INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT

This research presents an empirical study which examines the integration between Total Quality Management (TQM) and Technology Management practices and, the importance of these two in predicting the performance in terms of Quality in manufacturing firms. This study contributes to the understanding of the co-alignment between TQM and Technology Management by bridging the gap between the two areas, which are often addressed in a separate fashion. This study also examines the impact of the two practices;TQM and Technology Management on Quality Performance which has been considered as a primary source of competitive advantage. The empirical data was drawn from 44 Sri Lankan manufacturing organizations and analyzed using the Structural Equation Modelling technique followed by a detailed path analysis. Findings indicate that Technology management shows a positive predictive power on Quality performance while TQM has no direct significant relationship on Quality, simultaneously with Technology management. The findings also signify about the high interrelationship between TQM and Technology management practices, which depicts the organizations with high TQM, also exercise Technology management practices in a better way. The path analysis further elaborate that, Quality performance can be achieved, mainly through leadership and technology exploitation. The major implication of this study is that the Technology management is an appropriate resource to be used in harmony with TQM to enhance organizational quality performance in manufacturing firms, which includes both design and conformance quality. Keywords: Quality Performance, Technology Management, Total Quality Management (TQM