East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works August 1996 Implementing Total Quality Management in Business and Academe: A Case Study Nancy O. Bartell East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons, Higher Education Commons, and the Higher Education Administration Commons Recommended Citation Bartell, Nancy O., "Implementing Total Quality Management in Business and Academe: A Case Study" (1996). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2635. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2635 This Dissertation - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. 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UMI A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor MI 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 IMPLEMENTING TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN BUSINESS- AND ACADEME: A CASE STUDY A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis East Tennessee State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education by Nancy 0. Bartell August 1996 UMI Number: 9636791 UMI Microform 9638791 Copyright 1996, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition Is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 APPROVAL This is to certify that the Graduate Committee of NANCY 0. BARTELL met on the first day of July, 1996 The committee read and examined her dissertation, supervised her defense of it in an oral examination, and decided to recommend that her study be submitted to the Graduate Council, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in Educational Administration. Chair, Gradua^eHEofflhittee Signed on behalf of ntetim Dean, School of Graduate Council Graduate Studies ii ABSTRACT IMPLEMENTING TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN BUSINESS AND ACADEME: A CASE STUDY by Nancy 0. Bartell Total quality management (TQM) is a philosophy and process that has been successfully implemented in many business firms. Other organizations, including institutions of higher education, have become increasingly interested in adopting it. It is likely that facilitators need to be cognizant of organizational differences and adjust facilitation methods and strategies accordingly. This dissertation is an exploratory study designed to examine the role of the TQM facilitator in diverse settings. Specifically, the study is an in-depth two- case research study of TQM implementation in an international manufacturing firm and a regional institution of higher education. The primary foci of this dissertation are to (1) investigate differences in context and processes of each organization, (2) compare implementation events, (3) examine the facilitator's role at various stages of TQM implementation, and (4) identify barriers involved with TQM implementation in each organization. Conclusions of the study are that the facilitators' level of involvement in TQM implementation varied over time and at different stages of team development. Facilitators at the manufacturing firm used TQM tools and techniques more frequently than did facilitators in the academic setting. Lastly, outside facilitators had to adjust language, stories, and examples in the academic setting. They also relied heavily on an internal steering committee,to plan agendas and assess the degree of acceptance by those involved in early stages of implementation. iii INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL This is to certify that the following study has been filed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of East Tennessee State University. Title of Grant or Project Implementing Total Quality Management in Business and Academe! A Case Study______ Principal Investigator Nancy o. Bartell_____________ Department Educational 1 earier^hijgand Policy Analysis Date Submitted August_fi. iQQfi / i Institutional Review Board iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The completion of this dissertation represents the contributions of many people who have supported me, both professionally and personally, through this process. I am especially indebted to my chair, Dr. W. Hal Knight, who has supported and inspired me since my first class with him. I am also grateful for the time and support of my committee members, Dr. Nancy Dishner, Dr. Donn Gresso, Dean Allan D. Spritzer, and Dr. Russell West. They have each been a role model for me in their own unique way. My deep gratitude also goes to my husband, Dr. H. Robert Bartell, Jr., for his unwavering faith in my abilities and constant support of my endeavors. I also wish to express appreciation to Dr. Jean Garner Stead and Dr. Penny Little Smith for their support in the methodology of this study and to Ms. Karen Tarnoff for taking her much valued time to critique my draft. My thanks also goes to Ms. Sarah Wilson, who transcribed the many hours of interviews with accuracy, thoroughness, and quick turn-around time. v CONTENTS Page APPROVAL ................................................... ii ABSTRACT .................................................. iii INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD .............................. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................... V LIST OF T A B L E S ............................................. xi LIST OF FIGURES ............................................ xii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................... 1 Acceptance of TQM as a Management Philosophy . 2 Total Quality Management Defined ............. 4 The Role of the Change Agent as a Facilitator ................................. 5 Statement of the Problem ........................ 7 Purpose of the Study ............................... B Significance of the Study ...................... 9 Definitions ...................................... 11 Research Questions .............................. 12 Overview of the S t u d y ............................15 2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE..................... 17 Historical Perspective .......................... 18 TQM Concepts Espoused by Leading Theorists . 19 TQM Implementation Strategies .................. 26 TQM Facilitation.................................. 29 vi Chapter Page The Organizational Context ...................... 30 C u l t u r e .........................................32 S t r u c t u r e ...................................... 33 Other Organizational Variables ................ 35 Organizational Differences Between Universities and Businesses ............... 38 The Role of Facilitator in T Q M ................. 41 Internal vs. External Facilitators ........... 46 Facilitation Barriers ........................ 47 The Role of Facilitator in Transorganizational Development ........... 48 3. METHODOLOGY ...................................... 51 Design of the Case Studies ....................... 51 The Applicability of Qualitative Research to the Study .................................. 53 The Qualitative Research Case Method ......... 56 The Applicability of Research Case Method to the study .................................. 58 Informants and Other Data Sources ............. 60 Data C o l l e c t i o n .................................. 60 Data Analysis .................................... 62 V a l i d i t y ........................................... 67 Reliability .......................................68 Organizations Considered for the Study ......... 69 vii Chapter Page 4. EASTMAN'S TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT JOURNEY Historical Perspective .......................... 73 TQM Implementation Through Teamwork ......... 76 Problem-Solving Teams ...................... 74 Quality Improvement Teams ................. 77 Interlocking Team Structures .................79 Process Evaluation, Control, and Improvement Training ...................... 79 Total Quality Work Systems