Organization Learning as a Mediating Mechanism between TQM and Organizational Performance : A Review and Directions

Despite wide acceptability of TQM as a process intervention to maintain organizational performance, the research on specifics mediating mechanism that translate TQM practices into performance still need to be progressed for coherence. This paper reviews the scientific literature on organization's learning as a mediator between TQM and organizational performance. The papers appearing after mid 1990s are selected through key word search, future citation of the most important papers and searching all important journals. Large number of research papers that investigates the impact of TQM on performance has identified organization learning as one of the most important mediating variables. This paper synthesis all such studies to examine why organizational learning is the most important mediator in this debate. Implications are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided