The 'pros' and 'cons' of total quality management for smaller firms in manufacturing: Some experiences down the supply chain

This paper considers the implications of the total quality management (TQM) approach to competitiveness for smaller firms in manufacturing. The core elements of TQM are identified from the literature and evaluated in the light of the experiences of smaller companies drawn from Birmingham region second-tier component suppliers. It is argued that the small firm environment can be propitious for implementing many of the central tenets of TQM relating to human resourcing, which rely upon leadership and workforce involvement in building a new quality culture within an organization. However, other barriers need to be recognized, particularly those relating to financial and technical resourcing, which can be important inhibitors to achieving anticipated benefits from the TQM approach.