基于企业特征变量的质量管理实践与绩效关系的实证研究

An Empirical Investigation into the Relationship between QMP and Performance with Firm Characteristics as a Variant

质量管理实践是企业为达到质量目标而实施的一系列管理实践与措施,对提高企业绩效和竞争力有重要作用。虽然以往研究表明质量管理实践的硬要素和软要素对企业绩效均有影响,但对其中的作用机制仍存有争议,并且关于企业特征变量对质量管理实践与绩效关系的影响是现有研究所欠缺的。浙江424家制造企业的实证研究显示,质量管理实践硬要素和软要素不仅对企业绩效有直接正向作用,还通过质量绩效对企业绩效产生间接影响。同时,企业规模、经营范围和实施时间显著调节质量管理实践与企业绩效间的关系,但这种影响差异在公有制企业与非公有制企业及资本密集型企业与劳动密集型企业中并不显著。

Quality Management Practice（QMP）,is a set of practices and measures that firms adopt to accomplish quality goals and plays a key role in improving business performance and competitiveness.To explore the internal mechanism of the impact of QMP on business performance,Flynn et al.have classified QMP into soft factors and hard factors.The former focuses on measures related to non-mechanism and social behaviors and others,while the latter focuses on measures related to mechanism,process and technology and others.Though some studies have shown that both soft and hard elements of QMP affect performance,controversy remains on their functional mechanism.Moreover,there has been little research done on the effect of firm characteristics on QMP and performance. This research systematically investigates the constitution of the soft and hard elements of QMP based on Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award（MBNQA） Criteria.Based on an empirical study of 424 manufacturing companies in Zhejiang province,this paper examines the relationship between QMP and performance with firm characteristics as a variant.We make use of spssmaro script which is developed by Preacher to test the mediating effect of quality performance and by the aid of sub-group regression we examine the moderating effects of firm characteristics as a variant.The results indicate that soft and hard elements of QMP are not only positively associated with firm performance,but also have an indirect effect on firm performance through quality performance.Through the comparison test of sub-group regression coefficient,we found that：（1） Compared with the effect on smaller firms,the QMP has a greater significant moderating effect on the firm performance of larger firms.（2） Firm size significantly moderates the relationship between QMP and firm performance.（3） The implementation time of QMP has a significant effect on the relationship between QMP and performance.The earlier it implemented,the better the performance of the firm.（4） The differences of QMP＇s moderating effect on performances of publicly-owned firms and private firms,and on performances of capital-intensive firms and labour-intensive firms are not significant. The key implications of these results are that compared to developed countries,firm size has different effects on manufacturing companies.Therefore domestic manufacturing companies need to adjust the implementation of QMP based on the firm＇s characteristics.There is no significant relation between the nature of the firm and the degree of capital intensity on the relationship between QMP and firm performance.This confirms that QMP has a certain ″universality″ in the context of China.