Does Soft and Hard TQM Practices Impact Operational Performance? A Conceptual Model

Aarabi, M., Saman, M. Z. M., Wong, K. W., Azadnia, A. H., and Zakuan, N. (2012). A. comparative study on critical success factors (CSFs) of E. systems implementation among Sme. and large firms in developing countries. I. J. of A. in C. T. 4(9). pp. 226-239. (n.d.). No Title.
Abdallah, A. B. (2013). The influence of" soft" and" hard" total quality management (TQM) practices on total productive maintenance (TPM) in Jordanian manufacturing companies. International Journal of Business and Management, 8(21), 1.
Abdallah, A. B., Phan, A. C., & Matsui, Y. (2016). Investigating the effects of managerial and technological innovations on operational performance and customer satisfaction of manufacturing companies. International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 10(2–3), 153–183.
Abu-Mahfouz, S. S. (2019). TQM Practices and Organizational Performance in the Manufacturing Sector in Jordan mediating role of HRM Practices and Innovation.
Albuhisi, A. M. A. B. A. (2018). The impact of soft TQM on financial performance The mediating roles of non-financial balanced. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-03-2017-0036
Al-Dhaafri, H. S., & Al-Swidi, A. (2016). The impact of total quality management and entrepreneurial orientation on organizational performance. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 33(5), 597–614. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-03-2014-0034
Al-nasser, A., Yusoff, R. Z., & Islam, R. (2013). The Moderator Effect of the Relationship Between Soft Total Quality Management Practices and Performance in Municipalities. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 7(8), 720–729.
Al-Sa’di, A. F., Abdallah, A. B., & Dahiyat, S. E. (2017). The mediating role of product and process innovations on the relationship between knowledge management and operational performance in manufacturing companies in Jordan. Business Process Management Journal, 23(2), 349–376. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-03-2016-0047
Albuhisi, A. M., & Abdallah, A. B. (2018). The impact of soft TQM on financial performance: The mediating roles of non-financial balanced scorecard perspectives. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 35(7), 1360–1379.
https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-03-2017-0036
Amit, R., & Schoemaker, P. J. H. (1993). Strategic assets and organizational rent. Strategic Management Journal, 14(1), 33–46.
Anil, A. P., & Satish, K. P. (2019). An empirical investigation of the relationship between TQM practices, quality performance, and customer satisfaction level. International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 26(1), 96–117.
https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPQM.2019.096993
Aquilani, B., Silvestri, C., Ruggieri, A., & Gatti, C. (2017). Aquilani. In The TQM Journal (Vol. 29, Issue 1).
ASQ. (2017), What is Total Quality Management (TQM)? ASQ, Milwaukee, USA. Available at: http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/total-quality-management/overview/overview.html. (n.d.).
Augustyn, M. M., Elshaer, I. A., & Akamavi, R. K. (2019). Competing models of quality management and financial performance improvement. Service Industries Journal, 0(0), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2019.1601706
Aziz, R. Z. A., Maria, D., & Rahayu, S. (2017). Implementation of Total Quality Management ( TQM ), Organizational Culture and Performance?: Evidence from Indonesian Micro , Small and Medium Enterprises ( MSMEs ) Implementation of Total Quality Management ( TQM ), Organizational Culture and Performance. November.
Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120.
Barros, S. A., Sampaio, P., & Saraiva, P. (2014). Quality management principles and practices impact on the companies’ quality performance.
Barua, B., Zaman, S., & Urme, U. N. (2020). Effect of Total Quality Management on Organizational Performance: Mediating Role of Knowledge Creation Process. Palarch’s Journal Of Archaeology Of Egypt/Egyptology, 17(December), 9024–9050.
Bhaskar, H. L. (2020). Establishing a link among total quality management, market orientation and organizational performance: An empirical investigation. TQM Journal, 32(6), 1507–1524. https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-01-2019-0012
Calvo-Mora, A., Picón, A., Ruiz, C., & Cauzo, L. (2014). The relationships between soft-hard TQM factors and key business results. International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 34(1), 115–143. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-09-2012-0355
Chauke, S. S., Edoun, E., and Mbohwa, C. (2019), “The effectiveness of total quality management and operations performance at a bakery firm in the city of Tshwane, South Africa”, Proceedings of the International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Oper, pp. 2896-2907., & Chavez. (n.d.). No Title.
Chen, Z. (2015). The relationships among JIT, TQM and production operations performance: An empirical study from Chinese manufacturing firms. Business Process Management Journal, 21(5), 1015–1039. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-09-2014-0084
Chienwattanasook, K., & Jermsittiparsert, K. (2019). Influence of entrepreneurial orientation and total quality management on organizational performance of pharmaceutical SMEs in Thailand with moderating role of organizational learning. Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy, 10(2), 223–233. https://doi.org/10.5530/srp.2019.2.31
Dean, J. W., and Evans, J. R. (1994). Total Quality: Management, Organization and Society. St Paul, MN: West Publishing Company. Douglas, T. J., and W. Q. Judge, Jr. 2001. “Total Quality Management Implementation and Competitive Advantage: The Role of Struc. (n.d.).
Demirbag, M., Tatoglu, E., Tekinkus, M., & Zaim, S. (2006). An analysis of the relationship between TQM implementation and organizational performance: Evidence from Turkish SMEs. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 17(6), 829–847. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410380610678828
Ershadi, M. J., Najafi, N., & Soleimani, P. (2019). Measuring the impact of soft and hard total quality management factors on customer behavior based on the role of innovation and continuous improvement. TQM Journal, 31(6), 1093–1115.
https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-11-2018-0182
Fisch, C., & Block, J. (2018). Six tips for your (systematic) literature review in business and management research. In Management Review Quarterly (Vol. 68, Issue 2, pp. 103–106). Springer.
Fotopoulos, C. B., & Psomas, E. L. (2009). The impact of “soft” and “hard” TQM elements on quality management results. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management.
Gadenne, D., & Sharma, B. (2009). An investigation of the hard and soft quality management factors of Australian SMEs and their association with firm performance. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 26(9), 865–880.
https://doi.org/10.1108/02656710910995064
Galbreath, J. (2005). Which resources matter the most to firm success? An exploratory study of resource-based theory. Technovation, 25(9), 979–987.
García-Bernal, J., & Ramírez-Alesón, M. (2015). Why and how TQM leads to performance improvements. Quality Management Journal, 22(3), 23–37.
Ghassan, G., Maelah, R., Amir, A. M., & Farhan, M. F. (2019). Total quality management and the role of management accountants on organisational performance: the service sector in Malaysia. Asian Journal of Business and Accounting, 12(2), 147–178.
Hartini, S. (2012). Peran inovasi: pengembangan kualitas produk dan kinerja bisnis. Jurnal Manajemen Dan Kewirausahaan (Journal of Management and Entrepreneurship), 14(1), 83–90.
Hassan, M. U., Nawaz, M. S., Shaukat, S., & Hassan, S. (2014). An empirical assessment of TQM dimensions and their relationship with firm performance: evidence from the textile sector of Pakistan. World Applied Sciences Journal, 30(6), 696–705.
Ho, S. K. (1997). Are ISO 9000 and TQM routes for logistics excellence? Logistics Information Management.
Hoang, D. T., Igel, B., & Laosirihongthong, T. (2010). Total quality management (TQM) strategy and organisational characteristics: Evidence from a recent WTO member. Total Quality Management, 21(9), 931–951.
Kanapathy, K., Bin, C. S., Zailani, S., & Aghapour, A. H. (2017). The impact of soft TQM and hard TQM on innovation performance: the moderating effect of organisational culture. International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 20(4), 429–461.
Kaplan, R. S., & Norton, P. D. (1992). The balanced scorecard-measures that drives performance. Harvard Business Review, 70, 71–79. (n.d.). No Title.
Kaplan, R. S. (1991). The topic of quality in business school education and research. Selections.(Autumn), 13–21.
Kaur, P., & Sharma, S. K. (2014). Evaluating the Relationship and Influence of Critical Success Factors of TQM on Business Performance: Evidence from SMEs of Manufacturing Sector. IUP Journal of Operations Management, 13(4).
Adem, K. M., & Virdi, S. S. (2020). The effect of TQM practices on operational performance: an empirical analysis of ISO 9001: 2008 certified manufacturing organizations in Ethiopia. TQM Journal. https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-03-2019-0076
Kellermanns, F., Walter, J., Crook, T. R., Kemmerer, B., & Narayanan, V. (2016). The resource?based view in entrepreneurship: A content?analytical comparison of researchers’ and entrepreneurs’ views. Journal of Small Business Management, 54(1), 26–48.
Ketokivi, M., & Schroeder, R. (2004). Manufacturing practices, strategic fit and performance: a routine?based view. International Journal of Operations & Production Management.
Khan, B. A., & Naeem, H. (2018). Measuring the impact of soft and hard quality practices on service innovation and organisational performance. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 29(11–12), 1402–1426.
Kibe, E. E. N., and Wanjau, K. (2014), “The effect of quality management systems on the performance of food processing firms in Kenya”, IOSR Journal of Business and Management, Vol. 16 No. 5, pp. 61-72. (n.d.). No Title.
Kumar, A. S. S., & Shanmuganathan, J. (2019). A structural relationship between TQM practices and organizational performance with reference to selected auto component manufacturing companies. International Journal of Management, 10(5), 99–108. https://doi.org/10.34218/IJM.10.5.2019/009
Lewis, W. G., Pun, K. F., & Lalla, T. R. M. (2006). Exploring soft versus hard factors for TQM implementation in small and medium?sized enterprises. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management.
Maistry, K., Hurreeram, D. K., & Ramessur, V. (2017). Total quality management and innovation: Relationships and effects on performance of agricultural R&D organisations. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 34(3), 418–437. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-04-2015-0061
Manders, B., de Vries, H. J., & Blind, K. (2016). ISO 9001 and product innovation: A literature review and research framework. Technovation, 48, 41–55.
Mehralian, G., Nazari, J. A., Nooriparto, G., & Rasekh, H. R. (2017). TQM and organizational performance using the balanced scorecard approach. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 66(1), 111–125.
https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-08-2015-0114
Mishra, S., & Suar, D. (2010). Does corporate social responsibility influence firm performance of Indian companies? Journal of Business Ethics, 95(4), 571–601.
Modgil, S., & Sharma, S. (2016). Total productive maintenance, total quality management and operational performance: An empirical study of Indian pharmaceutical industry. Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering.
Modgil, S., & Sharma, S. (2017). Impact of hard and soft TQM on supply chain performance: empirical investigation of pharmaceutical industry. International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 20(4), 513–533.
Nabiswa, F., & Mukwa, J. S. (2017). Impact of credit financing on human resource development among micro and small enterprises: A case study of Kimilili Sub County, Kenya. Asian J. Manag. Sci. Econ, 4, 43–53.
Nasim, K. (2018). Role of internal and external organizational factors in TQM implementation: A systematic literature review and theoretical framework. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 35(5), 1014–1033. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-10-2016-0180
O’Neill, P., Sohal, A., & Teng, C. W. (2016). Quality management approaches and their impact on firms× financial performance - An Australian study. International Journal of Production Economics, 171, 381–393. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2015.07.015
Penrose, E. (1959). The theory of the growth of the firm Blackwell. London, UK.
Prajogo, D., Huo, B., & Han, Z. (2012). The effects of different aspects of ISO 9000 implementation on key supply chain management practices and operational performance. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal.
Prajogo, D. I., & Hong, S. W. (2008). The effect of TQM on performance in R&D environments: A perspective from South Korean firms. Technovation, 28(12), 855–863.
Prajogo, D. I., & Sohal, A. S. (2006). The integration of TQM and technology/R&D management in determining quality and innovation performance. Omega, 34(3), 296–312.
Rahman, S.-U. (2004). The future of TQM is past. Can TQM be resurrected? Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 15(4), 411–422.
Rahman, S. U., & Bullock, P. (2005). Soft TQM, hard TQM, and organisational performance relationships: An empirical investigation. Omega, 33(1), 73–83.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omega.2004.03.008
Ramakrishnan, P., Haron, H., & Goh, Y.-N. (2015). Factors influencing green purchasing adoption for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. International Journal of Business and Society, 16(1).
Ramanathan, R., Ramanathan, U., & Bentley, Y. (2018). The debate on flexibility of environmental regulations, innovation capabilities and financial performance – A novel use of DEA. Omega (United Kingdom), 75, 131–138.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omega.2017.02.006
Reverte, C., Gomez-Melero, E., & Cegarra-Navarro, J. G. (2016). The influence of corporate social responsibility practices on organizational performance: evidence from Eco-Responsible Spanish firms. Journal of Cleaner Production, 112, 2870–2884.
Sahoo, S., & Yadav, S. (2017). Entrepreneurial orientation of SMEs, total quality management and firm performance. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management.
Saleh, R. A., & Sweis, R. J. (2017). The relationships between soft / hard total quality management practices and operational performance in Jordanian manufacturing organisations. 10(4).
Sciarelli, M., Gheith, M. H., & Tani, M. (2020). The relationship between soft and hard quality management practices, innovation and organizational performance in higher education. TQM Journal, 32(6), 1349–1372. https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-01-2020-0014
Sethibe, T. G. (2018). Towards a comprehensive model on the relationship between leadership styles, organisational climate, innovation and organisational performance. International Journal of Innovation Management, 22(2), 1–19.
https://doi.org/10.1142/S1363919618500214
Shahin, A., & Dabestani, R. (2011). A feasibility study of the implementation of total quality management based on soft factor. Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management (JIEM), 4(2), 258–280.
Sharma, S., & Modgil, S. (2019). TQM, SCM and operational performance: an empirical study of Indian pharmaceutical industry. Business Process Management Journal, 26(1), 331–370. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-01-2018-0005
Singh, V., Kumar, A., & Singh, T. (2018). Impact of TQM on organisational performance: The case of Indian manufacturing and service industry. Operations Research Perspectives, 5(August 2017), 199–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orp.2018.07.004
Sotirelis, P., & Grigoroudis, E. (2020). Total Quality Management and Innovation: Linkages and Evidence from the Agro-food Industry. Journal of the Knowledge Economy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-020-00683-9
Šteta-?erimovi?, N., & Meki?, E. (2020). The Effects of Quality Management Practices and Organizational Learning on Organizational Performance: A Proposed Research Framework. Open Journal for Research in Economics, 3(1), 9–20.
https://doi.org/10.32591/coas.ojre.0301.02009s
Sutrisno, T. F. C. W. (2019). RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT ELEMENT, OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN FOOD PRODUCTION SMEs. Jurnal Aplikasi Manajemen, 17(2), 285–294.
Putra, S. A., Novitasari, D., Asbari, M., Purwanto, A., Iskandar, J., Hutagalung, D., & Cahyono, Y. (2020). Examine Relationship of Soft Skills, Hard Skills, Innovation and Performance: the Mediation Effect of Organizational Learning. International Journal of Science and Management Studies (IJSMS), 3(3), 27–36. www.ijsmsjournal.org
Tharenou, P., Saks, A. M., & Moore, C. (2007). A review and critique of research on training and organizational-level outcomes. Human Resource Management Review, 17(3), 251–273.
Truong, H., Sampaio, P., Carvalho, M. do S., Fernandes, A. C., & An, D. T. B. (2014). The role of quality management practices in operational performance: An empirical study in a transitional economy.
Valmohammadi, C. (2011). The impact of TQM implementation on the organizational performance of Iranian manufacturing SMEs. The TQM Journal.
Valmohammadi, C., & Roshanzamir, S. (2015). Int . J . Production Economics The guidelines of improvement?: Relations among organizational culture , TQM and performance. Intern. Journal of Production Economics, 164, 167–178.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2014.12.028
Vasantharayalu and Pal, D. S. (2016), “An empirical study of total quality management (TQM) practices on operational performance of Indian manufacturing and service firms”, International Journal of Management, Vol. 7 No. 6, pp. 192-202. (n.d.). No Title.
Vecchi, A., & Brennan, L. (2011). Quality management: a cross?cultural perspective based on the GLOBE framework. International Journal of Operations & Production Management. (n.d.).
Vouzas, F., & Psychogios, A. G. (2007). Assessing managers’ awareness of TQM. The TQM Magazine.
Wernerfelt, B. (1984). A resource?based view of the firm. Strategic Management Journal, 5(2), 171–180.
Wilkinson, A. (1992). The other side of quality:‘soft’issues and the human resource dimension. Total Quality Management, 3(3), 323–330.
Worlu, R., & OBI, J. (2019). Total Quality Management Practices and Organizational Performance. Covenant Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 10(1).
Ya’kob, S. A., & Jusoh, W. J. W. (2016). THE EFFECT OF SUPPLY CHAIN LINKAGE ON MICRO AND SMALL ENTERPRISES’PERFORMANCE. International Journal of Business and Society, 17(1).
Youssef, M. A., & Youssef, E. M. (2018). The synergistic impact of ISO 9000 and TQM on operational performance and competitiveness. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 35(3), 614–634. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-02-2016-0024
Yusr, M. M. (2016). Innovation capability and its role in enhancing the relationship between TQM practices and innovation performance. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 2010, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40852-016-0031-2
Zeng, J., Phan, C. A., & Matsui, Y. (2015). The impact of hard and soft quality management on quality and innovation performance: An empirical study. International Journal of Production Economics, 162, 216–226.
Zeng, J., Zhang, W., Matsui, Y., & Zhao, X. (2017). The impact of organizational context on hard and soft quality management and innovation performance. Intern. Journal of Production Economics, 185(November 2016), 240–251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2016.12.031
Zhu, Q., Sarkis, J., & Lai, K. (2008). Confirmation of a measurement model for green supply chain management practices implementation. International Journal of Production Economics, 111(2), 261–273.

In-Text Citation: (Alawamleh et al., 2022)
To Cite this Article: Alawamleh, E., Singh, H., & Aljuboori, Z. M. (2022). Does Soft and Hard TQM Practices Impact Operational Performance? A Conceptual Model. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(2), 251–265.

Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode