An action-oriented approach to quality management self-assessment in smalland medium-sized enterprises

Total quality management is still seen by some as being important for large r organizations, although there are many examples and there is enough resea rch evidence to show that quality principles also apply for small and mediu m-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, many tools and instruments that have b een developed to assist in the implementation of the quality principles are too complex for smaller organizations. Therefore, for quality to be adopte d by more SMEs, tools have to focus on the issues that are of primary impor tance in SMEs and that suit its quality management maturity level. This pap er outlines a self-assessment framework that has potential in SMEs.