Total Quality Management, Quality, Higher Education

Research Proposal

“Improving quality of higher education is improving future generations”

Razhan Omar Muhammad

PART I. Problem Statement

1.1 The Problem Under Investigation

Higher education (HE) can play a crucial role in the economic, cultural reconstruction

and development of the nations. Poor educational quality has become a global issue for many

years, and improving the performance of higher education institutions (HEIs) is another world

concerns (Zabadi, 2013). Since higher education is about quality and excellence so high quality

in education is necessary when it influence the whole educational process. Lack of quality

education is lack of the standards of HEIs. It is the quality of education that shapes incessant

wealth and security of both societies and people (Babbar, 1995).

The current research addresses the overall problem of poor quality of education in the

Kurdistan Region of Iraq. According to B. J. Abdullah, college instructor and PHD in Nano-

Technology (personal communication, December 12, 2015) “many colleges in Kurdistan are

dealing with poor quality issues especially in recent years”. However, Kurdish society is

currently experiencing many changes in education and wishes to achieve quality, but quality in

HEI are still poor.

1.2 Research Question

How Total Quality Management (TQM) improve the quality of higher education in the

Kurdistan Region of Iraq?

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1.3 Objectives/Aims

The Purpose of this paper is to describe quality issues in Kurdistan’s higher education, and

to examine the impact of TQM on higher education.

1.4 Significance of the Problem

The significance of education in the development of a country cannot be underestimated.

It is education that develop expertise and professionals for future that lead to the development of

any country. This has created a necessity to study quality issues, and to help higher education

institutions to implement the concept of TQM to improve quality in Kurdish society.

PART II. Literature Review

2.1 Quality in higher education

2.1.1 Quality Concept

Quality is an exclusive term to define and the word quality itself stems from the Latin qua

litas, which means “of what kind”. The concept is also often used in this sense: the quality of a

particular fabric could be a statement about what kind of material it consists of. Another way of

using the concept is to consider quality as ‘good’ as opposed to ‘bad’.it It connotes a variety of

meanings and implies different things to different people (Zakuan, et al. 2012).

2.1.2 Perspectives on higher education

As many sources show that, there are many ways to define higher education. One of them

is a formal or organizational definition. OECD (1997, as cited in Lundqvist, 1997, p.21) defined

it as ‘university tertiary level of education’ these programmes are designed for those students

who have completed secondary level programmes, and continue their education in this program

which leads them to award university degree.

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2.1.3 The need of quality in higher education

It is obvious that each “university provides a service to students, parents, future employers

of students, and to the community. The quality of that service is the combination of specified

characteristics in a product or service” (Ünal, 2001). For this reason, the quality of that service is

very important matter for many universities and even countries in general. Since, “Quality is the

heart of education” (UNESCO, 1998, as cited in Zabadi, 2013, p. 43). This shows the necessity

of quality in higher education in order to function.

2.2 Factors that contribute to quality in higher education

TQM is not the only factor that contributes to quality in higher education, Fitness of purpose,

Value for money, Transformation, and Excellence are those factors but this paper will focus on

the relationship between TQM and quality in higher education.

2.3 Understanding Total Quality Management

2.3.1 Perspectives on Total Quality Management

TQM can be a tool to improve quality. According to (Lundqvist, 1997) “TQM is one way to

address fundamental issues regarding quality”. It will use in the situations “as ‘management’ or

‘quality management’” (ISO, 1994, as cited in Lundqvist, 1997, p. 17).

2.4 The role of Total Quality Management in improving quality of higher education

2.4.1 Key challenges during implementing TQM in higher education institutions

TQM like any other approaches face many challenges during its implementations.

“Resistance to change; insufficient administration commitment; high time investment due to

personal training; difficulty in applying TQM tools to the higher Education institutions

environment; little experience of team leaders and staff in team–work; the concerns of Higher
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Education institutions have with their own results not being sufficient enough” (Pratasavitskaya

& Stensaker, 2010).

2.4.2 Implementing TQM in all fields of education

The TQM concept applied to higher education embraces all fields and levels of education

and it has influence on them (Aktan, 2007, as cited in Ünal, 2001). In addition, as Deming

claimed that his production system can apply to both manufacturing and service organizations

(Evans & Lindsay, 1999). In order to clarify more this figure shows how TQM applied:

Source: Ünal. (2001: 5)

2.4.3 Critical success factors (CSF) of TQM

Zakuan et al. (2012) suggests there are many factors that lead TQM to success such as: Management

commitment and leadership, Continuous improvement, Total customer satisfaction, Employee

involvement, Training, Communication, and Teamwork.

2.4.4 Impact of TQM on improving quality in higher education institutions

The great impact of TQM on improving HE cannot be underestimated, many evidences

show the effectiveness of TQM. According to ((Ünal, 2001) “TQM as a way of achieving and

maintaining excellence is used in establishments of higher education”. In addition, in his

dissertation about quality in higher education stated, “ The adoption of TQM has beneficial
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effects on Higher education in terms of improving quality” (Lundqvist, 1997). The adoption of

TQM will help institutions of higher education maintain their competitiveness, achieve high performance

in all areas (Edwards, 1993, as cited in Zabadi, 2012, p. 50).

Hypothesis/Argument

In the light of the evidences presented in the literature review, I can formulate the following

hypothesis:

Total Quality Management is a way to improve the quality of higher education.

PART III. Methodology

3.1 Subjects for Study

3.1.1 Units of Analysis and Observation

My subjects for study or units of analysis and observation will be college students (n=20),

college teachers (n=6), faculty administrators (n=3), employees who work in Ministry of Higher

Education (n=3), and Higher Education Minister or representative from Higher Education

Ministry.

3.1.2 Sampling Technique for Each Unit of Analysis and Observation

 To select Employees I will use non-probability purposive or judgmental sampling

technique.

 To select Teachers, Administrators, and Students I will use probability multistage cluster

sampling technique by following this stages:

Stage 1: I will list all governorates in Kurdistan; from this list I will select a random

sample of governorates.
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Stage 2: I will list all universities in each governorate; then from this list I will select a

random sample of the colleges in each governorate.

Stage 3: Finally, I will list all students, teachers, and administrators in each college and

select a random sample of them from each college.

3.2 Measurement

3.2.1 Conceptualization of Independent Variable (Total Quality Management)

Nominal Definition

Total Quality Management is a method by which management and employees can become

involved in the continuous improvement of the production of goods and services. It is a

combination of quality and management tools aimed at increasing business and reducing losses

due to wasteful practices (Hashmi, 2015).

TQM is both a philosophy and set of guiding principles that represent the foundation of

continuously improving organisation. TQM is the application of quantitative method and human

resources to improve the materializing services supplied to an organisation, all the process in an

Organisation, and the degree to which the needs of the consumer are met, now and in the future (

Strickland, 1989, as cited in Ünal, 2001, p. 2).

“TQM is composed of three terms: Total: meaning that every person is involved including

customer and suppliers, Quality: implying that customer requirements are met exactly and

Management: indicating that senior executives are committed” (Witcher, 1989, as cited in

Zabadi, 2013, p. 50).

Operational Definition: Listing Indicators

To measure my independent variable “Total Quality Management” the following

indicators will be used:

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1. Focus on customer satisfaction (Lundqvist, 1997).

2. Employee involvement in decision making, 3. Continuous improvement in process

(In'airat & Kassem, 2014).

4. Employee perception about leadership.

5. Employee training and education.

6. Employee communication system.

7. Employee participation and team working, 8. Level of management commitment

(ÜNAL, 2001).

3.2.2 Operationalization of Independent Variable (Total Quality Management)

 In order to measure my first indicator “Focus on customer satisfaction” I will use

questions. For example:

Are you focusing on customer satisfaction? Do your customers satisfy about your service?

 In order to measure my second indicator “Employee involvement in decision making” I

will use questions. For example:

Are you participating in decision making? How much are you involved in making decisions

about policies? Are you involved in making decisions about money allocations?

 In order to measure my third indicator “Continuous improvement in process” I will use

questions. For example:

Does your institution have quality assurance? Do you have a plan? Does it associate with

management style, policies, or organization performance?

 In order to measure my forth indicator “Employee perception about leadership” I will use

questions. For example:

Are you satisfied with current leadership?

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 In order to measure my fifth indicator “Employee training and education” I will use

questions. For example:

Are you trained in your field or working? How much your institution focus on training?

 In order to measure my sixth indicator “Employee communication system” I will use

questions. For example:

How do you communicate with your managers? Are you able to communicate with top

management and other managers easily?

 In order to measure my seventh indicator “Employee participation and team working” I

will use questions. For example:

Are you working individually or in team? Do you ever worked as a team? How often you

participate in team working projects or plans?

 In order to measure my eighth indicator “Level of management commitment” I will use

questions. For example:

Do you have high level of hierarchy of authority? Are you committing in quality management?

How is the relationship between highest and lowest level of employees? Are you satisfied with

the top management commitment?

3.2.3 Conceptualization of Dependent Variable (Quality of higher education)

Nominal Definition

“Academic quality is a way of describing how well the learning opportunities available to

students help them to achieve their award. It is about making sure that appropriate and effective

teaching, support, assessment and learning opportunities are provided for them” ( Prondzynski,

2008).
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Operational Definition: Listing Indicators

To measure my dependent variable “Quality of higher education” the following

indicators will be used:

1. Environment of campus is friendly.

2. Qualifications of university professors.

3. Using technology to deliver lectures.

4. Organizing the learning process.

5. Variety of modules.

6. Availability of infrastructure.

3.2.4 Operationalization of Dependent Variable (Quality of higher education)

 In order to measure my first indicator “Environment of campus is friendly” I will use

question. For example:

Environment of campus is friendly.

a. Strongly agree

b. Agree

c. Neutral

d. Disagree

e. Strongly disagree

In order to measure my second indicator “Qualifications of university professor” I will

use question. For example:

When and where did you get your PHD? Do you have any publications? If yes how

many? Did you get any academic awards? How is your student’s evaluation? How many

years do you have experience?

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 In order to measure my third indicator “Using technology to deliver lectures” I will use

question. For example:

Do you use projectors in teaching? Do you have internet inside campus?

 In order to measure my forth indicator “Organizing the learning process” I will use

questions. For example:

Do you think learning process is well organized? In which way do you think the learning

process can be organized? Does learning process is going easy?

 In order to measure my fifth indicator “Variety of modules” I will use questions. For

example:

Do you have the variety of modules? Based on what scale are they varies?

 In order to measure my sixth indicator “Availability of infrastructure” I will use question.

For example:

Does library available when you need it? How is the building effect your learning process? Do

you have big cafeteria? Do you have any corporate labs? Does medical center available in your

campus?

3.3 Data-Collection Methods

I will collect data by using qualitative research method, e.g. field research such as in-depth

interview, which requires the interviewer to have a general plan of questions but not a specific

set of questions. Then, based on the respondents answers you will ask next question. This

method is useful for my research because it is less structured than other approached and it gives

me more freedom in formulating questions and asking them. Since its face-to-face interview, I

can observe respondents face during asking different questions. I will also use quantitative

research method, e.g. survey research, such as interview survey, which requires sorting out
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general purpose with specific and clear information. This method is good for my research

because the presence of interviewer encourages participation and involvement in answering questions

and is also has the high-response rate.

3.4 Data-Analysis

I will analyse my data by using qualitative data analysis content analysis (latent

analysis).And I will also use quantitative data analysis Pearson’s Coefficient and Scatter

diagram.
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References

Evans, J. R., & Lindasy, W. M., (1999). The Management and Control of Quality, 4th Ed, South-

Western College Publishing, USA. 51- 52.

Hashmi, K. (2015). Introduction and Implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM).

Retrieved from Isixsigma.com http://www.isixsigma.com/methodology/total-quality-

management-tqm/introduction-and-implementation-total-quality-management-tqm/.

In'airat, M., & Kassem, A. (2014). Total Quality Management in Higher Education: A Review.

Ijhrs, 4:3, 294- 307.

Lundqvist, R. (1997). Quality in higher education approaches to its management and

improvement. Department of Business Administration and Social Sciences Division of Quality

Technology & Statistic in Luleå University of Technology.

Pratasavitskaya, H., & Stensaker, B. (2010). Quality Management in Higher Education:

Towards A Better Understanding of an Emerging Field. Quality In Higher Education, 16:1,

37- 50.

Prondzynski, F. (2008). What is quality in higher education?. University Blog. Retrieved December 13,

2015, from https://universitydiary.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/what-is-quality/

Todorut, A. (2013). The Need of Total Quality Management in Higher Education. Procedia - Social and

Behavioral Sciences, 83, 1105- 1110.

ÜNAL, Ö. (2001). Application of Total Quality Management in Higher Educational institutions.

Journal of Qafqaz University, 7. 1-18.

Zabadi, A. (2013). Implementing Total Quality Management (TQM) on the Higher Education

Institutions – A Conceptual Model. JFE, 1:1, 42- 60.

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Zakuan, N., Muniandy, S., Saman, M., Sulaiman, S., Jalil, R., & Ariff, M. (2012). Critical Success

Factors of Total Quality Management Implementation in Higher Education Institution: A Review.

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 2:12, 19- 32.