Implementation total quality management (TQM) to determine competitive advantage in small and medium enterprise (SME)

Abstract

The implementation of total quality management (TQM) always concerned by top management within organization. TQM are crucial elements in Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector due to it aimed to improve competitive advantage of organization. This research is aimed to explore the relationship between TQM and competitive advantage within SME sector of Malaysia. Quantitative research is used to conduct this research. Therefore, questionnaires would be distributed to the executive management level or above within SME organization in Malaysia randomly. The sample size is 124 respondent SMEs Malaysia. Smart-PLS are the software used to analyse the data gathering from respondents. The result of analysis shown that total quality management (TQM) has a significant positive impact to competitive advantage. Therefore, this research is expected to provide deep understanding regarding TQM and competitive advantage for the SME industry within Malaysia and acts as reference to future researchers.