Total Quality Management Assignment (TQM)

Assignment Task

Aim of the study

The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between TQM and team effectiveness and its impact on the quality of work and productivity.

Objectives

To investigate how TQM has influenced teamwork at ABC.

Research Questions

What effects does TQM have on teamwork at ABC?

Problem Statement

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of TQM on team effectiveness in order to ascertain inefficiencies and shortcomings so that recommendations may be made to management to ensure service delivery is sustained.

Introduction

This section provides an introduction as to the current status in the organization.

Background

This section provides a background to the problem you are experiencing.

Literature Review

The literature review is a critical analysis, evaluation of existing knowledge relevant to your own research problem. You are required to extract different kinds of information from what you read and also show the relationship between different studies and how these relate to your own research.

You are required to take the following points into consideration:

• Consider the key aspects of your topic, aim and objectives when searching for literature.
• Consult historical and recent books that are relevant to your problem, as well as any other published materials, for example, in newspapers, journals and the Internet. It must become evident from the section that you have read widely and have been able to form a theoretical basis (or foundation, or framework) for the research.
• Make sure that the literature that you do consult and write about in your research is relevantto your research problem. The literature review must have an introduction and conclusion.
• You are required to use headings and sub-headings in the literature review.
• This must be well thought out before you proceed to write the literature review. You are therefore required to take notes on the important headings that you are going to include in the literature review.
• Extract the relevant information from the material that you have collected. The literature review must not only be a descriptive account of theory but should also be critically analysed.
• You need to show relevance of the theory for your study at strategic points. You need to also apply theory and figures to your organization.

Research methodology

Selecting the research methodology involves decisions about the research paradigm, research approach and research method. In this chapter the student will decide on the type of data needed and selecting the data collection and data analysis strategies. This chapter must be written in the past tense. It must include an introduction and a conclusion. You need to consult text on research methods for further information.

The Research Design

Research design is the structure that holds your research together and enables you to address the research questions in ways that are appropriate, efficient and effective.

Research designs may also be classified in terms of their purpose. Below are some of the common forms of research design. You will discuss the research design that you have chosen and then state the reasons for choosing a particular research design.

The various designs are highlighted below:

• Causal-comparative research
• Correlational research
• Explanatory research
• Descriptive research
• Exploratory research

 The Research Philosophy

This will involve a discussion on the Research paradigms which incorporate the fundamental philosophical concepts and values about the nature of reality and the scientific pursuit of knowledge. Essentially there are two schools of thought about science and knowledge - positivism and phenomenology. You will discuss the Positivist (quantitative) and Phenomenological(qualitative) research or combined research approach and you will motivate reasons for choosing a specific type.

Research Strategies

Below is a list of some of the important research strategies available to business students. You will discuss each strategy and then will state the reasons for choosing a particular strategy.

Positivist Research Strategy

• Surveys

Phenomenological research strategies

• Case Study
• Action research
• Grounded theory
• Ethnography

Combined Research

strategies Often researchers may develop research designs that combine research strategies from those two paradigms in a single research design.

Target Population

The process of selecting a fractional part of the whole relevant group or population is called sampling. The basic idea is that by selecting some of the elements in a population and focusing research attention on this finite group, we may apply the findings of the study to the whole population of interest. A population element is the single unit of the sample on which measurement and observations are taken. For example, each consumer questioned about his/her preference in a consumer study is a population element. A population is the full set of elements or cases from which a sample is taken.

Sampling

There are two broad types of sampling probability and non-probability. With probability sampling, the likelihood of any one member (or element) of the population being selected, is known. If there are a thousand rural schools and two hundred rural secondary schools, the odds of selecting one secondary school as part of the sample.

Kinds of sampling

The two broad categories of sampling designs are probability sampling and non-probability sampling. You will discuss the different types of sampling and then state the reasons for choosing a particular type.

You will discuss the following types of sampling:

• Probability Sampling

The Research Instrument

The research instrument should have been developed at the research proposal phase. However, should there be any changes to the objectives and the literature review; you need to ensure that the research instrument is adjusted accordingly. There are many different measuring instruments that can be utilized by the student to quantify the variables in the research. Discussion should include why particular instruments were used over others and what is their appropriateness to the study. The most commonly chosen research instruments are questionnaires and interviews.

Questionnaire Construction

Here you will discuss the number, question categories and the types of questions that will be asked, he/she should think about the actual structure and layout of the questionnaire on the component sections and the sequence of the questions. The test items must be aligned to the objectives and have their foundation in the literature study. This will facilitate justification to primary findings.

Pilot Study

Before administering the questionnaire to participants in the study, the researcher must test it on a small sample. The analysis of the pilot survey will reveal flaws in some questions suggest possible improvements and supply a range of possible answers to open-ended questions. Additionally, the pilot survey enables the student to:

• Make amendments necessary to maximize returns and minimize the error rate on answers.
• Categorize the open-ended questions to a reasonable degree.
• Perform the analysis on the pilot sample and test out all the computational procedures and produce some initial hypotheses.
• Evaluate the adequacy of the data for the research questions.
• All findings and amendments made to the original instrument must be explained.

Administration of Questionnaires

In this section the student will describe the method that was used to administer the questionnaires. The questionnaires can be administered by:

• Postage
• Telephone
• Face to face
• Email

Each of these methods have advantages and disadvantages. You need to focus and develop the method you used and explain why it was the best option.

Collection of Questionnaires

The collection of questionnaires will include time frames, collection points and storage of questionnaires.

Data Analysis

This section involves a description of the statistical tests that will be used to address the hypotheses or research questions. Examples will include descriptive and inferential statistics. The data analytic process must be explained procedurally from the time of data entry. You need to also indicate whether you are going to use tables or figures to present findings.

Ethical Considerations

When conducting research, the researcher is ultimately responsible for the integrity of the research process and the dignity and well-being of the research subjects. As such, it is the duty of the researcher to recognize and balance subjectivities, provide accurate research accounts and act within the law in order to develop the required expertise. You will thus need to give consideration to various issues, such as informed consent, power and confidentiality.

Ensuring participants have given informed consent

The concept of informed consent refers to the importance of informing participants of the nature of the research study. Participants of the study can only give informed consent provided they have a holistic understanding of the nature of the study and a full understanding of their requested involvement in the research project. This includes time commitments, type of activity, topics that will be covered and risks involved.

Informed consent implies the following:

• Participants have the intellectual capacity and psychological maturity necessary to understand their involvement in the study
• Participants are making an autonomous decision to participate in the study.
• Involvement in the study is absolutely voluntary.
• Participants are aware of the nature and details of the research being conducted
• Participants are aware of their right to discontinue in the research study.
• The researcher is honest to participants about the nature of the study
• Participants are in no way coerced into participation in the study.

Ensuring no harm comes to participants

Researchers should ensure that no harm is caused to participants of the research project.

Ensuring confidentiality and anonymity

The researcher should ensure that the identity of all participants is protected. Protection of confidentiality may involve restricting access to raw data, storing all data securely, reporting findings in a manner that does not allow for ready identification of participants, and obtaining permission for subsequent use of data.

Ensuring that permission is obtained

It is important that official channels are cleared by formally requesting permission to carry out a study. Negotiating access to respondents is an important aspect of your study. In some instances, a copy of the final research report may be required. Ensure that you get written permission from the selected organization/company.

 Results, Discussion and Interpretation of Findings

In this section you will present your findings, analysis of results, discussion of findings. You need to ensure the following when writing this chapter.

Findings from the Study

This section deals with the overall conclusions of your study as a whole.

Findings from the Literature Review

Here you will state how your research findings contribute to understanding and/or explaining the phenomenon. This may include a brief critique of the interpretation given in the literature, and the concepts or theories used in the frame of explanations. Also include findings from your research literature with which this study agrees or disagrees and why.

Findings from the Primary Research

A series of statements evaluating the degree to which the research objectives have been fulfilled are presented here. Present the findings as per the research questions.

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