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Improving Theory and Research on Quality Enhancement in Organizations Report of a Workshop (1997) / Chapter Skim
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Research Issues
Pages 16-19

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
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From page 16...
... One has to identify the prescriptive principles of TQM and determine if they are in place within the organization, to assess the overall organizational culture and climate, and to identify the outcome variables for empirical study that cross all areas of the organization. As with any empirical research program, the use of multiple indicators is essential and should be identified for all levels of organizational structure and performance.
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From page 17...
... Several different general topic areas for research were articulated by participants: to design more empirical research based on existing organizational theory; to include organizational cultural variables; to evaluate organizational change and a more human component; to expand current research to include small businesses; and to compare varying approaches to quality improvement (e.g., TQM versus the International Standards Organization IS09000~. In addition, there was a brief discussion by workshop participants about the relationship between speed, a productivity measure, and accuracy, a quality measure.
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From page 18...
... Thus, NSF was advised to fund research to help stimulate development of a body of literature in the area of quality issues. The NSF program originally used the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award core concepts as a framework for funding projects in their research program.
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From page 19...
... However, the requirement that all of the NSF-funded projects must be conducted in a corporate setting may ironically encourage the kind of case-study research that has proved so limiting in the past. In general, workshop participants urged the funding of careful, systematic, experimental research, the type of research that starts to combine qualitative and quantitative perspectives to develop a strong theoretical framework for this area.
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