Awards for Excellence

Citation

Irani, Z. (2006), "Awards for Excellence", Journal of Enterprise Information Management, Vol. 19 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/jeim.2006.08819faa.002

Awards for Excellence

Journal of Enterprise Information Management

"Determining the impact of quality management practices and purchasing-related information systems on purchasing performance: a structural model"

David HemsworthNipissing University, North Bay, Canada

Cristo´bal Sa´nchez-Rodrý´guezWilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Canada

Bruce BidgoodUniversity of Windsor, Windsor, Canada

Purpose – Many studies claim that the implementation of quality management practices and specific information systems (IS) can help organizations to improve performance. The objective of this paper is to provide insights into current quality management and IS theory and practice in the purchasing function and their impact on purchasing performance.

Design/methodology/approach – Hypotheses derived from the key features of quality management practices in purchasing (QMPP) and related IS practices presented by previous authors are tested using structuralequationmodelling throughfieldresearchona sample of306manufacturing companies inSpain.

Findings – Findings fromthis study indicate that there is significant evidence to support the hypothesized model inwhichQMPP has a direct impact on related IS practices and purchasing performance, aswell as an indirect impact on purchasing performance mediated through IS.

Research limitations/implications – Use of a single key informant is a possible limitation as opposed to informationdirectly obtained fromactual suppliers and internal customers. Also amore stringent test of the relationship between QMPP, IS and purchasing performance requires a more protracted time-span rather than a singular point in time. Finally, future research could include SRM, ERP, MRP, etc. in the purchasing department.

Practical implications – A survey of QMPP and IS practices in manufacturing suggests how firms and other organisations should focus their investments to improve purchasing performance.

Originality/value – While many researchers have studied IS and total quality management operations strategies individually, the relationship between the adoption of QMPP and purchasing-related IS and QMPP’s effect on purchasing performance has not yet been analyzed.

Keywords Information systems, Performance management, Purchasing and Total quality management www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/17410390510579909

This article originally appeared in Volume 18 Number 2, 2005, pp. 169-94, Journal of Enterprise Information Management Editor: Zahir Irani