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Abstract
Research question: While quality management literature has addressed products and services separately, the founders of total quality presented this management philosophy as universally oriented. The purpose of this study is to empirically test the Deming management model (DMM).
Research methods: We tested the proposed research model using structural equation modeling, based on data collected from golf courses and ski resorts, in three different countries.
Results and findings: The results support the application of the model to services, in general, and sports tourism, in particular.
Implications: Our conclusions reinforce the recognition of the method's effectiveness and identify the cause–effect patterns, within its basic scope, highlighting the importance of leadership in the success of a quality improvement program. Lastly, a discrepancy of this study is the incapability to support the relationship between continuous improvement and customer satisfaction. Nevertheless, the results should be interpreted while considering the presented limitations.
Funding
This work was supported by Spanish Ministry of Economy and competitiveness grant [ECO2012-25439].