Mba Research Tqm

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0954-478X.htm TQM: an act of balance between contradictions TQM: balance between contradictions

Roland Harnesk
Division of Quality and Environmental Management and Department of Health
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Science, Lulea University of Technology, Lulea, Sweden, and

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Lena Abrahamsson
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Department of Human Work Sciences, Lulea University of Technology,
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Lulea, Sweden
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the discussion of organisation and management by uncovering some embedded contradictions in total quality management (TQM).
Design/methodology/approach – Based on discussions of leadership, TQM and the demands of modern working life, three examples of embedded contradictions that organisations can be confronted with have been discussed: collectivism versus individualism, manipulation versus empowerment and standardization versus innovative learning.
Findings – One conclusion from this paper is that organisations, in a matter of complex navigation, need to find balance between these contradictions, something that can be a significant problem for many leaders and often seems to be handled in an instrumental manner.
Originality/value – Although these contradictions are a growing concern in TQM research, they are seldom discussed in management literature, and therefore need to be addressed.
Keywords Total quality management, Leadership, Quality management techniques
Paper type Conceptual paper

Introduction
During the 1990s and 2000s many companies and organisations in the Nordic countries have worked with extensive organisational changes towards lean production, process organisation, customer focus and quality. This has given changed, and often contradicting, demands and expectations on leadership. Some of the contradicting demands come from the set of problems arising in the meeting between function and
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process

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