Total quality management as a strategy for competitive advantage for small and medium size enterprises in Kampala District, Uganda
Date
2018-11-30
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SAS Publishers (Scholars Academic and Scientific Publishers)
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to analyze the influence of Total Quality
Management (TQM) on competitive advantage of Small and Medium Enterprises
(SMEs) in Kampala District, Uganda. This study was undertaken using a
questionnaire survey where SMEs in Kampala district contend to embrace TQM
practices in their administration as a strategy for competitive advantage were
interrogated. Out of 112 firms, 96 were investigated. Respondents comprised one
manager and one employee in each of these SMEs. Reliability of all the variables was
tested using Cronbach’s alpha (α). Reliability for particularly TQM was established to
be at α=0.92. Results deduced that effective implementation of TQM is a potential
strategy for competitive advantage to SMEs. Results established that there exists a
correlation between total quality factors and competitive advantage. Results inferred
from the questionnaire survey is that the small and medium scale enterprises in
Kampala are trying cope with new quality management practices to increase the
productivity. From the findings, the study recommends that SMEs should establish
quality management systems and improve on their quality management programs to
ensure effective TQM implementation and for the overall success of the company.
Description
Keywords
Total Quality Management, Competitive advantage, Small and Medium Enterprises.(SMEs)