Total Quality Management: Stakeholder Perceptions

Abstract

The Total Quality Management: Stakeholders Perceptions scale is a 37-item survey developed in 1997 to assess the perceived magnitude and implementation level of key Total Quality Management (TQM) principles within postsecondary technical institutes. The instrument focuses on four critical dimensions of organizational quality: leadership, empowerment, strategic quality planning, and human resource development. Data collection utilized a four-point Likert-type scale, capturing the beliefs and perceptions of three distinct stakeholder groups: administrators, faculty, and support staff, providing a comprehensive view of TQM effectiveness across the institution.

Keywords

Total Quality Management, TQM, Stakeholder Perceptions, Postsecondary Education, Leadership, Empowerment, Strategic Quality Planning, Human Resource Development, Organizational Quality.

Authors

Currie, T. A.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Total Quality Management: Stakeholders Perceptions scale is to quantify the extent to which core Total Quality Management tenets are being practiced and perceived by employees across different roles within postsecondary technical schools. By measuring the beliefs of administrators, faculty, and support staff, the scale provides diagnostic insights into areas of strength and weakness regarding quality initiatives and institutional commitment to continuous improvement. The results are intended to guide resource allocation and strategic planning efforts related to TQM implementation.

Construct

The scale measures the overarching construct of organizational commitment to Total Quality Management through the assessment of four distinct, yet interrelated, sub-constructs, often referred to as core TQM tenets:

• Leadership: This sub-scale (9 items) evaluates the involvement of institutional leadership (President and supervisors) in quality improvement projects, their commitment to customer service, and their utilization of TQM principles in institutional management.
• Empowerment: This sub-scale (10 items) measures the degree to which employees are authorized to make decisions, participate in quality teams, feel free to take risks, and experience structural changes designed to facilitate employee empowerment.
• Strategic Quality Planning: This sub-scale (9 items) assesses the formal processes related to quality planning, including the existence of operational and strategic plans, resource commitment for quality initiatives, data utilization for improvement, and systematic methods for evaluating services.
• Human Resource Development (HRD): This sub-scale (9 items) examines how human resources are managed to support quality, focusing on training (including analysis of needs), recognition, incentives for quality improvements, and staff development plans.

Validity

The validity of the instrument was established through established psychometric procedures appropriate for the development of a dissertation instrument. Content validity was secured through a thorough and systematic review of existing academic and professional literature pertaining to Total Quality Management in educational settings. This literature review ensured that the items accurately reflected the theoretical domains of TQM implementation.

Furthermore, face validity was achieved by utilizing a panel of experts. This panel reviewed the survey items to confirm that they appeared, on the surface, to measure the intended constructs of TQM as perceived by technical institute staff. This dual approach ensured both theoretical grounding and practical relevance of the survey items.

Reliability

The scale demonstrated high internal consistency during the initial development phase. A pilot study involving a smaller sample of 45 administrators and faculty members was conducted to test the instrument prior to the main survey distribution. The calculation of the overall internal consistency yielded a reliability coefficient (likely Cronbach’s Alpha) of 0.92. This value indicates excellent reliability, suggesting that the 37 items consistently measure the underlying construct of TQM perceptions.

Factor Analysis

Although a formal exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis is not explicitly detailed in the summary, the scale structure is clearly defined by four hypothesized factors or components: Leadership, Empowerment, Strategic Quality Planning, and Human Resource Development. The items were grouped according to these theoretical tenets during development, suggesting a hypothesized four-factor structure.

In the final data analysis, the study reported scale means, standard deviations, and average composite scores calculated for each of the four components, for each distinct demographic group (administrators, faculty, support staff). Additionally, the results of a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were reported, which is consistent with testing for significant differences in the composite means of these hypothesized factors across the three stakeholder groups.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report survey; Psychometric scale

Format: 37 items utilizing a 4-point Likert-type response scale.

Language Available: English (Original research conducted in the United States).

Population Group: Employees of postsecondary technical institutes.

Age Group: Adult working population.

Population Details: The study sample included 157 administrators, 280 faculty members, and 131 support staff members (N=568) from postsecondary technical schools in Georgia.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate their level of agreement or belief regarding institutional practices related to TQM. The scoring method is ordinal: 1 = strong disbelief; 2 = disbelief; 3 = moderate belief; and 4 = strong belief.

Keywords

TQM Scale, Educational Administration, Organizational Behavior, Staff Perceptions, Technical Institutes, Employee Development, Quality Assurance, MANOVA.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided (Dissertation, 1997)

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided

Correspondence Address: T. A. Currie, EdD Dissertation, University of Georgia (1997)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: As a dissertation instrument, permission should typically be sought directly from the author (T. A. Currie) or the degree-granting institution (University of Georgia) for formal reuse. The scale items are publicly available as part of the dissertation.

Fee: Not specified; likely free for academic use, pending author permission.

Test Year: 1997 (Year of dissertation publication).

Reference’s

Currie, T. A. (1997). Total quality management in Georgia postsecondary technical institutes. EdD dissertation. University of Georgia.

Cornesky, A. (1992). Using Deming to improve quality in colleges and universities. ERIC ED 354 838.

Hixson, J., and Lovelace, K. (1992). Total quality management’s challenge to urban schools. Educational Leadership 50:24–27.

Kaufman, R., and Hirumi, A. (1992). Ten steps to “TQM Plus.” Educational Leadership 50:33–34.

Marchese, T. (1991). TQM reaches the academy. AAHE Bulletin 44:3–9.

Tribus, M. (1993). TQM in education: The theory and how to put it to work. ERIC ED 370 168.

Items of the Total Quality Management: Stakeholders Perceptions

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. The President is personally and visibly involved in quality improvement projects.
2. My supervisor is personally and visibly involved in quality improvement projects.
3. I am allowed to make those decisions and instigate action in areas that affect my job.
4. The practices of my supervisor regularly demonstrate and communicate a commitment to exceptional customer service.
5. The practices of the President regularly demonstrate and communicate a commitment to continuous quality im- provement of programs and services.
6. All staff in the institute are provided an opportunity to participate on quality teams.
7. The President communicates his commitment to customer focus and quality values to all employees.
8. Periodic reviews of quality plans and performance are conducted with all employees.
9. The institute provides time and other resources to develop continuous quality improvement initiatives.
10. The institute collects and utilizes data on service quality and customer satisfaction to develop improvement plans.
11. My input is always welcomed concerning quality initiatives and process improvement.
12. The institute has operational (one-to-two year) and strategic (three-to-five year) plans that describe overall quality and performance goals and strategies for achieving those goals.
13. Collaboration among employees to improve the quality of programs and services is encouraged.
14. There is a plan to communicate quality expectations to all personnel at my institute.
15. The institute has developed a plan for committing resources for quality initiatives.
16. My job has changed significantly as a result of “redirection” of institute funds.
17. The job of someone with whom I work has changed significantly as a result of “redirection” of institute funds.
18. Employees are recognized for achievement of quality goals and strategies.
19. Employees are provided incentives to encourage them to contribute to quality improvements.
20. The President promotes employee authority to act.
21. Training in quality improvement techniques is part of each employee’s staff development plan.
22. Training is based upon a thorough analysis of employee staff development needs.
23. I am able to access the education and training I need to improve my contribution to my work unit.
24. Employees who pursue training in quality methods beyond the scope of that offered by the institute are rewarded through leadership opportunities.
25. Employees are rewarded for the achievement of quality goals and objectives.
26. The President measures institute success by the quality of programs and services provided rather than by a cost per credit hour ratio.
27. There is evidence that continuous improvements have been made in the reward systems to promote quality in my institute.
28. Employees in the institute are given the freedom to act without fear of retribution.
29. Plans and strategies are being developed to build and maintain positive relationships with institute customers.
30. The President utilizes total quality management principles in leading the institute.
31. The day-to-day practices of the institute’s administrators demonstrate commitment to total quality management principles.
32. My job provides me with a great deal of satisfaction.
33. Changes have been made in our organizational structure to facilitate employee empowerment.
34. My input is valued and incorporated in the long range planning for my unit.
35. Team initiative and innovation by employees are encouraged in my organization.
36. I feel free to take risks in an effort to improve the quality of my unit’s performance.
37. The institute employs systematic methods of evaluating the quality of products and services.