Quality management (QM) is a holistic management philosophy that emphasises the involvement of every employee at different levels of an organization to achieve customer satisfaction and improve organizational effectiveness through continuous process improvement. There has been a rising interest among service sector professionals in examining the applicability and usefulness of quality management methods in service organisations. Many service organisations that have implemented quality management has achieved substantial benefits, but it is clear that implementation initiatives in some organisations have failed to live up to expectations. These mixed results point to a need to identify the factors that lie behind the success and failures of quality management programs. Empirical research in this area is extremely limited. The results of the study point to the importance of the role of employee support and encouragement of departmental co-operation for the successful implementation of quality management programs. These factors were found to be important not only initially, but also throughout the whole implementation period of QM programs. Another interesting finding is the relationship between QM success and implementation issues concerning internal organisational communication, corporate cultural change, and internal marketing. Significant differences exist in the way that each of these factors are practised and emphasised across organisations. Respondents rated the way in which they drew upon the culture, communication pattern and other behaviour to promote QM within the organisation. They also rated how important they thought these various activities were. It was found when these factors were emphasised in QM programs the chance of successful implementation was increased. Implications for quality management professionals and suggestions for further research are discussed / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Lack of strategies to sustain continuous improvement initiatives to serve the needs of consumers whilst restructuring to conform to regulations has resulted in the collapse of some financial service companies in Ghana. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies some leaders of financial service companies use to engage employees to sustain continuous improvement initiatives to improve organizational performance. The targeted population comprised 6 senior leaders of financial service companies in Ghana who have engaged employees to sustain organizational continuous improvement initiatives. The conceptual framework for this study was Goldratt's theory of constraint complemented by the transformational leadership theory. Data were collected using semistructured face-to-face interviews, analysis of company reports, and field notes. Based on methodological triangulation and thematic analysis, 3 themes emerged from the study: operational excellence, employee engagement and incentives, and leadership strategies. The implications of these findings for positive social change include the potential to reduce poverty and improve quality of life in Ghana. Business leaders whose organizations attain improved financial performance can direct their efforts to increasing their organization's corporate social responsibility in the communities where they do business by supporting local charities and other initiatives.

Thesis (MTech (Quality))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / The diffusion of a Quality Management System (QMS) to improve business performance depends upon the quality management strategy used. The aim of Eskom’s QMS strategy was to create a sustainable quality drive throughout the company to improve customer and stakeholder satisfaction. This research project’s objective is to determine how the diffusion of a QMS can improve the electricity supply industry in the Western Cape division of the electricity sector in South Africa. The key research objectives within the research study are:  to assess what effect a QMS has on a sustainable long-term solution for energy supply;  to assess how a QMS contributes to the establishment of world class processes and practices;  to determine how a QMS affects quality culture;  to determine what factors of a QMS play a role in a continual improvement process, and  to determine what barriers affect a sustainable QMS implementation. The research question is: “how can the diffusion of a QMS bring improvement to the electricity supply industry?” A quantitative research methodology was employed in the study. The responses to a survey questionnaire were analysed and conclusions were drawn. The research finding is that diffusion of a QMS improves the electricity industry by positively affecting attitudes towards the challenge of securing a sustainable long-term energy supply, improving processes and practices, engendering a quality culture and contributing towards continual improvement. At the same time, certain barriers to the implementation of a sustainable QMS were identified.