MANAGEMENT THEORY AND TOTAL QUALITY - IMPROVING RESEARCH AND PRACTICETHROUGH THEORY DEVELOPMENT

We introduce this theory-development forum by comparing total quality and management theory at both global and topic-specific levels. Our an alysis suggests that management research could be enhanced by incorpor ating some insights of total quality into management theory. We also c onclude, however, that management practice could be improved by incorp orating insights from management theory into total quality efforts, an d that. In fact, total quality has already incorporated many such insi ghts. Finally, we suggest some directions for theory development and r esearch on total quality.