Evaluating innovation performance and quality practices relationship: A review from different industries

Abstract

This study explores previous research studies in the area of quality management and innovation performance. The study explains why different quality practices like leadership, process management, supplier relationship, customer focus and strategic planning are used for better innovation performance in firms and also explains different scenarios in which the quality practices have a positive or negative influence on innovation performance. The paper firstly categorized these studies according to the journal in which these studies are published then further divide them according to their research design into quantitative, qualitative and review types. The studies are analyzed on set criteria of industry, quality indicators, outcome indicators and results. The trends identified in this paper shows that irrespective of type of industry most studies have found a positive relationship between quality practices and firms innovation performance and in cases where the relationship is weak or negative is because of various contextual factors like uncertainty in business environment, firm size, financial resources and firms culture that has modified this relationship.