City Research Online

Abstract

Purpose - This article investigates whether a quality management philosophy underlies the joint use of operations and human resource management practices, and the relationships with job-related contentment and performance.

Design/ methodology/approach - Data from an economy-wide survey is used to test hypotheses via latent variable analyses (latent trait and latent class models) and structural equation models. The sensitivity of each path is then assessed using regression models.

Findings – Different elements rather than a unified philosophy are identified. A managerial approach that integrates total quality management and just-in-time procedures is rare, but is associated with the quality of the product or service delivered. Labor productivity and quality are independent of the level of job-related contentment in the workplace. Although the average workforce is content, high involvement management and motivational support practices are associated with job anxiety. On the positive side, job enrichment is linked to labor productivity, thus suggesting potential gains through job design.

Originality/value - The study adds evidence from a national sample about a comprehensive range of management practices, and suggests distinct outcomes from different elements of quality management. Additionally, it shows that performance expectations based on previous studies may not hold in large nationwide heterogeneous samples.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This article is (c) Emerald Group Publishing and permission has been granted for this version to appear here http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/. Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Publisher Keywords:	quality management; performance; anxiety-contentment; latent variable, path and regression models
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Departments:	Bayes Business School > Management
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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