Quality Certification to Enable Supplier Keiretsu in the Auto Component Industry

One of the strategies that Indian component manufacturers adopted as a Total Quality Management (TQM) initiative, to become a part of the global value chain, is the QS 9000 certification. The driving forces for effective TQM implementation have been identified and strategies evolved for superior performance. This research paper studies the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) of TQM in the Indian auto component industry. This study is an empirical research conducted among QS 9000 certified auto component manufacturers in and around Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The study reveals that the most important CSF for TQM among certified auto component manufacturers is supplier quality management. It explains how specifically the automotive industry is leveraging supplier partnerships for enhanced performance