The implementation of total quality management in Canada and Mexico: a case study

Total quality management (TQM) gained its popularity during the last decade and continues to have a profound impact on business strategies today. Using the case method, this research examines the influence of national culture on the successful or unsuccessful implementation of TQM in Canada and Mexico. Focused interviews are used to compare the TQM implementation process in two plants in Canada and Mexico. As hypothesized, the qualitative results suggest that a firm in a collectivistic culture, such as Mexico, is more successful at implementing TQM than a firm in an individualistic culture, such as Canada. This is because the collectivistic culture has more TQM beliefs and values than the individualistic culture. The implications of these findings for organizations in collectivistic and individualistic cultures are discussed.