engleski

The effect of quality management system on managerial practice of major Croatian companies

Basic principles of quality management are mutual to all organisational systems and are aimed in two directions: (1) towards satisfying needs and demands of buyers and customers who are guaranteed optimum satisfaction for offered product or service ; (2) towards satisfying organisation's external and internal demands and needs for the pur - pose of maximum achievement with available resources, organisation and processes. While the purpose of the theoretical part of the study is to determine and establish a correlation model between managerial practice and quality management system, the objective of the empirical part is to demonstrate correlation between the establishment of quality management system and the managerial practice of major Croatian compa- nies. As the primary instrument used for gathering data required for conducting this research, a survey was sent to senior management or to the Boards of all companies in- cluded in the basic set of the research. Number of employees of 250 or more was used as a dominant quantitative criterion for defining company size. Statistical data process- ing was based on the sample of 49 out of 136 major Croatian companies, which makes a total feedback of 36%. Research results demonstrate the existence of significant statistical differences between certified and noncertified companies regarding the ap- plication of the following management principles related to quality management: cus- tomer orientation, the leading role of top management in the implementation of quality management principles, participation in quality management, education and creation of other formal conditions for quality management and fact-based management. Ac- cordingly, it can be concluded that ISO standard possession improves managerial prac- tice in terms of abiding essential management factors related to quality management. By comparing indicators between companies which established quality management system according to ISO standards or are in the process of implementing it, and those companies which have not implemented it, it may be concluded that all companies, especially those without ISO certificate, still do not cultivate nor do they develop good working climate and relations with their employees adequately. Companies with ISO certificate invest more attention to customer satisfaction thus increasing its profit and market share. Furthermore, they are more advanced in conducting improvements re- lated to the efficacy of business processes, long-term planning, creation of company vision etc. A management which has to lead and believe in achieving quality for cus- tomers and clients, regarding it as its primary goal whilst not forgetting that this goal is to be reached only by synergy with all employees, is the assumption of the success of quality system and is still not sufficient enough. The precondition of safe future is the improvement of quality of its products and services, thereby ensuring the satisfac- tion and loyalty of its customers. Valid hypothesis of the effect of quality management system on the improvement of managerial practice should eventually be reflected onto a more serious consideration of the importance of implementing all demands of quality management system.

managerial praCtiCe, QualitY management sYstem, major Croatian Companies

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