Title: Exploring the relationship between use of information technology in total quality management and SMEs performance using canonical correlation analysis: a survey on Swedish car part supplier sector

Authors: Abbas Keramati, Amir Albadvi

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering, Industrial Engineering Department, University of Tehran, Iran. ' Faculty of Engineering, Industrial Engineering Department, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: In this paper we analysed the effects of integration of IT and Total Quality Management (TQM) on performance of SMEs in Swedish car part suppliers. Canonical correlation analysis reveals a statistically significant relationship between one set of variables, the indexes of IT applied in TQM activities, and another set of variables, company performance indexes. The results show that correlation between company performance and the extent of IT in the human side of TQM activities; including use of IT in leadership and human resource management and also strategic planning is stronger than the other aspects of TQM.

Keywords: information technology; TQM; total quality management; company performance; empirical study; canonical correlation; small and medium-sized enterprises; SME performance; Sweden; automotive components; automotive suppliers; automobile industry; leadership; human resource management; HRM; strategic planning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJITM.2009.024805

International Journal of Information Technology and Management, 2009 Vol.8 No.4, pp.442 - 462

Published online: 01 May 2009 *

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