Innovation, diffusion and adoption of total quality management (TQM)

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to identify some psychological and social variables that could enhance employees 'adoption of total quality management (TQM) in an organization that chooses to implement the management philosophy. Design/methodology/approach - A survey was conducted using 418 middle management staff randomly drawn from some TQM and non-TQM courier organizations in Nigeria. Respondents received standardized scales measuring perception of their leaders' leadership styles, organizational reward system, and self-report of personality attributes (psychological variables), along with items measuring gender, age, job tenure and level of education (social variables). They also responded to questionnaire items measuring the extent to which they practise TQM. Findings - The paper finds that correlation analysis shows that a higher level of maintenance leadership style, along with a lower level of performance leadership style, low levels of extraversion and neuroticism, a higher level of education and shorter job tenure all enhance subordinates' practice of TQM. Results of t-tests show that employees in TQM organizations were significantly higher on perceived maintenance and performance leadership styles and reward, but significantly lower on extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism than their non-TQM counterparts. Research limitations/implications - All measures were based on self-reports of respondents and data were from service organizations only, thus limiting the generalizability of the findings. Practical implications - Implementers of TQM in organizations in Nigeria should endeavor to put in place appropriate leadership styles, and should consider personality attributes, level of education and duration of working in any non-TQM organization among other personnel issues for selection and retention in a TQM-practising organization. Originality/value - TQM is a management technique being adopted in Nigeria with some difficulties. The present study brings to focus psychological and social variables that could ease its implementation. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.