The Impact of a TQM Intervention on Workplace Attitudes in a Health‐care Organization

Abstract

Total quality management has gained increasing popularity as a method to introduce transformational change in an organization′s managerial philosophy and operational effectiveness. The principles for implementing total quality management well match principles long stated in philosophies of organizational development and change. Whereas most investigations have identified benefits of TQM in manufacturing‐type settings, seeks to extend this knowledge to health‐care organizations. A pre‐test‐post‐test field study at a large rehabilitation hospital showed significant improvements in work attitudes (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, group climate, competitiveness) for TQM training recipients after the first year of intervention. Unexcused absences and turnover also declined significantly. Discusses the implications of these results for generalizing TQM programmes to health care. Specifically notes the additional evidence to extend TQM applications to the service sector, and the unexpectedly quick time frame in which TQM generated attitude and behavioural change.

Citation

Sommer, S.M. and Merritt, D.E. (1994), "The Impact of a TQM Intervention on Workplace Attitudes in a Health‐care Organization", Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 7 No. 2, pp. 53-62. https://doi.org/10.1108/09534819410056140