Empirical investigation of the hard and soft criteria of TQM in ISO 9001 certified small and medium‐sized enterprises

Purpose – This paper presents the main findings of an empirical study that investigates the effects of the “soft” and “hard” criteria of total quality management (TQM) in four ISO 9001 certified small and medium‐sized enterprises (SME) in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T). Design/methodology/approach – The study adopted an ethnographic research approach, and used the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to determine the extent to which these criteria were implemented at the point of ISO 9001 certification. By complementing the literature review, a hierarchy framework of TQM implementation via ISO 9001 was developed. The framework comprised three levels of criteria, sub‐criteria and elements which determine the effectiveness of TQM implementation in SME. Inputs from 16 evaluators including senior executives and representatives from the studied companies were invited. The combined opinions from evaluators were used to identify and prioritize these criteria and components. Findings – The results showed that the “soft” criteria were implemented less than the “hard” criteria in SME. The AHP findings supplement the body of knowledge existing in compliance requirements of ISO 9001 and provide insights on how SME perceive the importance of “soft” versus “hard” criteria in TQM implementation. These findings highlight the need to align SMEs' prevailing quality culture with top management and considers it as one of the focal compliance requirements for future revisions of the ISO 9001:2000 Standard. Research limitations/implications – Because of the ethnographic nature of the study, it was possible to obtain data from only four SME. Practical implications – SME in T&T may apply the findings of the empirical research to design, implement and continually improve their quality management system Originality/value – This paper makes a contribution to the body of knowledge in the field of quality management in a region where such work is limited. It adds value by empirically measures TQM implementation by determining the extent to which its criteria is implemented in ISO 9001 certified SME.