Total Quality Management Interventions and Benchmarking in the Impact of Organizational Culture and Performance

• Organizational culture significantly influences Total Quality Management (TQM) and benchmarking practices, both of which contribute to improved organizational performance.
• The study found that a strong corporate culture fosters effective benchmarking strategies and enhances TQM implementation, ultimately leading to higher efficiency and competitiveness.
• While the research focused on Jordanian SMEs, findings highlight the broader need for integrating culture-driven performance strategies across industries and regions.

The study explores the relationship between organizational culture, TQM interventions, and benchmarking in driving business performance, particularly within manufacturing SMEs in Jordan. While previous research has presented conflicting views on whether culture positively impacts performance, this study confirms that a well-defined organizational culture strengthens TQM initiatives and facilitates benchmarking, leading to enhanced business outcomes.

TQM practices such as continuous improvement, customer focus, and leadership commitment were found to be more effective in organizations with a strong culture that supports quality-driven initiatives. Similarly, benchmarking, when integrated into corporate culture, enables businesses to adopt best practices, fostering long-term competitiveness. The research also highlights how benchmarking and TQM together act as mediators between organizational culture and performance, reinforcing their combined importance in strategic management.

Practical implications for SMEs include prioritizing cultural development, investing in employee training, and embedding benchmarking into quality management frameworks. The study suggests that organizations proactively shaping their culture can optimize business efficiency and drive sustainable performance improvements. However, future research should expand beyond Jordanian SMEs to assess the impact across different industries and global markets, incorporating additional factors such as innovation capabilities and external market influences.

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