Identification of barriers to improving quality management systems
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a survey on quality management systems (QMS) related problems faced by management representatives. Design/methodology/approach The survey was carried out on certified organisations by means of a self administrated questionnaire. A total of 97 organisations participated in the study. Findings It was found that the majority of management representatives believe themselves to be well aware of the weaknesses in their respective organisations and of the underlying causes. They also maintain that they know how to overcome them. They perceive insufficient involvement on the part of managers and staff and limited resources as being far more crucial problems. Research limitations/implications The sample only covers 97 organisations, so including more entities would be strongly recommended in any future research. This would enable grouping by general characteristics, such as businesses and public administration, for instance, and allow a comparat.