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QUALITY PAPER Effects of

critical factors
An empirical study to investigate on TQM
the effects of critical factors on
TQM implementation in the
garment industry in Bangladesh Received 6 June 2018
Revised 15 June 2019
Subrata Talapatra and Md. Kutub Uddin 26 September 2019
Accepted 3 October 2019
Khulna University of Engineering & Technology,
Khulna, Bangladesh
Jiju Antony
Department of Business Management, School of Social Sciences,
Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
Shivam Gupta
Montpellier Business School, Montpellier Research in Management,
Montpellier, France, and
Elizabeth A. Cudney
Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering,
Missouri University of Science and Technology,
Rolla, Missouri, USA

Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that enable total quality management
(TQM) implementation in the readymade garment (RMG) sector of Bangladesh. More specifically, the present
study is a supplement of the previous call from research to investigate the TQM-enabling factors from a
broader aspect of organizational change.
Design/methodology/approach – This study was conducted through an online survey, followed by
phone calls. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey with 256 respondents of the Bangladeshi
RMG sector. The TQM-enabling factors were divided into five distinct groups, based on strategic or
overall changes required within an organization for TQM implementation. A theoretical research model
was created to investigate the contingency of various TQM-enabling factors. Structural equation
modeling (SEM) was applied to confirm the factor that enabled TQM implementation in the RMG sector
of Bangladesh.
Findings – The main finding of this study shows that structural, strategic, contextual and human
resource-enabling factors are significant to TQM implementation in the Bangladeshi RMG sector.
Research limitations/implications – This study has been completed in single time frame. Therefore,
consideration of the time factor is completely ignored in this research. Furthermore, understanding of
TQM-enabling factors in this research relied on quantitative findings only. Also, this study was limited to one
industry and one geographic region. However, this study could determine whether data triangulation will
provide a good perception on enabling factors and the methodology can be extended to other industries
and regions.
Practical implications – This study provides a research methodology for other manufacturing industries
that are planning to implement TQM in their organization. This research will contribute to the
existing literature by examining the contingency of various TQM-enabling factors in the context of the
Bangladeshi RMG sector, and it, therefore, provides direction to increase the success rate of TQM
implementation. Furthermore, the research methodology can be used in other studies for variation of
contextual variables such as size of the industry, developed or underdeveloped country and manufacturing International Journal of Quality &
or service industry. Reliability Management
Originality/value – The methodology used in this study can lead the way for other industries in the RMG © Emerald Publishing Limited
0265-671X
sector that implements TQM in their organization. Also, this research further contributes to the existing DOI 10.1108/IJQRM-06-2018-0145
IJQRM literature by investigating the contingency of various TQM enabling factors in the context of the Bangladeshi
RMG sector and developing associated strategies to raise success rate of TQM implementation.
Keywords Total quality management, Barriers, Continuous improvement, Developing countries,
Factor analysis, Readymade garment industry
Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction
In order to occupy a sustainable position in the competitive global business environment,
many organizations are trying to adopt effective and efficient business solutions (McAdam
et al., 2019; Al-Zaabi et al., 2013; Shen et al., 2013; Lee, 2012; Sit et al., 2011). Organizations are
increasingly becoming more customer oriented by delivering quality products or services at
competitive prices (Ketokivi and Choi, 2014; Lee, 2012; Baird, 2011). The TQM philosophy
can help business organizations in this regard. Improvement of overall productivity of an
organization depends on the continuous quality improvement culture within the
organization (Aladwan and Forrester, 2016; Fu et al., 2015; Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Giaccio
et al., 2013). The TQM philosophy enables organizations to integrate various quality
improvement activities from different perspectives, which increases both productivity and
profitability of an organization (Aamer et al., 2017; Aladwan and Forrester, 2016; Shen et al.,
2013; Aamer, 2015). Although TQM implementation improves business performance,
industries still encounter obstacles during TQM implementation in their organizations
(Al-Zaabi et al., 2013; Aamer et al., 2017; Fu et al., 2015; Chavez et al., 2013). The Bangladeshi
RMG sector faces this particular scenario.
The difficulty surrounding the establishment of a TQM culture stems from several main
areas. First, management within the RMG sector is reluctant to empower the employees
because it fears that the employees will misuse their ability if they are empowered. However,
it is evident from the previous literature that empowering employees helps them perform
their jobs more efficiently (Aladwan and Forrester, 2016; Aamer et al., 2017; Candido and
Santos, 2011; Teixeira et al., 2015). Second, 90 percent of the garment workers in Bangladesh
are illiterate and have no technical training (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and
Exporters Association, BGMEA, 2017). The garment workers are able to perform their jobs
because of their longtime practice in their jobs. Managers are hesitant to enhance the
technical skills of their workers due to high cost of training (Carnerud, 2018; Honarpour
et al., 2017). Managers have also failed to realize that technical skills can maximize profits
through productivity improvement (Laohavichien et al., 2011; Fotopoulos et al., 2010;
Aquilani et al., 2017; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Baidoun et al., 2018). Third, top management
does not motivate the employers for active participation in their work through team
building, even though it is an important requirement for quality standards and most RMG
organizations are certified to quality standards. Therefore, it is clear that developing a
continuous quality improvement culture, which is a pre-requisite of TQM implementation, is
hampered in RMG organizations due to the absence of employee motivation, empowerment
and training effort.
Bangladesh has already gained a top position in the world in garment production. The
success of this sector depends on low production costs due to cheap labor. According to
BGMEA (2017), the value of wage in apparel production in 2017 was almost 1.5 times the
value of the previous few years. If labor costs continue to increase at such a rate, Bangladesh
will lose its market, and its closest competitor, Vietnam, will capture the market. As a result,
Bangladesh will lose its economic growth as well as employment opportunities. To overcome
this situation, the Bangladeshi RMG organizations should investigate alternative methods to
lower production costs (Imran and Gregor, 2010; Syduzzaman et al., 2016). Productivity
improvements could be the best alternative in this regard. Therefore, the adoption of the TQM
philosophy is an appropriate solution, as it enables improvement in the overall productivity of
an organization as well as the sustainability of the market (Carnerud, 2018; Del Rio and Garcia, Effects of
2017; Kumar and Sharma, 2017). Based on the market situation, the study of enabling factors critical factors
of TQM implementation in the Bangladeshi RMG sector has become essential, as it will make on TQM
implementation activities easier and more successful (Imran and Gregor, 2010; Syduzzaman
et al., 2016). This is the main motivation of this study.
TQM implementation programs are highly contextual in nature and require extensive
cultural change throughout the organization (Baidoun et al., 2018; Aquilani et al., 2017;
Aamer et al., 2017; Maistry et al., 2017; Aladwan and Forrester, 2016; Teixeira et al., 2015).
Furthermore, the degree of culture change varies greatly from country to country,
differences in size of the organization (e.g. small, medium or large enterprise) and the type of
organization (e.g. manufacturing or service) (Baidoun et al., 2018; Aquilani et al., 2017;
Aamer et al., 2017). Therefore, the generalization of factors is not possible for TQM
implementation (Sila, 2007; Baidoun et al., 2018; Aamer et al., 2017; Aladwan and Forrester,
2016; Teixeira et al., 2015). However, it is necessary to extend the study to other countries in
terms of variation in size and the type of organization. In addition, although several
researchers have determined enabling factors of TQM implementation from different
perspectives, they have ignored an overall organizational change, which is one of the most
essential requirements for TQM implementation (Aquilani et al., 2017; Aamer et al., 2017;
Aladwan and Forrester, 2016; Grover et al., 2016). In Bangladesh, the concept of TQM is not
well known, and limited study has been carried out regarding the TQM implementation in
Bangladeshi RMG sector. Hence, the purpose of this research is to determine the factors for
strategic or overall change (mainly in structure, strategic plan, practice, people, culture, etc.)
needed within the organization during TQM implementation. No similar study has been
carried out in the world to date. This research has addressed two potential research
questions about TQM implementation:
RQ1. What are possible enabling factors of TQM implementation?
RQ2. Which factors are contingent for TQM implementation in the perspective of the
Bangladeshi RMG sector?
This study will provide a methodology for other industries in the RMG sector that
implement TQM in their organization. Hence, this research can contribute to existing
literature by investigating the contingency of various TQM-enabling factors in the context
of the Bangladeshi RMG sector and developing associated strategies to increase success rate
of TQM implementation.
The rest of the paper is arranged in the following way. The second section provides
an extensive revision of respective literature to develop a comprehensive list of the
enabling factors of TQM implementation. The third section covers the research
methodology employed for this study that employs structural equation modeling (SEM) to
empirically examine the contingency of various TQM-enabling factors in the perspective
of the Bangladeshi RMG sector. The fourth section discusses the findings of the
research. Finally, the practical and theoretical implications, limitations and future
research are provided.

2. Literature review
2.1 Identifying possible enabling factors of TQM implementation in the literature
The main purpose of this literature review is to identify all possible enabling factors of TQM
implementation. For this purpose, a comprehensive list of 25 enabling factors that have been
frequently studied in the previous literature for both developed and underdeveloped
countries was prepared. These enabling factors are presented in Table I. These enabling
factors were further divided into five categories on the basis of the strategic or overall
IJQRM Sl. No. Factors
Human resource-enabling factors
1 Empowerment of
employees
2 Proper training and
education
3 Employee’s acceptance to
change culture
4 Teamwork to solve
problems
5 Effective appraisal system
Strategic enabling factors
6 Top management
commitment
7 Good leadership
8 Appropriate planning
9 No turnover at
management level
10 Customer satisfaction
Contextual enabling factors
11 Continuous improvement
culture
12 Cross-functional teamwork Maistry et al. (2017), Chavez et al. (2013), Calvo-Mora et al. (2014), Aquilani et al.
13 Acceptance to change
organizational culture
between departments
14 Utilizing a quality
management system
15 Strong communication
Structural enabling factors
16 Appropriate organizational
structure
17 Sufficient physical
resources
18 Appropriate information
system
19 Strong financial support
20 Ample time
Procedural enabling factors
21 Simplicity of process
22 Regular monitoring of
processes improvement
23 Effective process control
Table I. 24 Knowledge about quality
Enabling factors of cost
TQM implementation 25 Benchmarking of current
in the literature processes
References
McAdam et al. (2019), Candido and Santos (2011), Abdolshah and Abdolshah
(2011), Teixeira et al. (2015), Aamer et al. (2017)
Laohavichien et al. (2011), Fotopoulos et al. (2010), Aquilani et al. (2017),
Calvo-Mora et al. (2014), Baidoun et al. (2018)
McAdam, et al. (2019), Maistry et al. (2017), Jaeger and Adair (2016),
Calvo-Mora et al. (2014), Aquilani et al. (2017), Teixeira et al. (2015)
Baidoun et al. (2018), Abdolshah, and Abdolshah (2011), Jaeger and Adair
(2016), Chavez et al. (2013)
Laohavichien et al. (2011), Fotopoulos et al. (2010), Aquilani et al. (2017),
Calvo-Mora et al. (2014), Baidoun et al. (2018)
Teixeira et al. (2015), Fotopoulos et al. (2010), Maistry et al. (2017), Aquilani
et al. (2017), Candido and Santos (2011)
McAdam, et al. (2019), Teixeira et al. (2015), Fotopoulos et al. (2010), Maistry
et al. (2017), Aquilani et al. (2017), Candido and Santos (2011)
Candido and Santos (2011), Teixeira et al. (2015), Chavez et al. (2013), Aamer
et al. (2017), Jaeger and Adair (2016)
Jaeger and Adair (2016), Laohavichien et al. (2011), Chavez et al. (2013),
Calvo-Mora et al. (2014)
McAdam, et al. (2019), Calvo-Mora et al. (2014), Fotopoulos et al. (2010),
Aquilani et al. (2017), Teixeira et al. (2015), Aamer et al. (2017)
McAdam et al. (2019), Fotopoulos et al. (2010), Aquilani et al. (2017),
Calvo-Mora et al. (2014), Baidoun et al. (2018), Teixeira et al. (2015)
(2017), Teixeira et al. (2015)
McAdam et al. (2019), Fotopoulos et al. (2010), Jaeger and Adair (2016),
Calvo-Mora et al. (2014), Aquilani et al. (2017), Teixeira et al. (2015)
Candido and Santos (2011), Teixeira et al. (2015), Chavez et al. (2013), Aamer
et al. (2017), Raj and Attri (2011)
McAdam et al. (2019), Teixeira et al. (2015), Fotopoulos et al. (2010), Maistry
et al. (2017), Aquilani et al. (2017), Candido and Santos (2011)
Teixeira et al. (2015), Maistry et al. (2017), Aquilani et al. (2017), Calvo-Mora
et al. (2014), Jaeger and Adair (2016)
McAdam et al. (2019), Fotopoulos et al. (2010), Aquilani et al. (2017), Chavez
et al. (2013), Baidoun et al. (2018), Maistry et al. (2017)
Teixeira et al. (2015), Fotopoulos et al. (2010), Maistry et al. (2017), Aquilani
et al. (2017), Candido and Santos (2011)
McAdam et al. (2019), Laohavichien et al. (2011), Fotopoulos et al. (2010),
Aquilani et al. (2017), Calvo-Mora et al. (2014), Baidoun et al. (2018)
Laohavichien et al. (2011), Fotopoulos et al. (2010), Aquilani et al. (2017),
Calvo-Mora et al. (2014), Baidoun et al. (2018)
McAdam et al. (2019), Chavez et al. (2013), Fotopoulos et al. (2010), Aquilani
et al. (2017), Calvo-Mora et al. (2014), Baidoun et al. (2018)
Candido and Santos (2011), Teixeira et al. (2015), Chavez et al. (2013), Aamer
et al. (2017), Raj and Attri (2011)
McAdam et al. (2019), Jaeger and Adair (2016), Laohavichien et al. (2011),
Chavez et al. (2013), Teixeira et al. (2015)
Fotopoulos et al. (2010), Aquilani et al. (2017), Calvo-Mora et al. (2014), Baidoun
et al. (2018), Teixeira et al. (2015)
McAdam et al. (2019), Jaeger and Adair (2016), Laohavichien et al. (2011),
Chavez et al. (2013), Teixeira et al. (2015)
change required within the organization, which include human resource, strategic, Effects of
contextual, structural and procedural enabling factors. The theoretical justification for these critical factors
groupings is discussed in the following paragraph. on TQM
Organizational change is essential to sustain in the competitive market (Veltmeyer and
Mohamed, 2017; Yusr et al., 2017; Carmona-Márquez et al., 2016). Organizational change is a
continuous improvement effort to adopt a new situation in a rapidly changing environment
(Talib et al., 2013; Talib et al., 2011a, b; Talib, Rahman, Quershi, and Siddique, 2011). There is
a connection between TQM and organizational change, as TQM is an effort to continuously
improve through overall change in the organization (Baidoun et al., 2018; Aamer et al., 2017).
To realize overall change inside the organization, several relevant organizational change
theories (e.g. Lewin’s force-field theory, stage theory and evolutionary theory) were
reviewed. By analyzing the theories, four approaches of organizational change were found:
transactional, transformational, incremental and strategic change. Evolutionary theory of
organizational change has clearly explained the meaning of incremental change. According
to the theory, incremental change means several small changes within in the organization
over a long period of time. This change is less sensitive to dynamic change of business
environment. Again, social scientist Kurt Lewin has proposed a theory on organizational
change. According to the theory, organizational change occurs in two orders. Transactional
change takes place in the first order, whereas transformational change occurs in the second
order. In transactional change, no fundamental change occurs within the organization, only
some elements of an organization change. This type of change deals with change in
managerial and operational practices. Therefore, this type of changes can easily be done
within the organization. Some common examples of transactional change are change in
working procedures, management practices and system procedures. In order to manage
transformational change, Lewin has proposed three stages of change (unfreeze, change and
refreeze). Transformational change is helpful to initiate the second-order change (i.e.
transformational change).
In transformational change, fundamental change occurs within the organization. This
type of change deals with change in organizational culture. Therefore, this type of change
is difficult to achieve. To manage difficulties in organizational change, stage theory has
proposed an idea of organizational change through series of stages. This theory has
proposed four stages in the process of organizational change: awareness, adoption,
implementation and institutionalization. In order to accelerate change, different strategies
need to be set at different stages. Strategies should be set in accordance with surrounding
environment of an organization to bring a positive change in culture. Therefore, change of
strategies for each stage will bring a comprehensive change within the organization. For
this reason, strategic change is suitable among other approaches of change, because it
brings an overall change within an organization (Burke, 2017; Levy, 2017). This theoretical
understanding is also reflected in several studies (Carnerud, 2018; Maistry et al., 2017; Jaeger
and Adair, 2016; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Aquilani et al., 2017; Teixeira et al., 2015). For
example, Del Rio and Garcia (2017) mentioned that competitive position of a company could
be increased through strategic change. Thus, it can be argued that the selection of a
strategic approach as a classification criterion is more appropriate because it ensures an
overall change (i.e. change in organizational structure, procedure, culture, and operational
performance of workforce) within the organization.

2.2 Major research gaps

The review of the existing literature shows two major research gaps. First, extensive research
has been performed to determine possible enabling factors of TQM implementation, based on
several issues such as human resources (Laohavichien et al., 2011; Fotopoulos et al., 2010;
Aquilani et al., 2017; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Baidoun et al., 2018; Chavez et al., 2013),
IJQRM operational performance (Candido and Santos, 2011; Abdolshah and Abdolshah, 2011;
Teixeira et al., 2015; Aamer et al., 2017), alignment of TQM with strategic goals (Fotopoulos
et al., 2010; Aquilani et al., 2017; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Baidoun et al., 2018; Teixeira et al.,
2015) and relationship of TQM to corporate strategies (Teixeira et al., 2015; Maistry et al., 2017;
Aquilani et al., 2017; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Jaeger and Adair, 2016), among other studies on
TQM-enabling factors (Baidoun et al., 2018; Aquilani et al., 2017; Aamer et al., 2017; Aladwan
and Forrester, 2016; Teixeira et al., 2015). However, little attention has been paid to
organizational change. To close this research gap, this study categorized the enabling factors
of TQM implementation on the basis of organizational change. Second, several empirical
studies have argued that implementation of the TQM philosophy might be affected by social,
cultural and economic conditions of a country. Therefore, it is necessary to extend the study to
other countries. In Bangladesh, the concept of TQM is not well known, and little research has
been undertaken in the context of TQM implementation in RMG sector. Hence, additional
research is needed in this area. This study was conducted to close this gap.

2.3 RMG sector in Bangladesh and TQM implementation

Bangladesh is the second largest textile and garments exporter across the globe
(Syduzzaman et al., 2016; Seddiqe and Basak, 2014). According to BGMEA (2017), there are
more than 5,000 RMG organizations in Bangladesh. The majority of the companies are
located in Dhaka, Narayangaon and Chittagong city. More than 4.4m people work in this
sector, and approximately 90 percent are female. Bangladeshi RMG organizations are
classified into two major groups: knit ware and woven ware. The majority (approximately
98 percent) of RMG organizations are small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs).
In addition, nearly 75 percent RMG industries have less than 500 employees.
There is a management committee in most of the industries for operations. This
committee is typically headed by a managing director and several functional managers
who assist the managing director. Workers are supervised by line management (i.e. a
production manager). These organizations operate under strict rules and regulations for
various compliance practices to capture a competitive market. For example, each
organization has a committee that oversees health and safety-related issues and takes
necessary action in emergencies. Furthermore, most of the industries provide first aid
medical treatment to the workers. Other services, such as child care and free medical
check-ups, are limited in this sector.
Transportation, energy supply and space for industrialization are major infrastructure
areas that contribute to the production system, as well as quick product shipments in this
sector. More than 90 percent of the import/export activities are carried out by sea and the
remaining by air (BGMEA, 2017). In addition, majority of the industries use road as the
main mode of transport.
An RMG organization is completely market driven; therefore, it is essential to keep
market information up to date and communicate it throughout the supply chain. The
present marketing strategy of the Bangladeshi RMG sector is to satisfy customers with
quality products at competitive prices. Based on 2017 data, export earnings from this sector
increased by USD33.45bn over the last fiscal year, which contributed to 76.6 percent of total
earning and were equivalent to 9.5 percent of country’s GDP for the corresponding year.
A significant positive growth in this sector occurred over the last two decades due to the
current marketing strategy. During the last decade, export earnings increased at an average
rate of 16.5 percent per annum.
The success of this sector depends on low production costs due to cheap labor. In
Bangladesh, cost of labor/hour is about $0.3, which is comparatively cheaper than China
($0.69) and very close to Vietnam ($0.4) (BGMEA, 2017). Labor costs will remain cheap until
there is an increase in the cost of living. According to BGMEA (2017), the value of 2017
wages in apparel production was almost 1.5 times the value of the last few years. If labor Effects of
costs continue to increase at such a rate, Bangladesh will lose its market. To overcome this critical factors
situation, the Bangladeshi RMG sector should implement TQM. on TQM
To examine the contingency of various TQM-enabling factors in the perspective of the
Bangladeshi RMG sector, this research proposes a theoretical model. While developing the
theoretical model, elements that build the model are identified first. Then the relationships
among the elements are established. In this study, organizational change theories and their
relevant literature were employed to identify the building blocks of the research model and
their relationships.

3. Theoretical model
The theoretical model was designed on the basis of enabling factors identified in literature.
These enabling factors were further divided into five categories, based on the strategic or
overall change required within the organization, which include human resource, strategic,
contextual, structural and procedural enabling factors. Within this context, research
hypotheses were also developed, which are discussed next.

3.1 Role of human resource-enabling factors in TQM implementation practices

Human resource-enabling factors help to bring change in the culture in various aspects of
human resources (Baidoun et al., 2018; Aladwan and Forrester, 2016; Slocum-Gori and
Zumbo, 2011). Among the several factors that have been frequently studied in previous
literature, employee empowerment, employee training, employee’s acceptance to change
culture, teamwork to solve problems and effective appraisal system come under this
category, as these enabling factors relate to human operational performance (Fotopoulos
et al., 2010; Aquilani et al., 2017). Stage theory of organizational change has mentioned that
effective implementation of TQM depends on employee empowerment, as it drives
appropriate decision-making. This statement is also supported by several research studies
(Candido and Santos, 2011; Abdolshah and Abdolshah, 2011; Teixeira et al., 2015; Aamer
et al., 2017). Personal creativity in decision-making is more encouraged in SMEs compared
to large enterprises (Aquilani et al., 2017; Jayaram et al., 2010). This provides an
opportunity for SMEs to empower their employees and increase their (employees)
acceptance to change (Maistry et al., 2017; Jaeger and Adair, 2016; Calvo-Mora et al. 2014;
Aquilani et al., 2017; Teixeira et al., 2015). Similarly, during TQM implementation, the
organization should focus on employee training and teamwork because training increases
the awareness of TQM among employees and determines the areas where TQM should be
implemented first (Laohavichien et al., 2011; Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Aquilani et al., 2017;
Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Baidoun et al., 2018). Training facilities are often limited in SMEs
compared to large industries (Maistry et al., 2017; Oakland, 2011). However, teamwork
enables employee’s involvement in problem solving and introduces the continuous
improvement culture in the organization (Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Aquilani et al., 2017;
Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Baidoun et al., 2018; Teixeira et al., 2015). SMEs typically have
more team spirit than large enterprises because SMEs have stronger relationships among
the employees (Teixeira et al., 2015). In addition to training, employee performance
appraisals can be an effective way to utilize human resources (Laohavichien et al., 2011;
Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Aquilani et al., 2017; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Baidoun et al., 2018).
Performance appraisal systems are often informal in SMEs (Aamer et al., 2017; Sadikoglu
and Olcay, 2014; Weckenmann et al., 2015; Zehir, and Sadikoglu, 2012). Therefore,
according to extant literature and theory, the first research hypothesis is formulated
as follows:
H1. Human resource-enabling factors have a positive relation with TQM practices.
IJQRM 3.2 Role of contextual enabling factors in TQM implementation practices
Among the several enabling factors that have been frequently investigated in the recent
literature, continuous quality improvement culture, formation of cross-functional teams,
acceptance to change organizational culture between departments, practicing quality
management system and strong communication fall under the category of contextual
enabling factors because these factors relate to the culture necessary for TQM
implementation (Baidoun et al., 2018; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Fotopoulos et al., 2010).
Recent studies argue that a continuous quality improvement culture creates a favorable
environnent for effective TQM implementation (Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Aquilani et al., 2017;
Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Baidoun et al., 2018; Teixeira et al., 2015). The organization needs to
identify different processes and their linkage for effective management because these
processes operate under a complex business environment and depend on each other (Chavez
et al., 2013; Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Aquilani et al., 2017; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Baidoun
et al., 2018). Therefore, it is essential to have a cross-functional team for coordination and
communication of process improvement efforts across the organization, as this will improve
TQM implementation (Teixeira et al., 2015; Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Maistry et al., 2017;
Aquilani et al., 2017; Candido and Santos, 2011). Furthermore, according to the Lewin’s
theory of organizational change, the acceptance to change culture between departments of
an organization is a vital factor that ensures an effective TQM implementation. This
statement is also supported by several research studies (Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Jaeger and
Adair, 2016; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Aquilani et al., 2017; Teixeira et al., 2015). With respect
to industry size, processes in SMEs are typically simpler than in large organizations. For
example, sometimes one employee can cover more than one department (Maistry et al., 2017;
Lam et al., 2012). This provides an opportunity for SMEs to create cross-functional teams
more easily than large enterprises (Aamer et al., 2017; Valmohammadi, 2011). However,
evaluation, control and feedback systems are more informal in SMEs (Aquilani et al., 2017;
Yunis et al., 2013), which can impede the growing culture of continuous quality
improvement inside the business organization as well as lead to poor quality management
practices (Teixeira et al., 2015; Sabella et al., 2015; Jain, 2013). Based on the literature,
contextual enabling factors can drive successful TQM implementation. Therefore, the
second hypothesis addresses the relationship between contextual enabling factors and
TQM implementation:
H2. Contextual enabling factors have a positive relation with TQM practices.

3.3 Role of procedural enabling factors in TQM implementation practices

Procedural enabling factors bring effective change in organizational processes (Baidoun
et al., 2018; Maistry et al., 2017). Simplicity of processes, regular monitoring of process
improvement, effective control of manufacturing processes, knowledge about quality cost
and benchmarking current processes are among the several factors that have been
frequently examined in the past literature. These areas fall under the category of
procedural enabling factors because these factors relate to process management activities
(Aquilani et al., 2017; Aamer et al., 2017; Aladwan and Forrester, 2016). Continuous
improvement is a core principle of TQM implementation. Stage theory of organizational
change has pointed out that continuous quality improvement practice helps to rethink
current processes (Maistry et al., 2017), which can ultimately lead to an approach in the
organization that simplifies existing processes, improves the effectiveness of the quality
assurance system and increases continuous quality improvement. This statement is
also supported by several research studies (Chavez et al., 2013; Fotopoulos et al., 2010;
Aquilani et al., 2017; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Baidoun et al., 2018). Several studies have
reported that continuous monitoring of processes is an integral part of quality assurance
(Candido and Santos, 2011; Teixeira et al., 2015; Chavez et al., 2013, Aamer et al., 2017; Raj Effects of
and Attri 2011). Therefore, internal quality inspection systems must be set up at every critical factors
control point of each process. Furthermore, there must be benchmarking of the current on TQM
process to point out the weaknesses for further improvement ( Jaeger and Adair, 2016;
Laohavichien et al., 2011; Chavez et al., 2013; Teixeira et al., 2015). This practice will
increase focus on the cost of quality to reduce the cost of poor quality (Fotopoulos, 2010;
Aquilani et al., 2017; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Baidoun et al., 2018; Teixeira et al., 2015).
In addition, effective implementation of TQM enables a decline in the cost of poor quality.
In the context of industry size, SMEs have simpler processes compared to large
enterprises (Aamer et al., 2017; Maistry et al., 2017). Simple processes allow more flexibility
to change (Teixeira et al., 2015; Chavez et al., 2013). Regular monitoring and benchmarking
of current processes are more difficult in SMEs because of the informal quality
management systems (Aamer et al., 2017; Jarrett, 2016). However, in most cases, SMEs
have little to no focus on the cost of poor quality (Teixeira et al., 2015; Van Schoten et al.,
2016). Therefore, procedural enabling factors can bring success of TQM implementation,
which leads to the following hypothesis:
H3. Procedural enabling factors have a positive relation with TQM practices.

3.4 Role of strategic enabling factors in TQM implementation practices

Strategic enabling factors are helpful for effective TQM implementation (Aladwan and
Forrester, 2016; Laohavichien et al., 2011). Among the several factors that have been
frequently studied in previous literature, top management commitment, good leadership,
appropriate planning, no management turnover and customer satisfaction fall under this
category because these factors are helpful in continuous quality improvement (Aquilani
et al., 2017; Aamer et al., 2017). The ultimate goal of TQM implementation is the development
of an organization, which greatly depends upon top management commitment toward
quality improvement (Teixeira et al., 2015; Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Maistry et al., 2017;
Aquilani et al., 2017; Candido and Santos, 2011). The change required for TQM
implementation will become a key focus across the organization if quality is incorporated in
the strategic plan of an organization. To expedite this change, the role of good leadership is
undeniable, since leadership motivates employees to become a part of organizational
development (Teixeira et al., 2015; Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Maistry et al., 2017; Aquilani et al.,
2017; Candido and Santos, 2011). On the contrary, frequent management turnover can
hamper the spirit of the continuous quality improvement culture and decrease the
achievement rate of successful TQM implementation ( Jaeger and Adair, 2016; Laohavichien
et al., 2011; Chavez et al., 2013; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014). TQM demands change in the
organization to satisfy the customer needs. If the organization fails to manage the necessary
change according to customer requirements, the customer will remain unsatisfied and, at
the same time, the probability of successful implementation of TQM will also decrease
(Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Aquilani et al., 2017; Teixeira et al., 2015;
Aamer et al., 2017). With respect to industry size, SME’s top management is often less
committed to continuous quality improvement compared to large enterprises (Aquilani et al.,
2017; Haines and St-Onge, 2012). This often results from lacking expertise in quality
management systems. Furthermore, the relationship between managers and employees is
better in SMEs compared to large enterprises (Aamer et al., 2017), which is typically due to
the narrow span of activities for managers in SMEs (Baidoun et al., 2018). The degree of
appropriateness in planning is less in SMEs compared to large enterprises (Teixeira et al.,
2015), which is due to lack of expertise in decision-making in SMEs. Moreover, it is
interesting to note that the level of customer satisfaction is typically much higher in SMEs
because they can respond to customer needs more quickly as compared to large enterprises
IJQRM (Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Sadikoglu and Zehir, 2010; Vanichchinchai and Igel, 2011). Based on
existing literature, the following fourth hypothesis is developed:
H4. Strategic enabling factors are positively related to TQM practices.

3.5 Role of structural enabling factors in TQM implementation practices

Structural enabling factors are related to organizational structure, physical resources and
financial support necessary for TQM implementation (Maistry et al., 2017; Jaeger and
Adair, 2016). Among the several factors that have been frequently considered in the recent
literature (shown in Table I), appropriate organizational structure, sufficient
organizational resources, lacking of information system, good financial assistance and
appropriate timing fall under this category (Teixeira et al., 2015; Aquilani et al., 2017).
Stage theory of organizational change has pointed out that organizational structure
determines the degree to which an organization can establish a favorable environment for
change. This statement is also supported by several research studies (Teixeira et al., 2015;
Maistry et al., 2017; Aquilani et al., 2017; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Jaeger and Adair, 2016).
Sufficient physical resources and strong financial support provide a favorable
environment for change (Laohavichien et al., 2011; Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Aquilani
et al., 2017; Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Baidoun et al., 2018). SMEs typically possess a flat
structure with few management levels, which enables the organizational structure to be
more flexible and responsive to quick change as compared to large enterprises (Aamer
et al., 2017; Maistry et al., 2017). SMEs have limited ability to provide financial support,
compared to large industries for TQM implementation, because SMEs have fewer
resources (Aamer et al., 2017; Maistry et al., 2017). In addition, effective communication is
essential in both the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the organizational structure for
successful TQM implementation (Teixeira et al., 2015; Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Maistry
et al., 2017; Aquilani et al., 2017; Candido and Santos, 2011). Furthermore, the flow of
information in SMEs is smoother than in large industries because of the simple structure
of an SME (Aamer et al., 2017; Qasrawi et al., 2017). Organizations that possess an
inappropriate structure for TQM implementation spend more time on productivity
improvement (Laohavichien et al., 2011; Fotopoulos et al., 2010; Aquilani et al., 2017;
Calvo-Mora et al., 2014; Baidoun et al., 2018). Therefore, the extant literature indicates that
structural enabling factors can halt the success of TQM implementation, which leads to
the final hypothesis:
H5. Structural enabling factors have a positive relation with TQM practices.
The five hypotheses regarding enabling factors to TQM implementation are represented
in Figure 1.

4. Research design
4.1 Design of survey questionnaire
A questionnaire survey was used as an instrument for conducting this empirical study. The
measuring instrument was drafted using questionnaires from several authors (Aamer et al.,
2017; Dubey, 2014; Teixeira et al., 2015; Maistry et al., 2017; Laohavichien et al., 2011).
The questionnaires were divided into three parts.
Part one. The beginning of the survey contained four demographic questions regarding
the respondents and their respective industry. The demographic information included age,
gender, designation and the number of employees in the industry.
Part two. The next section included twenty-five questions regarding the five types of
TQM-enabling factors mentioned previously. The survey participants were requested to
 Human Resource
Effects of
Enabling critical factors
Factors (HRE) H1 on TQM
 = 0.21
p <0.01
Contextual Enabling
Factors (CE) H2
 = 0.13

p=0.02

Procedural Enabling H3  = 0.02 TQM Implementation

Factors (PE) p=0.37 (TQMIMP)

 = 0.27
R 2 = 0.24
H4 p<0.01
Strategic Enabling
Factors (StratEn)

 = 0.17
p <0.01
Figure 1.
H5 Conceptual model
Structural Enabling with PLS-SEM
Factors (StrucEn) analysis

give their perceivable opinion on a five-point Likert scale (where 5 ¼ strongly agree and
1 ¼ strongly disagree).
Part three. The final portion of the survey contained five questions regarding the
perception of the respondents on their firm’s performance improvement due to TQM
implementation. A five-point Likert scale was also used in this section.

4.2 Measures
In order to minimize measurement error of the constructs, a multi-item measurement system
was employed, as it ensures better discrepancy among the interviewee and increases
reliability and validity. At least five variables were measured under each construct. The
draft questionnaire was distributed by five experts, two from academic and the remaining
three from industry. The suggestions obtained from the experts enabled the selection of
appropriate language to improve the questions. With the help of their recommendations,
the final questionnaire was prepared. As a result, the validity of the content was addressed
(Hair et al., 2014). A list of the five types of TQM-enabling factors and their measurement
instruments is shown in Table AI.

4.3 Sampling design

At present, there are approximately 5,000 export-oriented garment firms in Bangladesh
(BGMEA, 2017). To calculate the sample size, Yamne’s (1967) formula was used. According
to the calculation, a sample size of 355 is necessary to achieve a confidence level of
95 percent. However, in recent literature, a sample size of 150 was determined to be
satisfactory in the field of operation management (Schoenherr and Mabert, 2011; Aamer
et al., 2017; Dubey, 2014; Baidoun et al., 2018; Dubey et al., 2014; Hair et al., 2014).
IJQRM 4.4 Survey design and collection of data
Data were gathered over e-mail, followed by phone calls. During data collection, Dillman’s
(2011) modified method was followed. Questionnaires were sent to 655 employees working
in various disciplines of the RMG sector including production, quality control and human
resource management. In total, 255 inclusive and useable responses were picked up, with a
reply return rate of 39 percent; therefore, the response rate is satisfactory and comparable to
other studies conducted in regard to operation management field (Dubey et al., 2014; Aamer
et al., 2017; Baidoun et al., 2018; Kumar and Sharma, 2017; Gupta et al., 2017). Moreover, the
research hypothesis of this study can easily be tested by the obtained responses (Hair et al.,
2014). The profile of the respondents along with their organization is presented in Table II.

4.5 Non-response bias

The non-response bias was also tested (Dubey et al., 2014; Armstrong and Overton, 1977;
Lambert and Harrington, 1990). Reply from every respondent was sorted against the date
of receipt and divided into early and late response sample groups. The wave analysis
method (Armstrong and Overton, 1977) was employed to measure the difference
between the two response groups. Comparison was made by performing a t-test on two
sets of samples, which found an insignificant alteration. Therefore, this study draws off a
non-response bias.

5. Data analysis
There are several statistical techniques to confirm the factor that enables total quality
management (TQM) implementation in the readymade garment (RMG) sector of
Bangladesh. Factor analysis and SEM are the two common techniques that are widely
used in the literature. Majority of the researchers have chosen the second technique, since it
is more sophisticated than first technique (Dubey et al., 2017). SEM is considered as a
sophisticated technique because it combines factor analysis and multiple regression
analysis together (Hair et al., 2014; Dubey et al., 2017; Gupta et al., 2019). Again, there are two
techniques available for SEM: one is variance-based and other is covariance-based SEM.
Variance-based SEM utilizes partial least squares (PLS) technique. PLS-SEM technique has
been selected for this research due to the following reasons:
(1) This technique can handle a huge number of variables at a time (Hair et al., 2014;
Gupta et al., 2019).
(2) It is an effective technique to explore and confirm the relationship among the
constructs in a complex model (Hair et al., 2014; Dubey et al., 2017).
(3) It can efficiently handle non-normalized and missing data (Hair et al., 2014; Gupta
et al., 2019).

Variables Categories/class Response (%)

Gender Male 74.22

Female 25.78
Age group 28–35 years 53.52
36–45 years 46.48
Cadre Top management 11.33
Table II. Middle management 29.3
Breakdown of Bottom management 59.37
respondents and their Size of the Organization Small (o50 employees) 46.1
organization profile Medium (50–500 employees) 53.9
 (4) It can give better results regardless of sample and population size (Hair et al., 2014; Effects of
Dubey et al., 2017; Gupta et al., 2019). critical factors
Gupta et al. (2019) has successfully used this technique to explore the connection between on TQM
supply chain and information system flexibility. Again, Dubey et al. (2017) used this
PLS-SEM technique to explore the importance of big data in improving sustainability.
Both of the researchers have used Warp PLS software. This study has also used Warp
PLS 6.0 software.
Data were standardized. There were no missing and zero variance data. Rank-related
problem was also absent in the data set.
In order to check whether the current model has fitted with sample data, PLS-SEM has
used three parameters: average path coefficient (APC), average R-squared (ARS) and
average block VIF (AVIF). These parameters are also used to determine the quality of the
model to explain maximum variance. From Table III, it can be seen that all values of these
parameters are well within the acceptable range. It indicates a better model fit. It also
indicates model’s getter ability to extract variance.
Causality assessment is another measure to check the correctness of the model.
The correctness of the model is checked by three indices: Simpson’s paradox ratio (SPR),
R-squared contribution ratio (RSCR) and statistical suppression ratio (SSR). Values of theses
indices are given in Table IV. All estimates are well within the tolerable range.
Further, Cronbach’s alpha (a) value is used to check whether the measurement scale is
consistent and reliable (Nunnally, 1978). From Table V, it is clear that all values of alpha (a)
are well beyond the critical limit of 0.6; therefore, the reliability of the measurement scale is
confirmed. Combine and cross-loadings of each construct are presented in Table AII.
In order to measure accuracy of the measurement scale, validity test is used. There are two
types of validity tests: convergent and discriminant validity test. Convergent validity test is

Indexes Estimated value Tolerable range

Average path coefficient (APC) 0.160, p o0.001 p o0.001 Table III.

Average R2(ARS) 0.239, p o0.001 p o0.001 Model fit index and
Average block VIF (AVIF) 1.367 Tolerable if ⩽ 5, best ⩽ 3.3 quality fit index

Indexes Estimated value Tolerable range

Simpson’s paradox ratio (SPR) 1.000 Tolerable if ⩾ 0.7, best ¼ 1 Table IV.
R2contribution ratio (RSCR) 1.000 Tolerable if ⩾ 0.9, best ¼ 1 Indexes of causality
Statistical suppression ratio (SSR) 1.000 Tolerable if ⩾ 0.7 assessment

HRE CE PE StratEn StrucEn TQMIMP

2
R coefficients – – – – – 0.239
Adjusted R2 coefficients – – – – – 0.223
Scale composite reliability (SCR) 0.778 0.89 0.847 0.775 0.742 0.831
Cronbach’s a coefficients 0.723 0.89 0.803 0.716 0.744 0.792 Table V.
Average variances extracted (AVE) 0.505 0.62 0.54 0.52 0.578 0.51 Latent construct
Variance inflation factors (VIF) 1.25 2.349 3.796 2.91 1.58 1.197 coefficients
IJQRM used to examine whether the observed variables are greatly loaded within their parent latent
constructs. To achieve convergent validity, average variance extracted (AVE) and scale
composite reliability (SCR) co-efficient values for each of the constructs should be greater
than or equal to 0.5 and 0.7, respectively. It is seen from the Table V that all values of AVE
and SCR for each construct are well within the acceptable range. In order to assess
multi-collinearity in the data set, variances inflation factors (VIF) were measured. From
Table V, it is found that VIF values are less than the limiting value of 10. It indicates that
there is no inter-correlation among the independent variables (Hair et al., 2014).
Again, discriminant validity is used to examine whether the latent constructs are distinct
and uncorrelated with each other. A discriminant validity matrix is constructed, as shown in
Table VI. This matrix is used to check that no values under the diagonal element in each
column are greater than the diagonal value (i.e. the square root of the AVE for each
construct). This is a clear indication of discriminant validity. As shown in Table VI, the
model has fulfilled the criteria of the discriminant validity test (Fornell and Larcker, 1981).

5.1 Testing of hypothesis and result

The variance-based SEM technique was selected to test the hypotheses because it can
explain the maximum variance of latent constructs (Gupta et al., 2017). Warp PLS 6.0
software was used for the analysis. The results of the SEM analysis are provided in
Table VII, which show that all hypotheses, except the third one, are supported statistically.

6. Discussion on findings
The first hypothesis was observed statistically meaningful ( p o0.01), with a β coefficient of
0.21. This hypothesis suggests that training employees on TQM could have a big impact on
quality problem identification and prevention. When employees are encouraged to share

HRE CE PE StratEn StrucEn TQMIMP

HRE 0.710
CE 0.12 0.787
PE 0.107 0.743 0.735
StratEn 0.187 0.573 0.674 0.648
StrucEn 0.373 0.123 0.309 0.452 0.615
TQMIMP 0.306 0.06 0.014 0.007 0.303 0.714
Table VI. pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
Discriminant Note: The diagonal values (in italics) shows AVE and rest of the values show correlation between
validity matrix two constructs

Hypothesis for assessment Estimate Outcomes of assessment

H1: human resource-enabling factors have a β ¼ 0.21 at p o0.01 Supported

positive relation with TQM practices
H2: contextual enabling factors have a positive β ¼ 0.13 at p ¼ 0.02 Supported
relation with TQM practices
H3: procedural enabling factors have a positive β ¼ 0.02 at p ¼ 0.37 Not supported
relation with TQM practices
Table VII. H4: strategic enabling factors are positively β ¼ 0.27 at p o0.01 Supported
Outcomes of related to TQM practices
hypotheses H5: structural enabling factors have a positive β ¼ 0.17 at p o0.01 Supported
assessment relation with TQM practices
their opinion in problem solving, they will be empowered. As a result, employees will give Effects of
their best effort to perform quality work, which will ultimately increase the rate of effective critical factors
TQM implementation. This finding is consistent with earlier studies (Al-Dhaafri and on TQM
Al-Swidi, 2016; Babatunde, 2016; Carnerud, 2018; Green, 2012; Honarpour et al., 2017; Cho
and Jung, 2014; Wollard and Shuck, 2011; Tarí et al., 2010).
For the second hypothesis, the β coefficient is 0.130, which is statistically substantial
( p ¼ 0.02), thus suggesting that a change in organizational culture creates a supportive
environment for TQM implementation. When employees are motivated toward teamwork,
they become an active member of different cross-functional teams. This change in employee
attitude makes them take more responsibility in their work. A positive team spirit can
overcome the resistant attitude of various departments toward change. As a result, a good
environment will be established for continuous quality improvement. This finding is also
supported by previous studies (Baidoun et al., 2018; Del Rio-Rama et al., 2017; Jaca and
Psomas, 2015; Carnerud, 2018; Mahmood et al., 2014).
For the third hypothesis, the β coefficient is 0.02, which is not statistically significant
( p ¼ 0.37). This finding might be because of the scope of the study, which only concentrates on
RMG sector in Bangladesh. For example, if firm size is considered, most of the RMG
organizations come under the category of SMEs. Top management of SMEs is less committed
to continuous quality improvement. Therefore, organizations pay little attention to process
improvement, which is also supported by several studies (Carmona-Márquez et al., 2016;
Jayaram et al., 2010; Kumar and Sharma, 2017; Nasim, 2018). Another comprehensive insight
is that quality management systems are often informal in SMEs. Therefore, effective process
control is difficult to achieve for SMEs. This finding is also supported by several research
studies (Baidoun et al., 2018; Ahrens, 2013; Carnerud, 2018; Jaca and Psomas, 2015).
Furthermore, in order to sustain in the competitive market, the RMG organizations perform
benchmarking of their current processes on a regular basis to identify weaknesses for further
improvement (Imran and Gregor, 2010; Abdolshah and Abdolshah, 2011; Aquilani et al., 2017).
This standardized practice lends to a greater understanding within the industry regarding the
cost of poor quality (Carnerud, 2018; Hietschold et al., 2014; Jaeger and Adair, 2016). Due to
lack of expertise, RMG organizations are not able to perform benchmarking of the current
processes (Imran and Gregor, 2010; Syduzzaman et al., 2016). Therefore, most of the employees
are not aware of the cost of poor quality. As a result, the measurement variables have
correctly captured that procedural enabling factors are not well managed and, therefore, these
factors do not contribute to successful TQM implementation in the RMG sector in Bangladesh.
This finding is comparable with previous studies (Nasim, 2018; Kumar and Sharma, 2017;
Aquilani et al., 2017; Jaeger and Adair, 2016; Abdullah, 2010).
For the fourth hypothesis, the β coefficient is 0.270, which is statistically significant
( p o0.01). This suggests that if the top management of an organization involves itself in
TQM activities, then the quality objectives and policies will be properly reflected in the
strategic plan of the organization. As a result, the TQM implementation plan will be
executed appropriately. Proper formulation and implementation of quality policy and
objectives, originated from good leadership, is important for successful TQM
implementation. Furthermore, continuous improvement is possible only when there is
little or no management turnover at the bottom and mid-level within an organization.
Further, customer satisfaction is a key factor for TQM implementation. However, in most of
the cases, textile manufacturers are responsive to customer complaints, which leads to
better customer satisfaction. Our findings are in agreement with previous studies
(Meftah Abusa and Gibson, 2013; Nasim, 2018; Ng et al., 2014; Pattanayak et al., 2017;
Psomas and Jaca, 2016; Zylfijaj and Pira, 2017).
In the fifth hypothesis, the β coefficient is 0.170, which is statistically significant
( p o0.01). This hypothesis suggests that a flat organizational structure is more flexible and
IJQRM enhances employee engagement in TQM implementation. A flat organizational structure
also ensures effective communication within the organization, which is a pre-requisite for
successful TQM implementation. Moreover, the organizational structure determines the
degree to which the organization can create a favorable environment for change. Therefore,
this finding is also supported by past studies (Putri et al., 2017; Nasim et al., 2014; Lau et al.,
2015; Hietschold et al., 2014; Carnerud, 2018; Zairi, 2013).

7. Conclusion
In this empirical study, important TQM-enabling factors were examined. Furthermore, this
study is an extsension of a previous research call to not view the enabling factors of TQM
implementation as a limited technical change, but from a broader aspect of organizational
change. Therefore, to fulfill the objective, a research model was proposed on the basis of
organizational change theories and their related literature. Based on the analysis, all five
types of factors, except procedural enabling factors, were determined to have a positive
impact on TQM implementation.

7.1 Theoretical implications of this study

Business organizations in developed countries are enjoying several benefits from successful
implementation of the TQM philosophy in their organization. On the contrary, SMEs in
developing countries are far behind from reaping TQM benefits (Carnerud, 2018; Burli et al.,
2012; Baidoun et al., 2018; Das et al., 2011; Gimenez-Espin et al., 2013). Although many
research studies have been conducted to identify potential benefits obtained from TQM
implementation, less research has focused on identifying SMEs in developing countries that
are not able to drive significant benefits from TQM implementation. This study has
addressed the gap by identifying enabling factors of successful TQM implementation in the
RMG sector in Bangladesh.
Valuable contributions to the TQM literature are offered by two key aspects of
this study. First, several research studies have argued that enabling factors of TQM
implementation are highly contextual and might be affected by cultural, economic
condition of a country and size of the organization. This study has successfully identified
the enabling factors of TQM implementation in the context of SMEs in a developing
country like Bangladesh, which contributes to the existing literature in this regard.
Second, in order to conduct an in-depth analysis of TQM-enabling factors, this study
focused on further dividing the TQM-enabling factors in terms of major changes
required within the organization. Since this classification has incorporated several
changes required for successful TQM implementation, this classification can add
value to the literature in terms of summarizing the potential enabling factors of
TQM implementation.

7.2 Practical implications of this study

This study focuses on factors that are helpful for successful TQM implementation.
Therefore, top management can easily identify and understand the key factors of TQM
implementation. These factors will also help top management to make decisions during
TQM implementation. The present study has several managerial implications. First, poor
knowledge about the enabling factors of TQM implementation leads to unsuccessful
implementation of the TQM philosophy in any organization (McAdam et al., 2019;
Carnerud, 2018; Putri et al., 2017). In this regard, this study provides insight for
other organizations that want to implement the TQM philosophy. Second, this study
provides an immense scope to the Bangladeshi RMG sector to customize their TQM
implementation plan with respect to the adoption of the TQM philosophy, which is key,
as many researchers have argued that customization of the plan can make the TQM Effects of
implementation process more successful (Baidoun et al., 2018; Aladwan and Forrester, critical factors
2016; Kumar and Sharma, 2017). Third, this study can also be helpful for those managers on TQM
who are already in the TQM implementation process and would like to re-distribute efforts
and resources in the existing implementation plan.

7.3 Limitations of this study

As with any research, this study has limitations. First, there was limited ability to collect
data. Although the sample size was sufficient for the analysis, a larger sample size would
benefit the analysis. Second, the time factor was not considered. The data were collected at
one point in time. Further studies that collect longitudinal data are recommended. Finally,
multiple measures of enabling factors of TQM implementation are absent in this study.
Additional research is also recommended to address this shortfall.

7.4 Future scope of research

Future research should seek to improve the limitations of the current study. The response
rate should be sufficient to determine useful results for any study. There is no suitable
definition of a best response rate; however, it should be as large as possible. In order to
increase the response rate, future research should utilize a combination of possible means of
surveys (e.g. telephone call, face-to-face and interview), as no single mode survey is suitable
for all respondents.
In order to identify the TQM-enabling factors in the RMG sector, the current study
observed cross-sectional data at the same time. However, in reality, some enabling factors
may not be well explained because of data with single time frame. Therefore, this study
could be extended to a longitudinal study to investigate TQM-enabling factors over time
and throughout TQM implementation.

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Appendix 1 Effects of
critical factors
on TQM
Latent construct Indication Description of observed variables

Human resource-enabling HRE1 Employees are actively involved in decision-making to

factors (HRE) solve problem
HRE2 Employees in your organization are trained on TQM or quality
management systems
HRE3 In your organization, employees accept culture changes
HRE4 Your organization encourages teamwork to solve problems
HRE5 Your organization has an effective staff performance
appraisal system
Contextual enabling CE1 Your organization reviews the current processes regularly for
factors (CE) further improvement
CE2 Your organization has cross-functional teams
CE3 Various departments in your organization actively participate in
continuous process improvement
CE4 Your organization has clear statements of quality policies and
objectives to ensure effective quality management systems
CE5 Your organization has an effective communication system
among departments
Procedural enabling PE1 All processes in your organization are simple and easy to control
factors (PE) PE2 Your organization pays attention to processes improvement
PE3 Process control is effective in your organization
PE4 Most of the employees in your organization are aware of the cost of
poor quality
PE5 Your organization performs benchmarking regularly
Strategic enabling factors StratEn1 Top management always emphasizes the importance of quality
(StratEn) StratEn2 Leaders motivate the people to establish a quality perfection culture
within the organization
StratEn3 Management has a responsibility to set quality mission and vision
for the organization
StratEn4 Evolution of quality perfection culture is not affected by mid and
low-level management turnover
StratEn5 The organization regularly seeks customer input to identify
their needs
Structural enabling StrucEn1 The structure of your organization is simple and flexible
factors (StrucEn) StrucEn2 Sufficient physical resources are provided to help the organization
run quality management system effectively
StrucEn3 In your organization, the quality management system is successfully
implemented because of effective communication
StrucEn4 Sufficient funds are provided to help the organization run quality
management system effectively
StrucEn5 Rework is usually done in your organization
TQM implementation TQMIMP1 Customer satisfaction has increased
(TQMIMP) TQMIMP2 Employee satisfaction has increased
TQMIMP3 Quality of the product has increased Table AI.
TQMIMP4 Amount of employee involvement has increased Items of measurement
TQMIMP5 Information sharing has increased construct
IJQRM Appendix 2

HRE CE PE StratEn StrucEn TQMIMP SE-value p-value

HRE1 0.375 −0.426 0.429 0.02 −0.343 −0.103 0.059 o0.001

HRE2 0.707 0.343 0.129 −0.429 0.013 −0.04 0.056 o0.001
HRE3 0.567 0.079 −0.25 0.236 −0.079 −0.283 0.057 o0.001
HRE4 0.475 0.046 −0.338 0.162 0.136 0.093 0.058 o0.001
HRE5 0.582 −0.327 0.032 0.173 −0.076 0.208 0.057 o0.001
CE1 0.084 0.701 −0.671 0.14 −0.006 0.171 0.056 o0.001
CE2 0.06 0.845 −0.321 0.074 −0.109 −0.01 0.054 o0.001
CE3 −0.015 0.806 −0.16 −0.256 0.23 0.047 0.055 o0.001
CE4 −0.096 0.799 −0.051 −0.139 −0.009 −0.151 0.055 o0.001
CE5 −0.063 0.778 0.239 −0.062 −0.027 −0.136 0.055 o0.001
PE1 0.063 0.088 0.762 −0.721 0.41 −0.118 0.055 o0.001
PE2 0.062 −0.726 0.363 −0.228 −0.041 0.378 0.059 o0.001
PE3 0.105 −0.271 0.863 −0.201 −0.145 0.115 0.054 o0.001
PE4 −0.072 0.012 0.813 0.307 −0.204 −0.045 0.055 o0.001
PE5 −0.169 0.356 0.763 0.051 −0.053 −0.026 0.055 o0.001
StratEn1 0.054 −0.049 0.621 0.739 −0.24 −0.039 0.055 o0.001
StratEn2 −0.177 −0.329 −0.042 0.49 −0.422 0.055 0.058 o0.001
StratEn3 −0.037 0.069 −0.3 0.63 −0.088 0.091 0.056 o0.001
StratEn4 0.027 0.057 −0.573 0.828 −0.008 −0.14 0.054 o0.001
StratEn5 0.015 −0.112 −0.278 0.477 0.49 0.008 0.058 o0.001
StrucEn1 −0.076 −0.038 −0.042 0.029 0.808 0.031 0.055 o0.001
StrucEn2 −0.078 −0.001 −0.138 0.64 0.432 −0.048 0.058 o0.001
StrucEn3 0.013 0.288 −0.176 −0.027 0.679 −0.313 0.056 o0.001
StrucEn4 0.052 −0.093 0.479 −0.803 0.625 0.141 0.056 o0.001
StrucEn5 −0.223 −0.396 −0.05 0.112 0.448 0.214 0.058 o0.001
TQMIMP1 0.006 0.054 0.012 0.036 0.175 0.626 0.056 o0.001
TQMIMP2 −0.098 −0.271 0.085 −0.014 −0.006 0.825 0.054 o0.001
TQMIMP3 0.011 0.226 −0.03 −0.139 0.05 0.869 0.054 o0.001
TQMIMP4 −0.007 −0.114 −0.088 0.152 −0.332 0.752 0.055 o0.001
TQMIMP5 −0.173 0.503 −0.635 0.523 −0.387 0.397 0.059 o0.001
Table AII. Notes: Loadings and cross-loadings are presented in the above table in un-rotated and oblique-rotated forms,
Loadings (combined respectively. Standard errors (SEs) and p-values are also mentioned in the above table. Desired p-values for
and cross) of variables reflective indicator are less than 0.05

Corresponding author
Jiju Antony can be contacted at: j.antony@hw.ac.uk

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