awards for their manufacturing excellence, which aimed to discuss the TQM initiatives and, in particular, to gauge the degree and nature of the management commitment required to make these successful. Uncovers, from the results, an indication of the emphasis that managers must place on becoming personally involved if TQM is to be successful. Identifies four common dimensions of management commitment in the approaches seen across the six factories: the time and effort invested, emphasis on clear goals and organizations, management’s manufacturing expertise, and a strong focus on employees (training and teamwork). Concludes that although the findings are based on only six cases, the topic of commitment is an important one, with significant implications for management and it is also an area which is ripe for further, detailed investigation.