Determinants of the Total Quality Management Implementation in SMEs in Iran (Case of Metal Industry)
Hamed Ramezani, Behrooz Gharleghi

Abstract
Total Quality Management (TQM) is able to recognize the necessary techniques and tools in production process to reduce or eliminate the redundancy and increase the quality and efficiency. TQM in Iran started from 1993, when the automobile industry made an agreement with France (Peugeot Company) and Korea (KIA Company) based on ISO 9000 standard. As a result, the growth in automobile industry was impressive. According to this point, other industries and companies also realized the need of quality to achieve competitive advantage for entering into global market. Total quality management is one of the most vital strategies for achieving customer satisfaction and higher profit. Although total quality management is the important strategy in recent years, there has not been much consideration of applying TQM in Iran’s metal industry. In order to find the determinants of TQM implementation in metal industry, fifty companies are selected as a sample and three managers of each were asked to fill up the questionnaires. From total of 150questionnaires, only 115 questionnaires were responded. According to the final results, Management Commitment, Role of Quality Department, Training and Education, Employee Involvement, Quality Policy, Adequate Relationship with Suppliers, and Quality Culture found to be the determinants and they have a positive and significant relationship with TQM implementation in SMEs in Iran.

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