There are many challenges facing Libyan process and manufacturing industries in today's competitive market. One of these major challenges is the ability of Libyan companies to effectively introduce quality management approaches such as Total Quality Management (TQM) that can empower their people and improve their ability to respond to international competition. The main aim of this study was to identify the drivers and barriers to the adoption of TQM in Libyan process and manufacturing industry and to develop a model through which Libyan companies could implement and maintain improved quality systems. To achieve this aim, the research approach adopted both quantitative and qualitative methods. A generic framework of the critical success factors for implementing TQM was developed from the literature and endorsed by practitioners and experts in the field. Structured questionnaires were utilized to elicit the opinions of 400 managers from the Libyan process and manufacturing industries regarding the extent of quality management initiatives implemented in these companies. Semi-structured interviews were then used to identify mangers' opinions about the topics related to TQM implementation in companies in Libya and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The research indicates a low level of critical TQM success factors within the Libyan companies, mostly caused by a minimal awareness of TQM philosophy, methods and tools, especially among top management. It also indicates that quality initiatives and practices in Libyan companies are still in the early stages and most of the companies studied were proceeding with quality improvement programmes without a well-defined vision and objectives. Based on these results the original TQM framework was modified for use within Libyan process and manufacturing industries. The framework propagates an approach to implementation incorporating top-down deployment and bottom-up participation. It prescribes guidelines for introducing TQM in four phases and is designed to help Libyan companies get started and move step-by-step towards a TQM culture. Moving from one phase to the next depends upon the harnessing of knowledge and expertise gained during the previous phase and fulfilling each phase assessment criteria. The implementation of this model will work faster and more efficiently if there is strong commitment from the top management and employees within the Libyan companies.

This research is concerned with understanding a quality management system and its interaction with maintenance management activities within the organisation. The interaction between maintenance and quality, can lead to their integration with production. The second output of production is maintenance, whose output is increased production capacity. Both the production process and the quality of the maintenance work, which, in turn, affects equipment condition, affect the quality of final product. The thesis aims to identify the barriers and difficulties affecting quality in maintenance, within Libyan (public sector) manufacturing organisations. The specific objectives are derived to provide focus for the research activities, in order to fulfil the specific aim of the research in a structured and scientific manner. In order to achieve the thesis objectives, an empirically-based systems analysis of two case study organisations in the Libyan public manufacturing sector was carried out. Substantial field work was carried out using predominantly a qualitative approach. Qualitative data was collected by semi structured interview (from different levels of management and supervisors) to explore the quality management phenomena, and to provide a more holistic understanding through triangulation techniques of required and suitable data. This study has contributed to existing knowledge through getting an in-depth understanding of quality and maintenance issues. A specific definition of "quality in maintenance" was developed, common barriers of quality systems and the key factors of improving maintenance were summarised. Furthermore, by using the framework in figure 2.8 the enablers and inhibitors of quality in maintenance were demonstrated. This study is the first one that identified the unique barriers affecting quality in maintenance within the Libyan manufacturing organisations. These barriers are divided into three main kinds: the technical, economic barriers, managerial, organisational barriers, and cultural environmental barriers. The key findings of the research indicate that the case study organisations do not actively promote quality in the maintenance area that takes into consideration the influence of organisational, social, economic and political factors (change culture) on the quality of operations and performance inside the organisations.