Innovating TQM, CE and KM for productive manufacturing in a Malaysian firm

Abstract

In order to improve manufacturing performance, approaches such as total quality management (TQM), concurrent engineering (CE) and knowledge management (KM) have been adopted. Even so, their influence on technical and business challenges may depend on the type of innovation employed. Hence, this study aims to investigate the effects of TQM, CE and KM on manufacturing performance, with an emphasis on different types of innovations in a Malaysian firm. Two hundred and twenty-six surveys were collected back from manufacturing personnel and analysed using linear regression, multiple linear regression and moderated multiple linear regression. It was found that manufacturing performance only is significantly related to CE when intervention was made by the innovation moderator. Also, in the context of projects involving radical innovation rather than incremental innovation, CE has a higher correlation with manufacturing performance. This study provides evidence for manufacturing managers to enhance their firm's CE practices, especially if they are opting to undertake more projects that involve radical innovations for a more sustainable competitive advantage.

Keywords:

• quality
• concurrent engineering
• knowledge management
• manufacturing
• innovation

Acknowledgement

The researchers would like to thank Professor Dr Nirwan Idrus from the Faculty of Engineering and Technology in Multimedia University, Malaysia, for his invaluable comments and guidance in this study.