Total Quality Management (TQM) Enablers and Model for SMEs: A Study of Malaysian Manufacturing Companies

Malaysia is an economy that is dependent upon SME businesses and the improved performance of these organisations to meet the challenges of the economy in the transition to a modern manufacturing state. Following an extensive literature review and interviews with academic experts in the field of TQM, the objectives of this study were designed to close this gap in knowledge and to identify the enablers of successful TQM implementation and how the models, engaged by Malaysian SME businesses. The survey questionnaire distributed to Malaysian SMEs to gain a general understanding of TQM implementation and to identify the enablers from the perspective of senior business managers. The main section of this study concentrated upon eight purposively selected and in-depth case studies of Malaysian SMEs (3 award winners and 5 non-award winners) to determine differences in performance and the differences in features engaged at high and lower performing businesses.