Isaac MungaiJoyce GakoboKirima, Mercy Kiende2012-06-222012-06-222012-06-22http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/5104Department of Business Administration,83p.The HD 62.15 .K5 2011This study focused on the determinants effective implantation total quality management in Technical Training Institutes Meru County. Total quality management aims at incorporating awareness of quality in all aspects of an organization. Organizations are striving for quality products or services that meet or exceed customer's expectations and as a result of this, organizations are searching for approaches of managing people and production systems that assure the transformations of inputs into quality outputs. Quality management is one of the most effective strategies for improving education in the technical training institutes. Proper TQM implementation can be a powerful vehicle by which TTIs can use to achieve business excellence hence managers need to understand the nature and purpose of TQM and how to effectively implement it in each institution. This study had several objectives which included: To establish the extent to which top management commitment determines effective quality management implementation in Technical Training Institutes, to establish the extent to which employee empowerment determines effective Quality Management Implementation in Technical Training Institutes, and to determine how employee reward and recognition determines effective quality management implementation in Technical Training Institutes. Literature review covers quality management, total quality management, employee empowerment and total quality management practice, obstacles to senior management and top management commitment and TQM practice. Descriptive research design was used because it enabled the researcher to measure, classify, analyze, compare and interpret data. The target population included the Principals, B.O.G members, H.O.Ds, teaching and none teaching staff of who total to 375 where a sample size of 113 was drawn using stratified random sampling. A questionnaire was used as the data collection tool and it was administered using the drop and pick method to enable the researcher to agree with the respondents on the duration of time to be taken to fill the questionnaires and when to collect them. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data where percentages and measures of central tendency were used and information was presented inform of tables, graphs and charts and finally qualitative analysis was done. To increase reliability and validity of the instrument a pilot study was conducted on 5% of the population on data collection instrument before it was finally administered to the respondents. The response rate was 91% for top management and 39% for the middle level management. It was established that majority of the respondents had served in their positions for between 3-5 years. It was established that all the TTIs had embraced TQM practices although they were at different levels. It was recommended that the government through MOHEST should increase funding to ITIs especially to fund the TQM practice. Also more staff should be employed to specifically deal with TQM practices.enTotal quality managementTechnical education --Kenya --Meru CountyThesis