Understanding the difficulties of implementing quality management in Yemen

Abstract

Total quality management (TQM) is still a new issue for the organisations in Yemen. These organisations need to establish a new strategy towards quality management. Focuses on the difficulties and barriers to the introduction and implementation of TQM in such a culture. The researcher draws on two case study organisations and on the activities proposed by the European excellence model to exemplify TQM. Time was spent explaining these activities to the people involved and was followed by a discussion of the difficulties. By the end of this process the researcher came out with several points to be considered under each activity for the aim of improving the organisations in Yemen and when embarking on implementation of TQM. Other issues include the need for proactive government support, for better technical understanding of TQM, and for a change in organisational culture.