A journey towards total quality management through ISO 9000 certification ‐ a Singapore experience

Highlights the importance of TQM for SMEs to improve their current business practices as well as quality of products and services, to ensure long‐term survival. However, there are several barriers to effective implementation of TQM in such organizations, namely, the apparent lack of business experience and knowledge, and limitation of financial as well as human resources. Singaporean SMEs account for a large share of its economy; however, little has been written on how TQM has been applied in these companies in Singapore and the region. Reports the results of a number of case studies conducted among a sample of seven local SMEs in Singapore.