A meta-analysis of the relationship between quality management and innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive meta-analysis examining the relationship between Quality Management (QM) and innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Through a statistical synthesis of the findings of 31 empirical studies published between 2008 and 2022, this meta-analysis reveals a significant positive correlation between QM and diverse innovation types in SMEs. More specifically, the results show that total quality management, soft and hard quality management practices and quality management systems all positively correlate with technological, non-technological and green innovations. Importantly, the results underscore the pivotal role of leadership styles – charismatic, team-oriented, participative and autonomous – in enhancing the QM-innovation relationship, while human-oriented and self-protective styles appear to diminish it. The findings offer strategic insights for SMEs managers to optimize innovation through tailored quality initiatives and leadership style.

Keywords:

• Quality management
• SMEs
• innovation
• green innovation
• leadership style
• meta-analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The scores are available on the link: https://globeproject.com/results/#country.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Younès El Manzani

Younès El Manzani holds a Doctorate in Management Studies and serves as an associate professor at the Higher Institute of Management (ISM-IAE), UVSQ, Paris Saclay University, France. He earned an international dual degree PhD in Management Studies from Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University, France and Cadi Ayyad University, Morocco. In addition to his academic roles, Professor El Manzani assumes the role of director for the Master’s program in Customer Relationship Management, Quality and Digital. His research interests include strategic management, quality management, technology and innovation management. El Manzani’s research has been published in international journals such as the European Journal of Innovation Management, International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, Tourism and Hospitality Research, International Journal of Organizational Analysis and Management Review Quarterly.

Mostapha El Idrissi

Mostapha El Idrissi is currently a professor of strategy and management at Cadi Ayyad University, Morocco. He is also a permanent member in the research laboratory for New Management Practices. He received his PhD degree in strategic management from Hassan II University, Morocco. His doctoral thesis, which explored the coopetition strategy among SMEs, was nominated for the prize of the best PhD thesis in management sciences in Morocco for the year 2019. Actually, his research focuses on inter-organizational collaborations, proximity and innovation management. Mostapha has contributed to these fields by publishing various research articles and book chapters. Additionally, he has shared and presented his research findings at both national and international conferences.

Rahma Chouchane

Rahma Chouchane is a postdoctoral researcher at the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Research Institute (InRPME) at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières (UQTR). She is also a lecturer at the University of Quebec en Outaouais (UQO). Her research focuses on innovation, intrapreneurship and sustainable development in SMEs. She has published in academic journals such as the Journal of Management & Organization, Innovation: Organization & Management and the International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research. Dr. Chouchane serves as the Vice President of Surveys and Data for the Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars (CAPS).

Michael Sony

Michael Sony is Senior Lecturer in Operations Management at Oxford Brookes Business School, Oxford Brookes University, UK. Prior to this he was a Senior Lecturer in WITS Business Schools, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa and Namibia University of Science and Technology, Namibia. He holds a Master of Engineering, PhD and DSc degrees from Goa University, India. His research interest in Productions and Operations Management, Industry 4.0 and Quality 4.0. He also has industry and consulting experience in power sector, mining and metals and service organizations.

Jiju Antony

Jiju Antony is recognized worldwide as a leader in Operational Excellence methodology and is currently serving as the Vice President of Research for the most distinguished and prestigious International Academy for Quality. He is also working part-time as a Professor of Quality and Operational Excellence in the Department of Marketing, Operations and Systems at Northumbria University, Newcastle, England, UK. He is a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society (UK), Fellow of the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI), Fellow of the American Society for Quality (ASQ), Fellow of the International Lean Six Sigma Institute and Fellow of the Institute of the Six Sigma Professionals (ISSP). Professor Antony has authored and co-authored over 600 journal, conference and white papers and 14 textbooks. He has won the outstanding contribution to Quality Management Practice Award in 2019 from the Chartered Quality Institute (UK); Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Lean Six Sigma from the International Lean Six Sigma Institute (UK) in 2020 and Outstanding Contribution to Six Sigma Practice award from the Institute of Six Sigma Professionals, UK in 2021. He has over 35,000 citations according to Google Scholar with an H-index of 98. He has supervised over 20 PhD students of which more than 12 were senior managers from world class companies.