Quality Management Systems: correlation study between leadership and maturity

abstract: Leadership is a key element of quality management, and, as such, it has been identified as an influential factor in the maturity of quality management systems (QMSs). Some of the previous studies on the relationship between leadership styles and QMS performance have argued that no universal best leadership style exists, stressing that leadership practices should be appropriate to the context. Thus, this research aims to further explore this relationship by considering the QMS context, namely the practitioners' leadership profile and the QMS maturity. Accordingly, the primary objectives of this study are 1) to understand if a leadership style is predominant depending on the QMS maturity and 2) to understand the relationship between the leadership practices of different styles and the dimensions of the QMS maturity. An exploratory quantitative study was developed in companies located in Portugal through a survey based on the maturity model developed by Nascimento et al. (2016) and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire®-5X Short Leader Form MLQ of Avolio and Bass (1995). The diagnosis disclosed that only 32% of the sample had a QMS with higher maturity levels (4 and 5, a scale of 1 to 5). The results highlighted that no single leadership style dominates a specific maturity level. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was demonstrated between several practices of transformational and transactional leadership styles and the dimensions of QMS maturity. As a practical contribution, a guideline was provided with some examples of leadership practices and their impacts on the specific dimensions of QMS maturity. Some steps were also proposed to enable organisations to develop a tailored programme to foster leadership practices suitable to the internal context and promote QMS maturity.

摘要：领导力是质量管理的核心要素，因此被视为影响质量管理体系（Quality Management Systems, QMS）成熟度的关键因素。既往针对领导力风格与QMS绩效之间关联的相关研究指出，不存在普适性最优领导力风格，并强调领导力实践需与具体情境相适配。据此，本研究旨在结合QMS相关情境——即从业者领导力画像与QMS成熟度——进一步探究二者间的关联。本研究的核心目标有二：其一，探明是否存在与QMS成熟度等级相对应的主导型领导力风格；其二，厘清不同风格的领导力实践与QMS成熟度各维度间的关联关系。本研究针对葡萄牙境内企业开展探索性定量研究，调研工具基于Nascimento等人（2016）提出的成熟度模型，以及Avolio与Bass（1995）开发的多因素领导力问卷®-5X简短领导者版（Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire®-5X Short Leader Form, MLQ）。调研诊断结果显示，仅有32%的受访样本企业拥有成熟度等级为4、5级（评分区间为1至5级）的QMS。研究结果表明，并无某一种领导力风格能够主导特定的QMS成熟度等级。此外，变革型与交易型领导力风格的多项实践，与QMS成熟度各维度间均存在显著的正向相关性。作为实践层面的贡献，本研究提供了一份指南，其中包含若干领导力实践案例及其对QMS成熟度特定维度的影响。同时，本研究还提出了若干实施步骤，助力企业制定定制化方案，以培育适配内部情境的领导力实践，并推动QMS成熟度提升。