DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF TQM IMPLEMENTATION CONSTRUCTS

The contemporary quality management (QM) literature prescribes various quality improvement strategies. However, it lacks scientifically deve loped and tested constructs that represent an integrative QM philosoph y. Moreover, an impact of the prescribed QM strategies on a firm's pro duct quality has not been analyzed. Through a detailed analysis of the literature, this research identifies 12 constructs of integrated QM s trategies. Using a survey of 371 manufacturing firms, the constructs a re then empirically tested and validated. LISREL 7 is used for this pu rpose. Finally, a framework to examine the effects of integrated QM st rategies on a firm's product quality is suggested. Comparisons between this and two other comprehensive scales of TQM are made.