Maria do Rosário Fernandes Justino

A comparative analysis between certified and non-certified companies through the quality management system

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to analyze a questionnaire answered by a sample of ISO 9000 certified companies and a control sample of companies which have not been certified, using a multivariate predictive model. With this approach, this paper assess which quality practices are associated to the likelihood of the firm being certified. Design/methodology/approach – This paper implemented non-parametric decision trees, in order to see which variables influence more the fact that the company be certified or not, i.e. the motivations that lead companies to make sure. Findings – The results show that only four questionnaire items are sufficient to predict if a firm is certified or not. It is shown that companies in which the respondent manifests greater concern with respect to customers relations; motivations of the employees and strategic planning have higher likelihood of being certified. Research limitations/implications – The reader should note that this study is based on data from a single count...

The relationship between innovation and total quality management and the innovation effects on organizational performance

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between innovation and total quality management (TQM), and also to identify the effects of innovation on organizational performance. This research proposes a conceptual model that intends to study several research hypotheses. Design/methodology/approach The data were obtained through an online questionnaire, sent to small- and medium-sized Portuguese companies, having being conducted the study based on responses received from 287 valid questionnaires, and using a multivariate statistical analysis for statistical development. Findings The findings indicate that companies that adopt strategies of process innovation get improvements in their performance, both operationally and financially, while product innovation only provides improvements in the financial performance of organizations. It was also found that TQM practices encourage the definition of innovation strategies of products and processes. On the other hand, it was found that only companies that adopt innovation strategies of their processes promote the adoption of TQM practices, and there is a statistically significant relationship between product innovation and the implementation of TQM practices. Originality/value This research analyzed the dimensions studied in different aspects. It considered product innovation and process innovation, and with respect to performance, this dimension was analyzed through two different perspectives, namely, financial performance and operational performance. This research also provides a particular contribution to the literature with the analysis of the interdependencies between innovation and TQM in small- and medium-sized Portuguese companies.

Uma Análise das Diferenças em Termos dos Interesses Profissionais a Partir do Projeto de Substituição da IAS 39

The professional interests of the various stakeholders groups are often seen as obstacles to full accounting harmonization. Studying different professional interests in the accounting domain is significant for organizations involved in the international accounting harmonization process, insofar as it enables them to identify the main obstacles to face in order to achieve full harmonization. Thus, this article is aimed at analyzing the differences in terms of professional interests by addressing the participation of various stakeholders groups in the process of issuing/modifying standards of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). Based on content analysis, we examined the comment letters sent to the IASB in the context of the first part of the first phase of the project to replace the International Accounting Standard (IAS) 39, entitled “Financial Instruments – Recognition and Measurement”, by the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 9, on its turn entitled “Financial Instruments”. Respondents were identified according to the stakeholders group, and, later, the collected data underwent a nonparametric chi-square test. The results of this study indicate there are significant differences between the answers obtained from the various stakeholders groups involved in the process of issuing or reviewing a standard of the IASB, above all made clear between the group of financial preparers and the regulatory and/or standard-setting agencies and the professional associations related to accounting.