Total quality management in small business: Small business saviour?

A case study approach is employed to investigate the experiences of seven Victorian Small Businesses as their owners take steps to implement Total Quality Management (TQM) procedures. Changes in practices have become vital in an environment of competitive tendering, and the increased importance of compliance with standards set at industry level, and often by companies to which the small firm hopes to sell. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of these care studies identifying the reasons entrepreneurs chose to implement TQM, and to seek quality accreditation; the level of involvement of staff in developing the procedures and their response to the changes: the implication and cost of changes required in the firm's administrative arrangements; the use of, and importance of external expert assistance; and the benefits perceived to result from the implementation of TQM, and/or quality accreditation to the firms' performance or administrative behaviour. Results suggest that small business is developing management practices and workplace cultures not unlike their larger counterparts. Implementation did imply a change to each culture.