Total Quality Management and Operational Performance of Kenyan Airlines

Abstract

Quality has become an important aspect of any organization in terms of the products and services that they offer to their customers. There has been a paradigm shift in the needs fulfillment and expectations by customers and quality has been over emphasized. This has led to stiff competition among organizations in the airline business environment who work daily towards improving their quality standards in their efforts to outsmart competitors and thus attaining a competitive advantage. To achieve this, airline organizations are striving to price their products reasonably if not low, and also enhancing their value proposition and related benefits of their products and services. This study aimed at establishing those TQM practices adopted by Kenyan airline organizations in their quest to achieve optimal operational performance. This study also aimed at determining the relationship between TQM practices and their effects on an airline operational performance as far as positioning the firm on a competitive edge. Forty eighty airline companies in the Kenyan aviation industry were studied. A census survey was done and data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The findings on TQM practices by the various airlines organizations affirmed that the respondents strongly agree that to a moderate and great extent, their airline company has adopted TQM practices in their operations. Also noted, is that there is a strong relationship between TQM as a practice within the Kenyan airlines and operational performance. The study regression analysis revealed a positive relationship between total quality management and operational performance of the Kenyan airlines. Various conclusions were arrived at from the findings of this study in that Kenyan airlines have adopted TQM as a practice in their operations. Top leadership of the various airline organizations has played an important role in the implementation of TQM practices. Provision of a good working environment for employees was noted as key and their participation in strategy formulation activities within the organization cannot be ignored. Airline organizations must embrace the culture of learning and development since it is important in continuous training and development of the workforce. Supplier quality management and process quality management were also concluded as being critical in improving the operational performance of airline organizations in Kenya.