Sustainable Development and Implementation of Quality Management Excellence Models in Public Organizations: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the European Foundation for Quality Management Excellence Model and Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma approaches in public organizations. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review was conducted based on articles from three academic publishers (Emerald, Elsevier/Science Direct and Taylor & Francis). The 88 selected journal articles were published between 2004 and 2022 and documented the results of the quality tools. Findings: The effects of applying the models in the public sector are presented. From the literature review, specific findings were identified regarding the motivations of all areas of education and services and the challenges they face in applying the qualitative tool methodologies. The main topics discussed are the human factors involved in implementing quality tools. Research limitations/implications: An important limitation is that data were drawn from only three major journals and the authors did not always have access to all databases and peer-reviewed journals or to any review articles in languages other than English. Multiple keywords limited the article search, as qualitative tools have been widely used in the private sector but less so in the public sector. Practical implications: The results and limitations detailed in the study and presentation of the 88 articles will motivate academic researchers to further study the application of qualitative tools in the public sector and fill the knowledge gap caused by the limited publications on this topic. Originality/value: The European Foundation for Quality Management Excellence Model and the Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma approaches have not been widely implemented in the public sector, and literature reviews are limited despite the increasing trend of their use in the sector in recent years. More future research in public administration is needed to determine the effects and limitations of implementing qualitative tools.

Evaluation of Quality and Equality in Education Using the European Foundation for Quality Management Excellence Model—A Literature Review

“…The effective application of the model in the educational sector requires further research to improve the efficiency of educational systems and processes and student satisfaction [166]. The studies selected in the present research prove that, through the strengthening of continuous improvement processes, the EFQM Excellence Model enhances institutions' competitive advantages and contributes to the creation of equal preconditions of high-quality education [167,168]. The authors of [168,169] claim that a combination of the EFQM Excellence Model and statistical control tools, such as Six Sigma, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and Pareto Chats statistical inference, should be used in quality assessments.…”

Real-World Application: Six Sigma Quality Tools for Continuous Performance Improvement in Specific Educational Practices: A Systematic Review

“…In addition, the study results revealed that Six Sigma is a comprehensive and structured process that adds value and helps educational institutions to achieve desired quality standards and meet customer needs. The research findings determined that the Six Sigma quality tool is a process improvement tool that educational institutions can use to dig deeper into the root causes of problems in educational processes, enabling them to be resolved, reduced or mitigated, thereby allowing schools and educational institutes to achieve the desired quality standard (Mazumder, 2014;Taraza et al, 2023).…”

“…Thus, continuous improvement is needed to ensure that the quality of education meets the standards set by education policymakers. Many continuous improvement models, approaches, and tools have been implemented in educational institutions to ensure that the quality of education is improved and maintained (Taraza et al, 2023;Xin et al, 2021). Various standard improvement tools are used in educational institutions, such as Total Quality Management (TQM) (Sohel-Uz-Zaman & Anjalin, 2016;Tresnasari et al, 2020), Kaizen (Kolodziejczak et al, 2019;Susana et al, 2021), Six Sigma (Sandu & Sharma 2020;Wang 2022), Lean Six Sigma (Shanshan et al, 2022;Xin et al, 2021) and Balanced Scorecard (Camilleri, 2021;Cheowsuwan, 2016).…”