第1个回答 2013-02-17
Introduction
During the past two decades total quality management (TQM) has spread considerably
among firms, and consequently researchers have studied this management approach in
some depth. Some authors find a positive relation between TQM adoption and organisational
performance (e.g. Douglas & Judge, 2001; Kaynak, 2003; Powell, 1995). Powell
(1995), under the framework of the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, conceptualises
TQM as a strategic resource. From that standpoint, various authors have considered the
RBV as a useful theoretical approach to explain TQM’s impact on organisational performance
(e.g. Escrig-Tena & Bou-Llusar, 2005; Reed, Lemak, & Mero, 2000; Savolainen,
2000). Under the RBV, TQM constitutes a resource that is difficult to imitate (Powell,
1995) and that generates competitive advantages in the firms that adopt it (Savolainen,
2000). Moreover, Reed et al. (2000) deduced that TQM itself has the potential to generate
barriers to imitation, necessary for sustainability. In turn, Escrig-Tena and Bou-Llusar
(2005) conclude that TQM positively influences organisational performance through the
development of a series of competencies (skills or specific abilities to deploy resources).
Some consensus exists about TQM’s capacity to improve organisational performance,
so we focus our analysis on how firms can increase the benefits deriving from TQM adoption.
This is the main objective of the current work. For this purpose, we use the theoretical
and conceptual framework provided by Williamson’s (1985) transaction cost theory
(TCT). This allows us to examine the economic nature of TQM and its capacity to
improve organisational performance in terms of wealth creation. Under TCT, TQM can
be defined as a specific organisational design option (Wruck & Jensen, 1994). Thus, its capacity to improve organisational performance lies in its ability to solve the firm’s organisational
design (OD) problems. Specifically, following Milgrom and Roberts (1992),
these problems are the information (coordination) and motivation (incentive) problems
arising in firms.
After a review of the literature on TQM and OD, we argue and conclude that TQM
adoption and implementation must be consistent with OD postulates. Otherwise, the
potential benefits of TQM can be diluted by the increase in the level of residual loss
(ex-post transaction cost resulting from the appearance of opportunistic behaviours from
the employees). We analyse a sample of firms that have adopted TQM, and find empirical
evidence of complementarities when firms apply OD and TQM elements simultaneously.
Our results show that firms that manage to exploit these complementarities obtain superior
organisational performance.
The paper is structured as follows. In the next section, we analyse TQM’s capacity to
generate value and solve the OD problems arising in firms (information and motivation
problems). We then present the design of our empirical research project, specifically the
final sample and the variables used. The penultimate section reports and analyses the
results obtained. The final section presents the paper’s main conclusions and business
implications.
Total quality management (TQM) as an organisational design (OD) option
The origin of organisational design (OD) problems lies in the fact that firm resources have
multiple owners. On the one hand, the presence of multiple owners implies the need for
coordination. On the other, their diverging interests lead to the appearance of opportunistic
behaviour.
太长了，把分给我，我发给你好了。另：如果分高的话，你的毕业论文我可以帮你，我刚写完operations management的论文，虽然是全英文的，但可以帮你翻译本回答被提问者采纳