Quality, resilience, sustainability and excellence: understanding LEGO’s journey towards organisational excellence

Purpose This study aims to reflect on quality, sustainability and resilience as emerging organisational priorities within total quality management (TQM) excellence. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a conceptual approach based reflection theoretical studies the philosophical foundations of excellence, cornerstones for Bearing in mind that sustainable excellence rests upon combination systemic soft issues define ability sustainability, there is need analyse short business cases from world-leading companies further fundamental principles, which have helped such survive, grow sustain. includes case – LEGO case. In addition, Japanese has been included. training material human motivation developed 1980s exemplifies how company managers were trained, at time, understand practice motivation, principles tools. Findings Organisational constitutes an evolving concept world becomes more chaotic interconnected with multiple disruptive shocks. challenges inflexibilities Newtonian mindsets, recognising paramount importance interactions underlining significance invisible elements potentiality, values formulate Originality/value investigates notions their relation framework TQM. A will be used exemplify findings together Motivation Training Programme