Date of Award

1-21-1998

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Foundations & Research

First Advisor

John Delane Williams

Abstract

Total Quality Management (TQM), a technique associated with business and manufacturing, was investigated in two areas: the Air National Guard and higher education. A survey was conducted by the 119th Fighter Wing (119th FW) of the North Dakota Air National Guard to measure the success of its Total Quality Initiative. This data was made available for an assessment regarding the use of TQM practices outlined by Deming's "14 Points of Top Management," which is also the basis for the federal government's TQM practices. Prior to any comparisons, an analysis of the questionnaire was done. A factor analysis (Alpha, with varimax rotation) showed that essentially a single scale was found; all items loaded 0.45 or higher on the first factor; a Cronbach's alpha of 0.98 was found on this scale termed, "Satisfaction with the Implementation of TQM." A Chi-Square analysis was initiated to establish differences in responses within the units of the Fighter Wing. Among units, significant differences were found as to the success of TQM, indicating an unevenness in the success of implementation of TQM. Those units were closely aligned, with administration (i.e., State Headquarters) being more favorable in their assessments. It was further determined that the 119th FW's management structure is comparable to the business implemented TQM, which in turn is comparable to higher education's management structure on endorsement of mission statements.Within higher education a different approach was used. Significant persons in the academic hierarchy, administration who also teach, were interviewed. An assessment of these interviews yielded the interpretation that TQM was initially approached with some enthusiasm by central administrators, but over time--and particularly as top-management changed--little remained of the initial impetus. Maintaining a lively process of TQM would appear to require nurturing that was not particularly extant in the institutions of higher learning. What seemed to be present for TQM in higher education were several manuals for public display.

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