An empirical interpretation of the EFQM framework

This paper is based on material from a research project on the state of quality management in The Netherlands in 1995 96. A questionnaire was developed, starting from the Dutch adaptation of the European Foundation for Quality Management EFQM framework. The main part consisted of 20 so-called enabler variables, each reflecting six levels of quality management in an organization. The EFQM framework is an heuristic complex of notions and ideas about a general relationship between leadership and business results. However, a stricter nomological structure of the enablers, based on a large sample, might be helpful in evaluating assessment results in individual cases. A rather broad hypothesis about the empirical structure of the enablers was confirmed. There exist positive, moderate associations between the enabler variables. The information in the questionnaire on the use of quality management tools was used as an external criterion for the validity of this internal enablers structure. In contrast with our expectations, however, the representation of quality management tools QMT by means of a specific unidimensional scaling model appeared not to be a useful instrument of validation. This raises new questions for further research