Innovation capability and its role in enhancing the relationship between TQM practices and innovation performance

Abstract

Innovation plays a critical role in predicting the long-term survival of organizations, determining an organization's success and sustaining its global competitiveness, especially in an environment where technologies, competitive position and customer demands can change almost overnight, and where the life-cycle of products and services are becoming shorter. Therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to extend the existing knowledge as to the relationship between TQM practices and innovation performance by exploring the expected role of innovation capability as mediator to enhance this relationship. At the same time, this study attempted to shed a light on how to improve innovation performance of manufacturing companies in Malaysia. The gained results indicated that innovation capability mediates the relationship between TQM practices and innovation performance. More importantly, this study supports the findings of the past studies that questioned the role of TQM practices in improving innovation performance. Finally, in light of the obtained results, several recommendations were introduced to assist decision makers in manufacturing companies.

Does Technology Transfer Help Small and Medium Companies? Empirical Evidence from Korea

“…The long-run survival of firms and companies and their competitiveness in the global market depends on their level of innovation and adaptability to new technologies [3,10]. However, Yi et al [25] and Deng et al [26] challenge the traditional view that innovations always help exporters prosper in competitive international markets by developing and testing the premise that the relationship between innovation and export performance is contingent on some important firm-and location-specific institutional idiosyncrasies.…”

“…The creation or absorption of new technology has become a vital component for companies to improve or maintain their competitive position in the market place, especially in an environment where technology, competitive position, and customer demands can change frequently [1][2][3]. This is not surprising as the need for new technologies has grown in the past few years due to the trend of increased global competition and fast structural changes in the markets.…”

“…Companies operating in sectors where competition takes place on the basis of price alone may rely on new technologies to improve efficiency in their production processes [4]. Technological innovation, therefore, plays an important role in the growth of firms [3,5,6] and helps determining the success and long-run sustainable growth of firms [7].…”

Technology for Production Scheduling of Jobs for Open Innovation and Sustainability with Fixed Processing Property on Parallel Machines

“…Nowadays, in the field of operation management and supply value chain of manufacturing business, open innovation and sustainability are getting more necessary [1,2]. For example, in view of higher level hierarchy of manufacturing business, i.e., policy and strategy making, issues for using Big data in information technology (IT) products industries are discussed [1] and the relationship between total quality management (TQM) practices and innovative performances is addressed [2].…”

“…For example, in view of higher level hierarchy of manufacturing business, i.e., policy and strategy making, issues for using Big data in information technology (IT) products industries are discussed [1] and the relationship between total quality management (TQM) practices and innovative performances is addressed [2]. On the other hand, in view of a lower level, i.e., operational level, smart factory, also called "industry 4.0", is currently raised for the sustainability.…”