TQM best practices: Experiences of malaysian SMEs

The progress of TQM in SMEs, particularly in developing countries, is a significant research issue at present. This paper presents some of the most important findings of three case studies, undertaken at SME companies in Malaysia. The companies comprise medium-scale automotive parts and plastics manufacturers, and a smaller food manufacturing company. Each company case provides insights into the issues facing SMEs, who are trying to develop more advanced quality management approaches. The case studies involved structured interviews with top management at each company, based on the award criteria of the Malaysian Quality Management Excellence Award (QMEA). The case study analysis illustrates that the companies studied have adopted distinct approaches to the implementation of TQM, which could be shared by other SMEs. Some of the key issues that have been addressed by the case study companies can be summarized as: effective top management commitment, an effective steering committee engaged in policy and planning management, real employee involvement, employee rewards and skills development. The issues of benefits perceived, barriers and quality progress of the companies are also presented in the paper.