Noor Azman Ali

Testing the criticality of HR-TQM factors in the Malaysian higher education context

The aim of this paper is to provide evidence on the degree of criticality and reliability tests for human resource (HR) related critical success factors (CSFs) in TQM implementation. This involves identifying and defining the HR-related CSFs from an exhaustive source of literature reviews on quality initiatives. In higher education (HE) contexts, the CSFs in TQM programmes emphasise more management commitment, HR management and quality working attitudes for customer satisfaction. Therefore, the ‘soft’ or HR aspects in the literature review stand as the fundamental issue of concern for organizational management in quality planning and creating a quality working climate to ensure successful expected performance. Using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), the HR-related CSFs that have high mean scores and reliability coefficients, are teamwork spirit, competent staff, customer-focus orientation and visionary leadership. Other factors have reasonably high scores and are recommended to be included in similar research in contexts other than simply the HE context.

The use of cognitive mapping technique in management research: theory and practice

The purpose of this article is to analyse the use of a qualitative approach using cognitive mapping techniques in the study of a decision‐making process. This study takes place in a public sector and in the context of a performance appraisal system (PAS). This is in line with recommendations by scholars and researchers to conduct a management research in a public service context (see Brown, 1999; Bissessar, 2000; Jabroun and Balakrishnan, 2000; O’Donnell and O’Brien, 2000; Redman, Snape and Thompson, 2000). This article also intends to elucidate and justify the methodological approach used, examine the assumptions underlying the use of a particular research design, and provide arguments for the preference of the methodology used. It is hoped that this will contribute to the understanding of the nature and validity of the research undertaken. This article begins by reviewing the theoretical issues of the research framework, the main features of the qualitative methodologies, and finally, the research method applied in this research is determined and justified.

People resistance in TQM implementation: a qualitative study on Malaysian universities

The aim of this paper is to discuss the theoretical and research evidence related to the issue of people barriers concerning problems and pitfalls in Total Quality Management (TQM) implementation. The people-based and service-oriented nature of Higher Education (HE) institutions leaves the university leaders and managers for quality projects to look seriously into the cause of the problems, and apply a strategic approach to ensure successful quality initiatives. A qualitative survey on seven universities in Malaysia suggests that the main reasons for people resistance are lack of knowledge and information on the quality programme, lack of motivation and complacency attitudes, and the quality programme being perceived to cause more burden rather that benefit. The relevant human resource management practices and approaches are discussed to overcome the problems.