Critical factors in quality management and guidelines for self-assessment: The case of Singapore

Total quality management has evolved beyond its roots in statistics and the quality control function. Today, it is believed to be a framework for 'competitive' management. The quality measurement instruments for service organizations developed by Parasuraman et al . have been successfully applied in many such organizations. Saraph et al . developed an instrument to measure the overall organizational quality management practices for both manufacturing and service firms. This instrument was tested for consistency and validity using data from US firms, United Arab Emirates firms and Indian firms. The present study attempts to corroborate the results of the studies just mentioned. Using data from 33 manufacturing and service firms in Singapore, internal consistency, criterion-related validity and construct validity are tested. Additionally, the study shows how this instrument could be used as a self-assessment tool by quality managers for continuous monitoring of quality-related performance. In conclusion, the instrument developed by Saraph et al . appears to be reliable and valid for the measurement of the quality management practices of an organization. A framework for self-assessment is also discussed.