Predictors of adoption of TQM by a research faculty: The collision of professionalization of knowledge in the academy with TQM's concept of deprofessionalizing knowledge.

This study examines: one, the determinants of faculty reaction to TQM implementation in universities and whether they accept or resist it; two, how to distinguish faculty resistance that should be overcome from resistance that should not; three, whether TQM's de-professionalizing of knowledge and academia's professionalizing of it predict faculty reaction to TQM implementation; four, whether the similarity of university governance to Japanese management that created aspects of TQM predicts faculty reaction; five, why deprofessionalized forms of some bodies of knowledge (quality, management, and finance) outperform professionalized forms; and six, whether some common element underlies the rise of total quality, recent critiques of professionals, and critiques of higher education. This study compares hypotheses derived from both a review of literature on TQM and case study data from a University Challenge workshop (of Xerox teaching TQM to 144 university faculty and administrators from one top-ranked engineering university) to define a conceptual model and produce refined hypotheses on how TQM and academia interact. Literature on TQM applied in academia was reviewed to produce a seven factor conceptual model and 19 propositions. The following data were obtained from the University Challenge workshop: lists of reasons for change, barriers to TQM implementation, and enablers of it, a transcript of faculty reactions to TQM, and a questionnaire on overall decision to use TQM. Descriptive and qualitative data analysis produced 45 data-derived hypotheses. Comparison of the literature-derived hypotheses with the data-derived ones produced 13 refined hypotheses. Analysis showed faculty need the changes TQM offers but refuse changes in their mode of work, methods, and mission involved. Faculty resist changes fostering organizational learning at a cost in individual learning. Of the 7 factors in the conceptual model: all 7 had barrier effects, 2 had enabler ones. Comparison of faculty resistance with physician resistance in hospitals indicated that promoting TQM among disciplines may outperform promoting it to universities. Roles for TQM as a common language among different professions and a new common sense about how to work effectively were noted. Generalization of the conceptual model to physicians, designers, lawyers, and other professions is a possibility.Ph.D.EducationHigher educationManagementSocial SciencesSocial structureUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/129357/2/9500936.pd