Quality initiative challenges : Australia and Britain

Quality and performance in organisations have been closely associated in the management literature for over a quarter of a century. Many approaches advocated have varying degrees of success but none have entirely stood the test of time. This research reports on the incidence of innovative approaches to Quality in both Australia and Britain, the reasons behind their implementation, the ways in which they were undertaken and the success factors and the pitfalls encountered along the way. One hundred and twenty-nine Australian and one hundred and seventy-five British companies reported on why they did or did not introduce a new Quality initiative within the past five years. It is a comparative analysis which identifies trends, similarities and differences, and future directions of Quality in both countries. The paper concludes by identifying important lessons for senior management needing to make changes in this important aspect of any business.