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Improving Theory and Research on Quality Enhancement in Organizations Report of a Workshop (1997) / Chapter Skim
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Bridging the Gap Between Practice and Theory
Pages 2-3

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From page 2...
... The current research in this area is somewhat disjointed: it could clearly benefit from a delineation of key principles and more systematic tests to evaluate desired change across a broad range of organizations. The workshop was able to identify areas where relevant social science theory could be applied, but it did not succeed in beginning the development of a unifying framework.
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From page 3...
... It was observed that many scientists have been put off by the exaggerated claims of management gurus and by the overly enthusiastic accounts of committed practitioners. Most of the writing to date on this phenomena consists either of prescriptive principles promoted by "experts" on organizational reform or anecdotal accounts of the vast improvements in companies adopting particular practices.
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Key Terms

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  • committed practitioners
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  • scientifically rigorous
  • individual japanese
  • exaggerated claims
  • companies adopting

  • key principles
  • overly enthusiastic
  • organizational processes
  • desired change
  • anecdotal accounts

  • sometimes leads
  • inside individual
  • unifying framework
  • japanese firms
  • experimentation inside

  • tqo program
  • careful look
  • direct observation
  • management gurus
  • background knowledge

  • vast improvements
  • rigorous research
  • work spread
  • enthusiastic accounts
  • particular practices


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