Organizational culture, TQM, and business process reengineering: An empirical comparison

This study explores organizational culture by examining the relationship between total quality management (TQM) and culture, and specifically three elements of a culture related to quality improvement: customer focus, employee involvement, and continuous improvement. Process reengineering is used as an alternative management initiative. A survey of 220 mid‐level professionals in 123 organizations was conducted to determine the extent to which there is a relation between the presence of these cultural elements, and the presence of TQM reengineering. The success of process improvement through either TQM or reengineering is used as a vehicle for examining the importance of these cultural elements. The importance of organizational culture and the implications for managers are discussed.