The relationship between total quality management practices and their effects on firm performance

Recent research on total quality management (TQM) has examined the relationships between the practices of quality management and various levels of organizational performance. These studies have produced mixed results, probably because of the nature of the research designs used such as measuring TQM or performance as a single construct. Based on a comprehensive literature review, this study identifies the relationships among TQM practices and examines the direct and indirect effects of these practices on various performance levels. A proposed research model and hypotheses are tested by using cross-sectional mail survey data collected from firms operating in the US. The test of the structural model supports the proposed hypotheses. The implications of the findings for researchers and practitioners are discussed and further research directions are offered. © 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.