Quality Management in Export of Textile and Garment Manufacturing in Ethiopia

Abstract

Global competition and economic liberalization, quality has become one of the important factors in achieving competitive advantages. The quality and its continuous advancement have developed a significant meaning for todays' business. Purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Quality Management Practices on Export Performance of Ethiopian Textile and Garment exporters. A five point Likert scale questionnaire was used as the key instrument of data collection and data were obtained from 20 apparel exporters. Eight dimensions were used to measure Quality Management including Leadership, Customer Focus, Engagement of People, Process Approach, Partnership and Resource, Policy and Strategy, Evidence Based Decision Making and Continuous Improvement. The descriptive analysis, correlation and regression analysis were used to examine the impact of Quality Management on Export Performance and the relationship between Quality Management and Export Performance. Results of the study clearly indicated that all dimensions except Partnership and Resource were significantly correlated with Export Performance. In addition, Leadership, Customer Focus, engagement of people and Continuous Improvement were found as the most significant dimensions that impact on export performance.