TQM implementation barriers in academe: a framework for further investigation

Many academics and practitioners believe that Total Quality Management philosophy is the panacea of the 1990s for many industries in all segments of the economy, including education. Many others have argued that TQM is a fad, and like many of its predecessors such as Management By Objectives (MBO), is going to fade away. Existing cases of successful implementation of TQM in business enterprises, which outnumber the failures, have made it easier for us to refute these claims. It is our belief that TQM is here to stay and, without it, organizations will not be able to survive in the turbulent and ever-changing environment of the 1990s. Although many of TQM applications found in literature were in the health care industry, TQM principles are applicable to other settings as well. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we will examine the barriers for TQM implementations in academia. Secondly, we will propose a framework for studying TQM in an academic setting. ©1998 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd