Total Quality Management Practices and Organizational Performance in Manufacturing Industries in Kenya: A Case of Mabati Rolling Mills
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Date
2017-07
Authors
Otieno, Jared Omondi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Organisations all over the world have been trying to cope with a rapidly changing
business environment in which management have to be more astute in finding ways to
sustain or gain competitive advantage. Most manufacturing companies are now adopting
Total Quality Management (TQM) and other new philosophies to become more effective
in the way they conduct business. The relationship between TQM initiative and improved
performance has been researched with mixed results. The mixed results are a pointer for a
need for a study to establish the effect of TQM practices on the performance of
organisations. Secondly, studies in Kenya have not focused on the effect of TQM on the
performance of manufacturing firms in Kenya hence a knowledge gap. The purpose of
this study is to investigate the effect of TQM practices on the performance of
manufacturing firms in Kenya with major focus on Mabati Rolling Mills. The objectives
of the study were to establish the effect of customer focus on organisational performance,
establish the effect of top management commitment on organisational performance,
establish the effect of continuous improvement on organisational performance and to
establish the effect of employee involvement on organisational performance at MRM.
The study was anchored on the management theories, systems approach theory and the
scientific management theory. The study employed a descriptive research design in which
121 employees were sampled from a target population of 400 using stratified random
sampling method. Data was collected using questionnaires which was self-administered
by the respondent. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics.
Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, percentages, means and standard
deviation were used. The study also used correlation and regression analysis to show the
relationship between the dependent and the independent variables. Presentation of the
findings was done in figures, tables and charts. The study established that generally, the
TQM practices of customer focus, top management commitment, continuous
improvement and employee involvement positively influenced the organizational
performance. Individually, the study established that customer focus enhanced customer
satisfaction which resulted into overall organizational performance. The study further
established that top management commitment influenced organizational performance.
The continuous improvement directly influenced organizational performance as
employee involvement also affected organizational performance. The study
recommended that there was need for the organization to grow a stronger culture that
nurtures high-trust social relationship, respect for individuals and a shared sense of
membership. The study also recommends that continuous improvement should be one of
the pillars upon which manufacturing firms performance can be guaranteed. The firms
should enhance top management commitment to quality management through motivation
and incentives.
Description
A Research Project Submitted to School of Business in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Award of the Degree of Masters in Business Administration (Strategic Management Option) of Kenyatta University