A feasibility study of the total quality management in hospitality industry with a case study in Esfahan Hotels

Abstract: Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management approach that originated in
the 1950's and has steadily become more popular since the early 1980's. TQM
is a method by which management and employees can involve in the continuous
improvement of the production of goods and services. It is combination of
quality and management tools aimed at increasing business and reducing
losses due to wasteful practices. It is a management philosophy that seeks
to integrate all organizational functions to focus on meeting customer
needs and organizational objectives. It is clear that organizations need to
adopt a TQM process and the critical success factors if they are to achieve
business excellence (Zairi 2002). Over the last decade, a significant
number of hospitality companies have embraced the concepts of TQM (Cannon
2002). As service expectations of customers and potential customers have
escalated, hospitality businesses have found the implementation of quality
processes to be a vital competitive component (Cannon 2002). Total quality
management (TQM) has been evolving in the hotel sector since quality
assurance was introduced in the 1980s (Breiter et al 1995). However, many
hotels are still struggling to reach a real understanding of what is meant
by total quality management (Breiter et al 1995). Hotels with successful
quality assurance systems report improvement in employee satisfaction,
customer satisfaction, profit margins and operational costs savings,
relative to their counterparts with less successful quality assurance
(Yasin and Zimmerer 1995).

This study involves a research on the critical success factors (CSFs)
associated with managing a successful TQM implementation in hospitality
industry specific in hotels with a case study in Isfahan 3, 4, 5 star
hotels. The extent to which those CSFs to TQM , currently cited in the
quality literatures, are perceived as real CFSs by quality managers will be
examined, however, this study extents previous works by examining the
relationship between these CSFs and the perceived success of TQM. The aim
is to better understand the relative role of various CSFs on effective TQM
implementation in hotel industry. This should not only be useful to those
hotel organizations trying to implement TQM, but also to those which are
implementing quality management.

This research leads to better recognition of critical success factors of
TQM implementation in hotels which have some advantages to provide better
service to customers. The benefits of offer higher service quality have
influence on both hotel sector and customers. Some of these advantages are,
competitive advantages, management leadership, continues improvement, work
development, reduce costs and economic profits, employees satisfaction and
increase their working value, staff empowerment and involvement,
communication and teamwork, commitment on the different parts of
management, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and sustainability of
organizations.