An empirically validated quality management measurement instrument

To develop a quality management (QM) measurement instrument that has sound psychometric properties and recognizes a key feature of the field, i.e. QM is currently characterized by three competing approaches: standards‐based; prize‐criteria; and, elemental implementation approaches.

The three disparate approaches were analyzed to identify sets of key constructs and associated items. The assembled instrument was empirically validated through a survey of 418 Australian manufacturing organizations. A full set of reliability and validity tests were performed. Wherever applicable, confirmatory approach using structural equation modeling was used.

The results of psychometric tests suggest that the constructs of the three approaches have good empirical support. In the manner in which the instrument is presented, it is possible to separately measure constructs related to each of the three approaches.

The measurement instrument has been validated with manufacturing organizations from Australia. It is applicability to other industry sectors or country contexts needs to be verified.

Practitioners and consultants can use the measurement instrument for conducting QM benchmarking exercises within and across organizations. Researchers can use the instrument in future studies for, inter alia, theory development in the area.

The measurement instrument overcomes the shortcomings of the existing instruments by explicitly including all three practical approaches to quality management. Also, a rigorous psychometric validation process is adopted that provides credible outcomes.