Total Quality Management (TQM) as a Strategy to Improve the Performance of Sachet/Bottle Water Industry in Ghana
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Date
2011-08-22
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Abstract
Ghana’s sachet/bottle water industry has over the years been confronted with several quality challenges that have undermined the success and market performance of companies within the industry. This study therefore sought to assess Total Quality Management (TQM) as an effective and appropriate quality management strategy to address these quality challenges and thereby improve the performance of the industry. In achieving this general objective therefore, a case study approach was adopted where the quality management systems and strategies of four (4) leading brands/companies were assessed and reviewed. The companies were selected on the basis of their sizable market share in the industry and are namely, Voltic Ghana Limited, SBC Beverages Limited, Everpure Ghana Limited and The Coca- Cola Bottling Company Ghana Limited. The study area involved the cities of Accra and Kumasi. Three (3) different sets of questionnaires as well as structured open-ended interviews were employed as the main data collection tools. In all two hundred and seventy (270) respondents were sampled in the study. A stratified random approach was utilized in the data collection process. SPSS, Excel, tables and graphs were utilized in the data analysis. Among others, the findings of the study established that quality mishaps in the industry were mostly caused by the small-scale sachet water producing companies, bottle water products are relatively better in quality than sachet water and finally, that there is a positive relationship between quality management and company performance. In view of these findings, the recommendations made included providing support for the sachet water producing companies, training of retailers/distributors, strengthening the industry regulatory agencies as well as the adoption of TQM by companies in the sachet/bottle water industry. The study concluded that TQM strategy was the most appropriate quality management strategy to be adopted to turn around the quality fortunes of Ghana’s sachet/bottle water industry.
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A thesis submitted to the Institute of Distance Learning,
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Commonwealth Executive Masters of Business Administration, July, 2011