Transformational leadership and total quality management practices: Moderating role of collectivism

Abstract

In the face of escalating competition, organizations are relentlessly pursuing excellence in their products and services. Manufacturing companies, recognizing the imperative for superior quality, consistently seek effective mechanisms to ensure and validate the delivery of high-quality products and services. Thus, this study aims to investigate the relationship between Transformational leadership and TQM practices (Employee quality management, process management, customer focus, employee education, and strategic quality planning) through the moderating role of collectivism and the mediating role of trust. Data were collected from 290 employees working in manufacturing companies through a self-administered questionnaire. Demographic analysis was performed by using the SPSS and PLS-SEM was used for the hypotheses testing. This study results show that transformational leadership has a positive and significant relationship with employee quality management, customer focus, and process management. However, transformational leadership has an insignificant relationship with employee education and strategic quality planning. Further, trust significantly mediates the relationship of transformational leadership with employee quality management and process management. This moderating of collectivism is also assessed and reveals the significant moderation between the relationships of transformational leadership with employee quality management, customer focus, employee education, and process management except strategic quality planning. Although the previous studies have studied transformational leadership and total quality management this study is among the few attempts to address leadership and TQM from a cultural perspective, indicating a recognition of the significance of cultural factors in the implementation and success of TQM practices.

Keywords: Collectivism; Employee quality management; Process management; Strategic quality management; Total quality management practices; Transformational leadership; Trust.