Relationship between total quality management (TQM) and continuous improvement of project management in Pakistan (CIPMP)

Abstract

The relationship between the TQM elements and the continuous improvement characteristic of project management in Pakistan is explored in this research study. The main conclusion of this study is that ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ TQM elements both have positive relationships with the CIPMP some of the TQM elements are not significant and have less explanatory power for continuous improvement. The study proposes that information & analysis elements are the most impact elements towards achieving CIIPM. Investment made in information management systems and their development can make a significant contribution to CIIPM. Leadership is the second largest contributing element in CIPMP. Top Management leadership for quality promise to quality through organization-wide quality culture, vision and strategy and quality performance objectives, will help CIPMP. However, the comparison of the ‘hard’ TQM elements suggest that ‘information and analysis(IA)’ and ‘product/process management(PPM)’ are the more contributing elements then customer/supplier relations(CSR) in Pakistan. CSR also have direct contribution but less than the other hard TQM elements. From the ‘soft’ TQM elements leadership and employee relations both of the elements have direct contribution towards CIPMP. but top management leadership is contributing more than employee relations. In Pakistan organizations are adopting project management to achieve their strategic objectives and they are paying more attention to optimize their resource therefore they should have to adopt the total 44 quality management philosophy and not just focusing on hard TQM elements while on the other hand soft TQM elements are also important for continuous improvements to get best management practice.