Controlling for Quality: Climate, Leadership, and Behavior

Quality Management Journal vol. 15 issue 1 - January 2008

Abstract: [This abstract is based on the author's abstract.] The psychological mechanisms of employee quality-related behavior are explained, and a new quality climate measure is presented. Data collected in a food plant support the hypotheses that the quality-related behaviors of employees are not aligned with those desired by management, and that employees perform better in organizations with a high-quality climate and transformational leadership. Departmental quality climate scores and leadership scores correlated negatively with percentages of nonquality behaviors, indicating the need for some form of social control.

Keywords: Behavior modification - Organizational culture - Quality awareness - Leadership - Employee relations - Human factors