Title: Total Quality Management implementation in Research and Development organisations: a comparative study of South Korea and Taiwan

Authors: Soon W. Hong, Cheng-Li Huang

Addresses: Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Youngdong University, Sulkeri 12-1, Youngdong-kun, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea. ' Department of Accounting, Tamkang University, 151 Ying-Chuang Rd., Tamsui, Taipei County, Taiwan, Republic of China

Abstract: This paper examined Total Quality Management (TQM) implementation in Research and Development (R&D) organisations with empirical data from South Korean and Taiwanese manufacturing firms. A literature review established three hypotheses in regard to similarity in TQM implementation patterns, the impact of TQM for innovation performance and the mediating role of hard TQM. TQM measures were based on the six criteria of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, while innovation performance measures consisted of product quality and product innovation aspects. Our findings indicated that TQM practices were uniformly applied across the two countries. TQM were also found to have a significant impact on product quality and product innovation. However, the hypothesised mediating role of hard TQM was dismissed.

Keywords: TQM; total quality management; R&D; research and development; South Korea; Taiwan; moderated multiple regression; structural equation modelling; manufacturing industry; implementation patterns; innovation performance; mediating roles; mediation; Malcolm Baldrige; national quality awards; product quality; product innovation; leadership; strategic planning; customer focus; people management; information analysis; process management; services management; operations management; global businesses; globalisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2011.038978

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2011 Vol.8 No.3, pp.365 - 389

Published online: 11 Mar 2015 *

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