Micaela Martínez-Costa

ISO 9000 and TQM: substitutes or complementaries?

After analysing a sample of 442 of the Spanish biggest manufacturing companies, some evidence about the influence of total quality management (TQM) on the companies’ operating performance has been obtained. However, companies applying TQM together with the ISO 9000 standards did not show positive results. This fact leads to the consideration that, despite the beliefs about ISO 9000 as a good first step in the way of implementing TQM, once implemented, some of the ISO 9000 principles are contradictory with TQM philosophy. These not congruent systems applied together would drive the company to obtain less benefits than the use of only one of them. The study concludes that when ISO 9000 and TQM are applied simultaneously, the resultant benefits to the company are not better than those experienced if either system were applied in isolation.

A triple analysis of ISO 9000 effects on company performance

Purpose – ISO 9000 certification has a growing importance for companies, mainly in Europe but also in other countries. Several papers have analysed the effects of ISO 9000 certification on company results, with contradictory conclusions. The purpose of this work is to clarify these possible effects.Design/methodology/approach – This paper reports new findings on the topic following a study using data from 713 companies and using the two methodologies that have been applied in the scientific literature: the comparison of certified and non‐certified companies and a longitudinal study of the results of certification.Findings – The data suggest that not only is ISO 9000 positive for companies but also it can actually reduce benefits and profitability.Practical implications – Several reasons for these results can be suggested and constitute a critique of the almost compulsory character of ISO 9000 as a norm for performance in some markets. Companies should be aware that implementing ISO 9000 just for complianc...

The performance effect of HRM and TQM: a study in Spanish organizations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to look at human resource management (HRM) as a key element in the implementation of total quality management (TQM). This paper empirically tests the HRM practices that best fit this philosophy.Design/methodology/approach – The results of an empirical study of 706 companies are analyzed using structural equation methodology. The practices that are used to construct the framework for analysing approaches to HRM are based on a literature review.Findings – The results show that the alignment of the orientation towards quality and the approach to HRM is statistically significant for the utilization of the HRM system. The results also support the hypothesis that both TQM and HRM practices have a positive effect on performance.Research limitations/implications – A cross‐sectional analysis is applied, so it is necessary to be cautious in conclusions regarding causality. Single informants are used as the source of information. Although the use of single informants remains th...

Effects of ISO 9000 certification on firms' performance: A vision from the market

As the number of ISO 9000-registered companies increases over time, it seems that the certification constitutes a prerequisite for success in business. Companies could interpret the registration as the way to obtain sustainable competitive advantages, but is it true? How is the registration interpreted by the market? Do markets assume that certified companies will get more benefits than non-certified? Some papers have tried to answer these questions by studying the pros and cons of the registration and by analysing the impact the certification has had over some financial results. However, few works have tried to analyse the effects from the point of view of the market. If investors think the ISO 9000 series will allow the company to get more benefits, then assuming the market is efficient, at the date that the company gets the certification, the information will be rapidly expanded and incorporated into the price of its stocks, which will presumably rise. This paper documents the stock price performance of a sample of Spanish companies certified by AENOR. The methodology of Event studies is applied to investigate whether the market interprets the registration of a company as a signal of its better future performance. After applying parametric and non-parametric tests, we do not find clear evidence to affirm that the market values positively ISO 9000 registration.

Are companies that implement TQM better learning organisations? An empirical study

A great deal has been written about the benefits of both the implementation of a TQM system and the development of organisational learning. Furthermore, some authors argue that there are important synergies between these two concepts. There is empirical literature based on case studies that confirms the complementary nature of TQM and organisational learning. However, there are no general statistical surveys that test these hypotheses in a rigorous way. In the present research, clear evidence that TQM promotes organisational learning within companies is provided. This hypothesis was tested using a wide sample of Spanish companies and structural equation modelling. The findings support the model.

Organizational culture for total quality management

This study aimed to find empirical evidence about the organisational culture that fits best with a total quality management (TQM) system. Based on the classification developed by Cameron and Quinn (1999), we propose an alternative type of culture: the ‘mixed culture’ or ‘culture for quality’, which would be between adhocratic and clan cultures. It would have a double orientation – external and internal – and it would promote flexibility. The results of an empirical study of 451 companies were analysed using hierarchical linear regression methodology. The measurement of constructs used in this research was based on a review of the literature. Empirical evidence was found for the positive impact of adhocratic culture on TQM. Contrary to expectations, the clan culture has no significant effect on TQM. In addition, the mixed culture or ‘culture for quality’ is the most appropriate for a TQM system. The expected effect of control-oriented cultures was also found. In this case, both the market culture and the hierarchical culture have a negative effect on the quality management system. Finally, it was found that TQM has a significant positive effect on business performance. This effect is consistent with the literature reviewed. Consequently, managers must know the rules, values and customs that actually exist in their organisations as well as those that are more consistent with quality management. Companies with a quality orientation should promote the values and beliefs of the clan and adhocracy cultures.

Managing knowledge for a successful competence exploration

Purpose – This paper seeks to assess the importance of absorptive capacity and organizational memory in the process of internal exploitation for a higher organizational performance, and to develop an empirical framework to explain the effect of a firms memory and its absorptive capacity on exploitation of internal resources and capabilities to generate incremental innovations and thereby improve firm performance.Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation modeling was used to check the research hypotheses with a sample of 249 Spanish industrial companies.Findings – The results show that organizational absorptive capacity and the firms old knowledge positively affect exploitation of existing opportunities. In relation to the interaction between internal exploitation and firm performance, the results show a positive and significant effect. Finally, support was found for the hypothesis that there is a mediator effect of incremental innovation on the relationship between exploitation and organizationa...

Knowledge management practices for innovation: a multinational corporation’s perspective

– This paper aims to assess the importance of different knowledge management practices to promote organizational innovation in multinational companies. The links among internationalization, reverse knowledge transfer and social capital and organizational innovation are analyzed. , – Structural equation modeling was used to check the research hypotheses with a sample of 104 multinational companies. , – The results show that internalization has no direct effect on organizational innovation but a indirect effect trhrough the transfer of knowledge from external subsidiaries to the headquarter. Furthermore, this knowledge and other that comes from internal and external social capital is essential for the development of innovations. , – Self-reporting by the CEOs may be the most significant limitation, as a single key informant provided the data; multiple informants would enhance the validity of the research findings. A second limitation is the cross-sectional design of the research that does not allow observation of the short- and long-term impact of the relationships among the variables. , – Organizational innovation is not an easy task. However, those multinational companies which foster knowledge management practices that generate new knowledge from external subsidiaries, internal or external social relationships, will facilitate the generation of innovations. In consequence, these companies should foster the generation of knowledge from different sources. , – The focus of the study in this paper is on multinational companies and the possibility to acquire knowledge from different sources (inside organization, external local environment and international context). Specially, focus on the transfer of knowledge from subsidiaries to headquarters (reverse knowledge transfer), as it is insufficiently investigated by current literature.

Total quality management performance in multinational companies

Purpose – Multinational corporations face a more intense competence and a higher number of changes in the different countries they operate. In this regard, organizational learning and quality management are key elements that could help them to survive in the market. Convinced by the numerous benefits and competitive potential of total quality management (TQM) programmes, corporations have promoted its implementation. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the interaction between these programmes and organizational learning, more precisely with exploitation and exploration capabilities, in order to understand the way in which quality management programmes could help to develop learning in the companies. Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed model. The sample comprised 111 medium-sized Spanish companies, with four different responses each. Constructs are measured with Likert scales previously tested in the literature. Findings – The results show that TQM ...

Fostering new product success through learning competences

ABSTRACT Drawing on the resource-based view and the dynamic capability approach, the present paper analyses the effect of learning competences and innovation strategy on new product success (NPS). The study uses a sample of Spanish manufacturing firms. Results highlight that the new product innovation strategy is positively related to NPS and both exploration and exploitation competences. The study also finds that technological dynamism plays a moderator role in these relationships that weakens the effect of innovation strategy on both NPS and exploitation. Finally, it was also concluded that both exploitation and exploration competences not only have a positive and curvilinear effect on NPS, but also compete for scarce resources. This suggests that a balance between exploitation and exploration is needed.