Total quality management as a forerunner of business innovation capability

Although it is true that the issues of quality and innovation have been dealt with extensively from different perspectives, studies on the relationship between the two concepts are few. This study tackles this relationship by analyzing the links between the broader concepts of total quality management (TQM) and business innovation capability (BIC). Specifically, it is argued that TQM can favor the development of BIC. An empirical study of 102 firms in the sectors of machinery and instruments for measurement, analysis and control revealed that, indeed, both concepts are compatible and make it possible to identify which dimensions of TQM explain the generation of BIC.