The Impact of Applying Total Quality Management on Achieving Sustainable Development in Companies Listed on the Palestine Exchange from the Point of View of Their employees

Abstract

The significance of this study is derived from its aim, that the researcher has set and sought to achieve, which is represented in investigating the impact of applying Total Quality Management (TQM) on achieving sustainable development for companies listed on the Palestine Exchange, from the point of view of its employees. For this purpose, the descriptive analytical approach is used, based on preliminary data that are collected through a questionnaire, designed and reviewed by professionals in this field; the questionnaire was made into two sections each section is divided into a set of paragraphs, and is distributed to (350) employee working at companies of industrial activities, of which (290) valid questionnaire were recovered. For the secondary data, the researcher reviewed the literatures of relevance and the reports issued by various institutions and ministries. The key results show a weak negative relationship between quality management application and achieving sustainable development; as well as the presence of statistically significant differences between respondents’ answers, which might be ascribed to gender variable, in favor of males. Results also show diversity of commitment among companies with regard to quality management principles, with very high concentration on customers; while the highest commitment of sustainable development dimensions was for the economic dimension. The researcher provides a set of recommendations, most importantly to enhance TQM and sustainable development related laws and regulations; and the necessity to conducting further studies that aim at assessing –severally- the performance of companies listed on Palestine exchange; particularly with regard to quality management and sustainable development, for the purpose of circulating the experience of companies with highest commitment at all companies and at various sectors.