Abstract

This study aims to determine how Total Quality Management (TQM) affects Nigerian SMEs. It examines performance factors, leadership and management effects on team performance, innovation and overall quality management. The research also contrasts transformational versus transactional leadership on team performance. The study found that misinformation, reluctance to change, and limited financing prevent TQM from being fully implemented in SMEs. According to the survey, Nigerian SMEs need training, communication, strategy, planning, and continuous improvement for total quality management (TQM). Transformational leadership improves construction project team efficiency and quality most. The study’s results may help SMEs adopt TQM more effectively, overcoming hurdles to improve project efficiency and customer satisfaction.

1. Introduction

Coordination of the organization’s structure towards effectiveness, competitiveness, and sustainability is crucial to any organization’s growth. The principles, goals, and standards that form the basis of an organization’s structure also contribute to its culture. As a result, the foundation of every organization’s system is the culture that fosters and sustains a positive learning environment (Shuaib and He, 2021). Today, a common path to success for many companies is a period of learning during which senior leadership communicates a culture to staff that sets them apart from competitors. Because of this, they can work together towards organisational objectives, gain insight into one another, and form strong relationships via shared experiences, education, and leadership. To get an advantage in the market, management needs to understand their workers’ beliefs, values, and goals so they can foster an environment of dedication and positive interactions between workers and supervisors (Khalil and Muneenam, 2021).

1.1 Aims and Objectives

The research aims to analyse the impact of Total Quality Management (TQM) practices on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. The objectives of this research are

• To analyse the impact of management and leadership on team performance
• To observe the factors affecting the quality of team performance
• To evaluate the human and quality issues in total quality management
• To recommend strategies and practices for mitigating TQM issues

1.2 Rationale

According to Imran et al. (2018), TQM may assist SMEs in managing their operations and creating effectiveness while maintaining a top-class production framework. The high initial investment and ongoing operating costs of TQM practices are preventing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large corporations from adopting them (Mukenga and Awolusi, 2023). In the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria, a lack of competence and hierarchical capacity on the part of the board can indicate a lack of planning for processes and a lack of confidence in HR executives in implementing TQM. Whatever the case may be, a growing number of people are putting their faith in SMEs that lack an attractive TQM framework (Chaudhary, Sangroya and Nema, 2021). Consequently, meeting the company’s objectives is critical in the present, as is executing the finest TQM practices and transforming the EO into achievable key activities. When looking at leadership and teamwork in Nigeria’s assembly region, previous studies neglected to take into account the reversal effect of TQM on links between entrepreneurial orientation and small and medium firm export execution. Thus, it is becoming more and more reasonable to have a better understanding of the indirect effect of TQM on entrepreneurial attitude and the export execution link between small and medium-sized enterprises.

2. Leadership and Team Management Issues

2.1  Key Issues in Managing People

Business enterprises in Nigeria, including SMEs, have been facing several challenges recently. These include a lack of entrepreneurial orientation, poor orientation towards the market, skilled management, high levels of competition, inadequate goods and services demand, inadequate financial support, inexperienced and untrained staff, an unfriendly marketplace, limited creative capacity, and managers lacking leadership qualities (Bachmann, Ohlies and Flatten, 2021). Despite this, Nigeria is still Africa’s biggest economy. Issues with procedures such as ineffective site supervision, a lack of attention to time and money, the absence of quality development processes, and a lack of employee engagement and capabilities such as a lack of qualified personnel were determined to be the primary determinants of subpar work in South Africa’s construction sector in 2011 (JOHN, 2023). In a similar vein, the following are the fundamental factors that, according to contractors and project managers in the same Nigerian SMEs, would enhance quality as given in Figure 1:

• Executive support
• Participation from employees
• Exceptional educational opportunities
• Systems for managing quality
• Regular processes
• The culture of the organisation
• Objective establishment
• Techniques for Enhancing Quality
• Quality plans for contractor projects
• Management techniques for contractor quality
• Precautionary measures

Executive support and Participation from employees

Exceptional educational opportunities and Systems for managing quality 

Regular processes and culture of the organisation

Objective establishment and Techniques for enhancing quality

Quality plans for contractor projects

Management techniques

Precau tionar y measu res

Figure 1: Factors Affecting SMEs in Nigeria

2.2  Effects of Leadership to Improve Team Performance

Succession planning and implementation procedures are crucial for small-sized construction firm founders and owner-managers to follow to guarantee a smooth handoff of the company’s reins to the following generation (Aliyu Muhammad Jungudo et al., 2020). The business world has turned its focus to entrepreneurial leadership as a response to the issues brought about by the opening of the international economy at the turn of the century (Lin and Yi, 2021). Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners and executives must pay close attention to the ever-changing global business landscape. Companies can not make it without having a well-defined goal and the entrepreneurial spirit to see it through. This implies that company heads—whether it is the chief executive officer, a board member, or a team manager—should be self-aware in terms of their skills, knowledge, and leadership style, as well as the results they want to attain. So, they need to be bold, imaginative, resourceful, and ready to take chances when they arise, even if it means taking risks. To generate growth and quick development inside their organisations, create a competitive edge, and ensure sustainability, clever leaders use their talents and competencies (Palalıć, Nurković and Riđić, 2023).

2.3  Critical judgment of literature

According to the theory of entrepreneurship, leaders who are good at what they do can see a bright future for their companies by seeing possibilities and using their imaginations, while leaders who are good at what they do can motivate their teams to step up their game and do what it takes to achieve their goals, all while using their functional competencies to come up with creative solutions to problems. Participation in training and development programmes may achieve this goal by altering individuals’ views of their competence and helping them to believe in their talents to the fullest extent possible (Bagheri, Newman and Eva, 2020). By identifying and capitalising on opportunities to enhance organisational performance, address problems creatively, and make efficient use of organisational resources, entrepreneurial management fosters and supports a culture of innovation within organisations (Silva and Matos, 2022).

3.   The Factors that Can Impact on the Quality

3.1  Organization Achieves Quality Standards

Total quality management (TQM) is a theory that the researchers believe may increase the overall effectiveness and flexibility of businesses. As a result, the whole company is well-coordinated and everyone pitches in to satisfy customers and proceed further than the competition. According to Toke and Kalpande (2020), TQM allows companies to integrate all their quality systems into one cohesive approach, which may greatly enhance profitability and ensure compliance with regulations. To reap these rewards, a company must adhere to the fundamental principles of quality in everything that it does. To effectively meet the demands of both internal and external consumers, TQM should include both a culture-changing strategy and organised methodologies (Kojo Kakra Twum et al., 2022). Research by Shuaib and He (2021) and others has shown that power and collective engagement are additional elements that contribute to the effective use of quality management in business organisations, particularly SMEs.

3.2  Critical Judgement of Literature

3.2.1   Relationship Between Quality Management and Innovation

Management academics and researchers have discussed the relative merits of quality and innovation. According to several sources, quality and innovation are two separate but complementary fields with their long histories of growth, research traditions, methodology, experts, and courses of study. Both concepts have a documented history of professional development that began in the early 20th century (Shuaib and He, 2021). Both fields were successful, but dedicated specialists and progressive organisations were major factors. A large number of scholars and researchers have helped to establish and advance them in recent times. Creativity, on the part of individual inventors, too makes substantial contributions and is consistently essential in the innovation arena. Likewise, several researchers have documented literature evaluations about the prior achievements of the relationship between quality management and innovation (Segarra-Ciprés, Escrig-Tena and García-Juan, 2017). Despite this, several research neglected to address concerns with methodology.

3.2.2   Competitive Advantages: Strategic Integration

Furthermore, many scholars hold the opinion that quality management (QM) is insufficient on its own to guarantee competitiveness and improve the survival of organisations. The innovation performance of the QM is an integral part of its mission to get a competitive edge and ensure the organization’s longevity. So, according to recent research, quality is more of a prerequisite for an order, while innovation is the decisive factor in determining the order’s fate (DAOUD BEN ARAB, 2021). To stay ahead of the competition, however, businesses need to include Total Quality Management (TQM) in their strategies for satisfying customers and growing their business (Pimentel and Major 2016). Innovation, according to research, significantly affects corporate productivity, economic development, and the ability to gain a competitive edge. Thus, innovation encourages the development of new goods, services, or business procedures using the gathering, exchange, and use of new information (Schumpeter 1934).

Several research has also documented and critically evaluated the relationship between innovation inputs and innovation outputs; these studies provide light on the innovation construct that is relevant to our investigation (Ugur and Vivarelli, 2020). Researchers also strongly believe that factors such as company size, ownership, industry, and geographic location are important determinants of innovation output when examining what motivates organisations to engage in innovation activities (Holl, Peters and Rammer, 2022). Companies innovate their processes to boost growth and productivity, which lends credence to the literature’s claim that innovation and quality management may go hand in hand. New research, however, has shown a split along the quality management trend. Numerous studies have shown the correlation between innovation and quality along both the hard and soft dimensions (Yu, Park and Hong, 2017).

3.2.3   Influence of Quality Management: Innovation Performance

Regardless of this categorization, a large body of empirical research has investigated quality management’s effect on innovation results by using the hard and soft dimensions instead. This is why the present investigation will follow the lead of several others who have investigated quality management construction (Ali and Johl, 2022). Research by Cátia Marlene Leite Pinto and Fernando Cabrita Romero (2020) and others suggests that quality management (QM) has the potential to encourage innovation by creating a favourable setting for it. This includes training, identifying and meeting customer needs efficiently, encouraging knowledge sharing, fostering commitment and participation, and continuously improving work systems. While there is conflicting evidence in the management literature on the nature of the link between quality management and innovation performance, the weight of the studies demonstrating a positive correlation is greater than that of those indicating a negative one. Likewise, not all research has shown a clear relationship between the two concepts. There is a strong correlation between quality management and innovation success, according to the literature (Lizarelli, Toledo and Alliprandini, 2019).

4.      Impact   of   Leadership   Style      and        Team      Performance- Theories of Leadership 

4.1  Transactional Leadership 

Research shows that many modern managers and supervisors rely on Blanchard and Hershey’s transactional leadership model for improving their interpersonal abilities. According to Oyetunji, Adebiyi and Olatunde (2019), frontline managers and supervisors could benefit from leadership skill development. This would allow them to better interact with workers, which in turn would boost performance, commitment, and productivity. Agus Purwanto et al. (2020) define this style of leadership as leaders that either provide followers with challenges to motivate them or discourage them when they fall short of expectations. This leader succeeds at encouraging regulation, creating productivity goals, evaluating performance, and providing support. These leaders can effectively judge their followers’ potential and act effectively by developing a mutually advantageous effort-compensation connection. Research demonstrates that leaders may increase staff performance by giving feedback, evaluations, training, and output-based incentives (Potosky and Azan, 2022).

4.2  Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders urge cooperation above personal interests to improve performance. Good leadership inspires individuals to think creatively and solve problems, which involves followers and specifies their roles. It might be hard to motivate individuals to work towards a common goal. Successful leaders assist their followers adjust to changing conditions (Arifin and Maunah, 2020). Transformational leadership may motivate individuals to sacrifice their interests to accomplish goals and enhance performance. It inspires employees to go above and beyond in their jobs and to put the company’s needs ahead of their own (Nurtjahjani et al., 2020). According to scholars, the transformational leadership style enables subordinates or employees to feel empowered, inspired, and motivated, which in turn makes them more willing to take risks and put in extraordinary effort and dedication (Løvaas et al., 2020). In addition, according to Souza and Wood Jr. (2022), frontline managers who practise transformational leadership create an enabling work environment by encouraging trust and transparency. When a leader transforms, their followers develop feelings of admiration, respect, and trust.

4.3  Critical Judgment of Literature

In my opinion, a varied workforce, like the ones seen on construction sites, would make the transactional leadership approach ineffective. Cultural differences among construction workers also mean that transactional leadership styles may not perform so well on the job (Schrage et al., 2021). Transformative leadership also helps with developing skills, increases confidence, and encourages growth on an individual level. Charismatic, thoughtful, and motivating, these leaders often give their people a renewed sense of purpose. They create a shared vision of a promising future by expressing and working towards similar objectives. In addition, individuals who display transformational leadership traits are honest, open, and transparent, which may be an asset when dealing with difficult problems in the construction sector (Lo et al., 2020). This kind of leadership is characterised by an emphasis on the group’s shared goals and ideals.

5.   Human and Quality Issues Evaluation- The Impact on the Outcomes of the Project

5.1  Human and Quality Issues

Chikodili (2010) said that the lack of Total Quality Management (TQM) application is a major problem in the Nigerian construction sector. Compared to foreign competition, Nigeria’s construction industry fails to provide high-quality projects, the survey found. The top five factors causing problems on the construction site are as follows: inadequate machinery, tools, and establishments for the job, poor interaction and sharing of knowledge between supervisory and management teams, a lack of planning and maintenance for machinery and equipment, late or nonexistent payment of wages and incentives, and clients’ negative attitudes towards replacing funds. According to Egwunatum et al. (2021), even if a construction company is diligent about sourcing high-quality materials, they may still fail to meet quality standards if they do not have the proper infrastructure in place to install those materials. According to Table 1, improper technical installation of materials might lead to structural collapse.

Table 1: Quality advancement steps applicable to construction projects

5.2  Evaluation of Human and Qualities Issues

The results show that the human component is very important while implementing TQM. In the construction business, the human element may have both good and negative effects on TQM adoption. The lack of a reward and acknowledgement system, inadequate education and retraining of staff members to drive process enhancement, executive the management’s stiffness when it comes to quality decisions, a negative societal disposition, the misconception that TQM is exclusive to industries of manufacture and service, and issues in economies that are developing are the top five factors preventing TQM implementation in the construction industry (Eniola et al., 2019). Despite their low ranking, these variables also make it difficult for the construction sector to fully apply TQM. Implementing TQM successfully relies on the motivation of competent and experienced team members (Egwunatum et al., 2021). Figure 2’s Pareto Chart shows which aspects are most important in determining whether or not a construction project meets its quality goals, therefore it is clear that these factors need careful consideration.

Figure 2: Pareto chart

5.3. Critical Judgement of Module Concepts

Egwunatum et al. (2021) found that whereas Temtime and Solomon (2002) found TQM implementation to be successful in Botswana and Ethiopia, the opposite was true in Nigeria. The nations’ primary challenges in implementing a formal TQM programme include an overemphasis on short-term profitability, insufficient funding, poor company strategy and direction, and a misunderstanding of TQM principles. One of the biggest problems with implementing TQM in Nigeria was the resistance to change and quality standards from contractors. This research ranks resistance to changes in construction at number ten and weak managerial commitment at number eight. The adoption of an integrated TQM model to assess milestones and, as demonstrated below, the quality advancement steps necessary for contracting organisations to keep up with international best practices is essential if they are to achieve these quality attainment objectives. According to Egwunatum et al. (2021), these evaluations must adhere to the quality improvement strategy proposed by Westbrook et al. (1997). Consequently, contractors are obligated to reduce structural failure rates in TQM-implemented building projects by focusing on the quality improvement framework proposed by Adam (1997). To this day, TQM practitioners often refer to Shankar’s (2004) revised metric framework when discussing how to manage quality in the building process as given in Figure 3 (Paina et al., 2021).

Figure 3: Conceptual Managing Model for Quality Projects in Structural Failures

6.Conclusion & Recommendation

Among the most important aspects of implementing Total Quality Management (TQM) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria are training and education, customer satisfaction, communication, strategy and planning, and continuous improvement. The whole building value chain adheres to TQM principles for maximum efficiency. The procurement of materials for the SME in Nigeria would be assured if the organization’s quality improvement construction method is used. Management and administrative teams may be continuously improved and their capacity for management and leadership can be enhanced via the process of education and training. Improved project efficiency and customer satisfaction may be achieved by proper control and monitoring, which should be facilitated by the quality assurance and control people of construction organisations.

7.Glossary or Abbreviations

Total Quality Management (TQM) Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) Quality Management (QM)

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