Why Does the Implementation of Quality Management Practices Fail? A Qualitative Study of Barriers in Brazilian Companies

The implementation of Quality Management (QM) practices has been spread after the organizations have realized that such practices could increase competitiveness. Thus, QM is expected to improve customers’ satisfaction and, at the same time, reduce non-quality costs. When these practices are implemented, some organizations obtain positive results, i.e. they improve their competitiveness and productivity, increasing their survival probability and superiority. However, many organizations can not reach their goals. In this context, this paper is the result of a research about the main barriers that cause the failure of the implementation of QM practices. The method of qualitative research was used in two case studies developed in Brazilian manufacturing companies followed by a semi-structured interview with an Operational Management specialist. The main barriers found were lack of support of the company leadership, lack of communication and also plenty of bureaucracy during the implementation. It can be concluded that the main barriers are more related to the elements that support the implementation process, than the inherent characteristics of each QM practice.