Thesis (M.Hous.M.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-103). Also available in print.

Thesis, PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

Total Quality Management (TQM) and the implementation of its concepts and methods have been seen as to provide a promising way to improve management processes and building high quality products and services. Accordingly, during the past three decades many organisations have implemented TQM and its concepts as a way for improving their management processes and quality of services, and as a way for gaining competitive advantages. This research has made an attempt to study TQM implementation within the context of Saudi Arabia's public sector. The research examined the extent to which there was a need in the Saudi public sector for TQM implementation, and the extent to which the environment of the Saudi public sector was compatible for its implementation and for practising its concepts and methods. To attain the objectives of the research and to test the possibility of implementing TQM in the Saudi public sector, two types of data were gathered; namely, secondary and primary data. As a result, the research is based on both secondary and primary data analysis. The secondary data aims to manifest the notion of TQM and its principles, the approaches and concepts of quality management "gurus"; the differences between the public and private sectors; and the barriers to TQM implementation, with a particular reference to the public sector. Along with the secondary data, a generic model for TQM implementation in the Saudi public sector is proposed and a background to the Saudi public sector and the Ministry of Interior is provided. The results of the secondary data reveal that there is no an agreed or specific model in the literature offered by quality experts for TQM implementation, and that there are some critical issues in the Saudi Public Sector that need to be addressed in order to improve its management performance. The primary data, which was gained through a survey mode of inquiry within the Ministry of Interior, examines the compatibility between the Saudi public sector's environment with TQM's concepts and the extent to which there is a need for TQM implementation in the Ministry of Interior and the Saudi public sector in general. The primary data was gained through a questionnaire designed by the researcher encompassing the principles and elements of the proposed implementation model. The findings of the primary data and analysis reveals that the environment of the Ministry of Interior, with its current management systems and procedures, is inconsistent with the requirements demanded by TQM, and that it would need some modifications in order to implement TQM successfully. Based on the results of the above data, a number of findings, conclusions, and recommendations are provided, which should help to contribute to a successful implementation of TQM in the Saudi public sector.

Recent changes within British higher education have led to a refocus as to the purpose of such education. This movement has been particularly noticeable in the engineering disciplines. These changes have involved a move towards a more 'transformational' objective, where the emphasis is on the development of the full range of learning abilities within a student coupled with an external, or 'real world', orientation. To develop such learning abilities requires specific educational approaches that are based on student-centred processes and the preparation for lifelong learning. This new purpose, and its inherent educational methods, has implications for the type of quality improvement systems adopted. Robust approaches developed in manufacturing industries have been identified, and the thesis argues that quality systems based on developments in these industries can be used in higher education to create a culture that engenders this positive learning approach. This involves a move away from passive, quantitative quality monitoring systems that focus on the 'product' of learning, and move towards more qualitative, active and dynamic department-wide quality improvement systems that focus on the developmental 'process'. Traditional methods of addressing quality in higher education departments can be seen to focus on rudimentary control mechanisms, where action is post-process and reactive, and where the feedback loop often not closed, i.e. preventative and corrective actions, when identified, are not initiated. Such approaches add very little to the purpose of higher education (i.e. developing the range of 'transformational' learning abilities), as there is an overemphasis on evaluation and not enough emphasis on enhancement, development and preparation for continuous learning. The main thesis, therefore, links learning theory to quality theory, via the concepts of development cycles, lifelong learning and continuous improvement. To ascertain the validity of the theses required a research methodology that was based on an in-depth longitudinal action/applied research case study. The research involved a three and a half year study of the quality improvement systems of a manufacturing engineering department of a British university. The research introduced and investigated a strategy that would result in a move from the 'post-process/passive' student involvement to 'in-process/ active'. The case study found that the thesis was valid, in that particular students and members of staff adopted the quality improvement system (i.e. a change in observable behaviour). The contribution to knowledge involves the examination of the interaction between departmental culture and systems, where a 'cultural shift' is necessary involving (i) a change in the role of the undergraduate student (i.e. from passive members in the process, to central participants in the creation and improvement of quality), and (ii) a change in the focus of quality (i.e. from checking that learning was taken place, to promoting and preparing students for lifelong learning).

M.Com. / "Once in a generation, perhaps, something happens that profoundly changes the world and how we look at it. Business is no different. From time to time, someone develops a new way of operation that spreads from industry to industry. Those who adopt and adapt, prosper: those who do not, disappear. Well-known examples of such processes include the adoption of the factory system in the 18th century and the assembly line in the 20th century. Without quest ion, Total Quality Management (TQM) is an innovation on this scale" (Gilks, 1990:17-20}. Since the time of the Industrial Revolution in the late eighteenth century, countries within the Western world have regarded themselves as being the experts in most fields of Industry and specific~lly mass production. Although it was thought at first that increasing mechanization would lessen industry's dependence on human labour, this was often not the case with labour productivity being found to be crucial to the overall productivity of manufacturing concerns. Increasingly ingly there was a search for answers on how to optimally utilize the Human Resource with the aim of achieving higher productivity (Sperotto, 1991 :27-33). Enderle (1992:13) writes that with more and more research being undertaken and published about this field, a new management science was established: Organizational behaviour and structuring, as well as job design. Its main objective was to find out more about human psychological needs and aspirations and how this information would be put to use in the wordplay. This particular school of thought is known as the "scientific management" or 'socio-technical" approach.

M.Com. (Business Management) / The primary aim of the study was to ascertain whether an intervention relating to leadership and linked to the life and teachings of Viktor Frankl, eminent logo- therapist, would affect the way aspiring leaders construct leadership in terms of meaning. The research participants comprised 20 students registered for a Master’s degree in Business Management (M.Com. Business Management) at a metropolitan university in Johannesburg. The majority of the participants were male (80%) and between the ages of 31- 40 (70%), working in a wide range of industries. A qualitative approach was followed. The data was collected in three steps by means of (1) a questionnaire investigating leadership role-orientations, (2) a leadership development intervention, consisting of a presentation on the life, teachings and work of Viktor Frankl, and an appreciative inquiry (AI) on leadership with meaning, followed by (3) the same questionnaire that had been completed pre-intervention. For establishing possible change on an extrinsic (explicit) level the data was analysed using the framework analysis method (Ritchie & Spencer, 1994). For establishing possible change on an intrinsic (implicit) level, a comparative method was followed. The main finding of this study suggests that a meaning-centred leadership development intervention, using the example of the life and teachings of Viktor Frankl, may have an impact on the leadership role-orientation of aspiring leaders, changing from a predominantly career leadership role-orientation to that of a calling leadership role-orientation. The indication, however, is that this effect largely took place on an explicit (extrinsic) level and to a lesser extent on an implicit (intrinsic), internalised level.

D.Comm. / This thesis deals with the challenges posed to management to ensure that quality services are provided to customers and investigates the approaches management should adopt.

The principles of Total Quality Management (TQM), initially designed to effect continuous improvement in the business sector, have been successfully applied in educational settings. Hence, this study was undertaken to explore educator participation in the implementation of a TQM Strategy at selected academically underperforming secondary schools in the Moses Kotane Area to address shortfalls. A literature review on TQM provided a conceptual framework for the empirical inquiry. Special attention was given to the role of educators in TQM implementation. The empirical study used qualitative research methods to explore the use of TQM in fifteen schools selected by purposive sampling. Observation, document analysis and focus group interviews were used to gather data. The findings indicate that educators regard TQM as an improvement tool; however, they hold negative and positive views about TQM. Finally, recommendations were made to enhance the implementation of TQM in underperforming secondary schools in the Moses Kotane Area.

M.Ing. / The management of quality in companies has become more and more strategically important over recent years. The emphasis on quality is vital to managing projects and achieving excellence in today’s global economy. Modern petrochemical construction project management has incorporated quality management principles and initiatives in their activities. The Quality Management System is used to ensure that the project will satisfy the requirements for which it was undertaken. Improving project quality in construction requires consideration of culture within the project environment that is often associated with miscommunication and fragmentation. The focus of the thesis is to examine how quality culture can improve the quality in organisation and influence the implementation of Quality Management System in construction industry. The dissertation will comprise of extensive survey of the local academic literature and South African press reports concerning state of construction industry. A questionnaire conducted amongst professionals working in petrochemical industry is aimed to determine the impact of organisational culture on the successful implementation of quality management systems. The objective of this dissertation is to identify inefficiencies and possible improvements that can be achieved in current quality management systems. The dissertation concluded that an improvement in the quality management and quality of construction can only be achieved if quality is embedded in the entire operational and managerial processes of its organizations. The thesis recommends that the South African construction industry would benefit from the development of quality culture that fosters deeper human relationships to improve quality management.

by Chan Chun Wai. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-137). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.ix / PREFACE --- p.x / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.6 / Definition of Terms --- p.6 / Definition of Quality --- p.6 / Definition of Total Quality Management --- p.7 / "Comparison of Quality Management Approaches of Deming, Juran and Crosby" --- p.9 / Deming's Approach to Quality Management --- p.9 / Juran's Approach to Quality Management --- p.10 / "Crosby,s Approach to Quality Management" --- p.11 / Evaluation of Quality Management Frameworks --- p.12 / International Quality Standards --- p.12 / The Deming Prize --- p.14 / The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award --- p.15 / Selection of Quality Management Framework --- p.17 / Past Research on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Criteria --- p.20 / Chapter III. --- THE CONCEPTUAL RESEARCH MODEL AND RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS --- p.23 / The Conceptual Research Model --- p.23 / Research Hypothesis --- p.25 / Chapter IV. --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.34 / Research Design --- p.34 / Questionnaire Design --- p.34 / Identification and Selection of Measurement Items in the Questionnaire --- p.34 / Measurement Method --- p.37 / Pretest and Refinement of the Questionnaire --- p.38 / Data Collection --- p.39 / Respondent Characteristics --- p.41 / Adjustment of Industry Effect --- p.44 / Chapter V. --- STATISTICAL ANALYSIS --- p.48 / Analysis of Construct Reliability --- p.48 / Analysis of Validity --- p.49 / Content Validity --- p.50 / Construct Validity --- p.51 / Analysis of Structural Equation Model --- p.51 / Analysis of Overall Model Fitness --- p.53 / Analysis of Measurement Model --- p.54 / Analysis of Structural Model --- p.55 / Path Analysis --- p.56 / Hypothesis Testing --- p.58 / Chapter VI. --- REFORMULATION OF THE MODEL --- p.67 / Chapter VII. --- DISCUSSION --- p.72 / The Measurement Model --- p.72 / The Structural Model --- p.78 / Chapter VIII . --- CONCLUSION --- p.89 / TABLE 1-25 --- p.92 / FIGURE 1-6 --- p.122 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.128 / APPENDIX --- p.138