Total quality management and theory: An exploratory study of contribution

This paper explores the position of total quality management (TQM) with res pect to theory. Amongst the findings of this exploratory examination is tha t: TQM is still in the early stage of theory development; TQM tends to be v iewed as part of operations management rather than an academic subject in i ts own right, but this is changing and TQM is becoming established as an in dependent discipline; and that the works of international quality managemen t experts such as Crosby, Deming, Feigenbaum and Furan have provided the ba seline for the advancement of TQM theory through areas such as management b y fact, customer focus, process orientation and teamwork. It is also pointe d out that to extend the scope of TQM theory it is necessary to incorporate appropriate management theories into its development and that much remains to be done for TQM to reach the stage of 'refine/extend' in the theory bui lding process. The paper also argues that TQM has made a contribution to ma nagement theory and some of the developments in this area are pointed out.