Motivational Theories and Successful Total Quality Initiatives

The quality scholars have indicated that primarily the employees build quality into an organization's goods and services. Hence, the quality of products and services depend heavily on employee commitment, participation, involvement, morale, motivation, compensation, performance, job satisfaction etc. We hypothesized that some motivational theories, when properly deployed cause quality initiatives to be successful, while others do not. In our survey study, we tested, Content Theory, Expectancy Theory, Behavior Modification Theory, Goal Setting Theory, Equity Theory, and Job Design Theory. We found evidence that Goal Setting Theory and Expectancy Theory, if properly deployed, are most likely to bring success to quality initiatives. Introduction In the United States, since the late 70s, many companies have undertaken quality initiatives. Deming, Juran, Crosby and other quality gurus have led the effort in making quality a hot and exciting concept in corporate America. Depending on the focus and quality perspective that the management thought was appropriate, there were many varieties of quality programs available for organizations to adopt. In the 80s organizations adopted quality initiatives with intense fervor in one form or other. While many organizations spent time and resources without gaining significant results, others were able to harness the benefits of total quality initiatives (TQI). Over this period of time, quality initiatives has been deemed to be extremely beneficial by U.S. organizations. In fact the federal and several state governments have instituted annual quality awards for organizations in many categories. While the criteria for these awards are somewhat different, most of the state awards use the Department of Commerce's Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award (MBNQA) as a model. Quality practitioners have consistently asserted that TQI should focus on total quality in the entire organization, and that it is not a program or project but a philosophy. After going through the experience of implementing TQI, quality champions of many organizations have pointed out that adopting total quality principles is a time consuming (five to seven years) and arduous process. One of the most difficult obstacles has been achieving total commitment from employees to quality initiatives. Masters (1996) discusses 15 different barriers in achieving TQM success. Zietz et al. (1997) discuss several of those barriers and focus on two barriers: (1) lack of proper fit between the culture of the workforce including inconsistency between the culture of the workforce and the demands of a formal TQM program; and (2) poor management of the variables critical to success. Arguing that the professional literature lacks good diagnostic questionnaires to measure and diagnose these barriers, Zietz et al. (1997) provide a survey for organizations to assess and develop a TQM ready culture. Discussing the TQM culture requirements, Thompson (1998) identifies seven paradoxes of TQM. Categorizing them into three quality focus points as creating the culture of the work environment, building a responsive team environment, and reinforcing a performance centered environment, he suggests that recognizing these paradoxes is essential for TQM leaders in becoming sensitive to their style in building a truly cooperative organization. One of the most important categories in MBNQA is Human Resource Development and Management, where the ability of management to motivate, involve, and empower employees is evaluated. All quality gurus have pointed out the attitudinal change that is needed in implementing effective quality initiative. Further, quality experts have identified methods to be used to accomplish it and the change management that are required as the critical component. The criteria for MBNQA, the highest quality award bestowed on a U.S. organization by the Department of Commerce and National Institute of Standards and Technology, allocate 140 of its total 1000 points to the category of Human Resources (HR) Development and Management. …