Organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB), TQM and performance at the maquiladora

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to explore the relationship between the organizational culture (organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB)), TQM practice and organizational performance of the manquiladora companies. Design/methodology/approach – A structural equation modelling based on a cross‐sectional survey ( N =230) is conducted. Findings – As multinational companies (MNCs) implement innovative management methodology such as the TQM practices, their organizational cultural elements play significant roles towards the outcome. The organizational culture, represented by OCB, significantly impacts how TQM is managed and implemented. Furthermore, the results point out “soft TQM elements” have more significant impact than “hard TQM elements” towards firm's performance. Research limitations – The study includes a specific location (Maquiladora) only. Practical implications – The findings suggest that management should also focus on the intrinsic motivations of employees represented by OCB rather than the sole emphasis on training and education. Originality/value – The study supports the perspective that underlines the importance of the balance between soft and hard TQM, as well as the significance of OCB for a successful implementation of TQM.