Quality, standards and survival

If continuous improvement is such a good thing, why do small companies still shun it in droves? The author looks at the obstacles that small businesses perceive when they think about total quality management (TQM). To investigate the perception of quality within the British engineering base, the study looked at a attitudes to TQM issues 42 small and medium size enterprises. The survey took the form of a questionnaire followed by detailed interviews with quality managers, general managers and consultants