Small and Medium Enterprise Implementation of Total Quality Management in Tanzania: A Phenomenological Study

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) constitute more than 96% of all registered businesses in Tanzania. Their contribution to the country's gross domestic product (GDP), however, has been significantly low due to unsatisfactory quality of service. The primary purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the challenges that Tanzanian SME owners face in implementing and maintaining resilient total quality management (TQM). This study employed a phenomenological research method to explore what factors hinder SME leader adoption of resilient quality initiatives because business owners in Tanzania must meet both local and international quality standards and compete with both local and international businesses. A purposive sample of 25 SME owners from multiple business segments was selected from Kinondoni, Ilala, and Temeke districts in Dar es Salaam of Tanzania. The participant business owners had operated for at least three years, and had received at least three quality management citations from the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) within the last five years. Data analysis utilized a modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method to ascertain 10 main themes that included: (a) lack of capital, (b) advanced technology, (c) bank loans, (d) high interest rates, (e) lack of knowledge, (f) low level of consumer purchasing power, (g) lack of dedicated employees, (h) failure of government, (i) bribe use, and (j) fake products. The results of the qualitative study may aid current or new entrepreneurs to standardize procedures for overcoming quality-related barriers, maximize revenue, and sustain competitive advantages. Recommendations for future research include the following: (a) focus on family-owned versus non family-owned; (b) focus on franchise versus independently owned ventures; (c) focus on metropolitan versus rural business locations; and (d) focus on industries that are highly regulated versus those that are less regulated. The study findings indicated that SME owners and the government must collaborate to facilitate a smooth transition of TQM implementation. Further research on the implications of cooperation between SMEs and the government on initiatives to implement and improve TQM may yield a better understanding of the role of teamwork both in the SMEs and in the government.