Exploring the Main Characteristics of Turkish Firms Practicing Total Quality Methods

Abstract

This study paper reports the findings of a survey on Total Quality Management (TQM) in Turkey. The primary objective of this paper is to explore how the companies in Turkey plan, execute and control their processes towards a total quality management system and in doing that what characteristics they show and display. For this purpose a structured survey was conducted with the top 106 firms who either have applied or intend to apply for the Quality Prize awarded by Turkish Society for Quality. The following were specified as the aims of this study: to specify the typical behavioral attributes of Turkish firms who decide to improve their processes by TQM methods; to reveal the barriers to the TQM activities; to understand the significant changes in firm’s performances after TQM methods have been applied. The survey was conducted in cooperation with the Turkish Society for Quality.