Manufacturing companies including a local micro-enterprise - Quality Postform Ltd are
persistently facing competitive pressures as a consequence of customers demanding higher
quality products. The emergence of Quality Management has been attributed by many researchers
and Quality Gurus including Phil Crosby as a strategic imperative for typical organisations to
survive within a highly competitive environment. Nevertheless research carried out throughout
the past years is relatively restricted regarding the practicality of micro-manufacturing firms
in implementing Crosbys Quality Improvement Programme which is claimed to be highly beneficial
in typical situations. This dissertation seeks to investigate this scenario from both a
descriptive and critical perspective towards Quality Postform Ltd. The research provides a
critical evaluation of the academic contributions towards the quality management concept.
Distinct disputed viewpoints have been identified focusing on Crosbys 14-Step Quality
Improvement Programme. From one end of the spectrum supporters uphold that claimed benefits
have been acknowledged. Alternatively others sustain that in essence a Quality Improvement
Programme is counter-productive in terms of its application within Small and Medium sized
Enterprises. However the researcher has identified four key pre-requisites in order for
micro-firms to effectively implement Crosbys programme. These include: management commitment
the acknowledgement of a quality problem the organisations readiness to embrace change
together with the suppliers readiness to support the quality programme. The methodology applied
to assess the presence of these four pre-requisites at QPL was to compile primary qualitative
data through one-to-one face-to-face interviews with key management officials. This approach
is justified due to the absence of formalised documentation and as a result it is imperative
to assess that historical data on Quality Systems is seriously lacking at QPL. The field
research outcome reveals that QPLs management is experiencing serious doubts regarding the
feasibility and practicality of the programs implementation within a micro-manufacturing firm.
This is the case primarily whenever the latter is facing limited financial and human resource
capabilities such as at QPL. The research findings disclose that none of the four
pre-requisites are present within this micro-firm. Moreover it confirms the scepticism on the
part of specific scholars regarding quality management programmes that micro-firms fail to
afford such initiatives. Thus it transpires that a distinct approach towards Quality
Management within small business is more appropriate.
