Quality management and enhancement processes in UK business schools: a review

The aim of this paper is to provide insights into the processes that can be and have been adopted by UK business schools as they attempt to meet the Quality Assurance Agency's concern with the standard of quality management and enhancement.

A review of the literature provides interpretations of quality, quality management and quality enhancement. The paper continues by identifying the ways in which priorities in need of improvement are identified. The different “quality” models that are employed are then evaluated in terms of their implementation within business schools.

The paper concludes with emerging reflections that highlight that the most significant aspect in terms of taking forward different models, processes and approaches is the importance of organisational culture.

It is argued that without an awareness of the existing organisational culture the introduction of any model, process or approach will not in itself create or sustain a quality enhancement culture.