Abstract:

Purpose:
Total Quality Management (TQM) is considered as a philosophy related to continues improvement regarding organization performance. The transition of TQM from business to education owned its basis to the International organization of U.N.E.S.C.O. during the decade of 70s. Increasing competition among Universities generate the need of TQM principles application in Higher Education (HE).
In Greece in each Higher Education Institution, there is the Quality Assurance Unit (MODIP), which was designated pursuant to Law 3374/2005 and, in accordance with the provisions of Article 80 (12c) of Law 4009/11, is responsible for the Implementation the TQM principles and, consequently its assessment. Through the internal and external evaluation procedures, MOPIP expects to improve the quality of the educational work of the organization and in addition to high quality services to all interested parties. Thus the purpose of the current study is Total Quality Management (TQM) evaluation in Greek Higher Education.

Methodology:
To test the research hypotheses, a survey was carried out on 285 Greek University students, in Greece. Students were asked to fill in the Bayraker et al. scale (Bayraker et al., 2008). The scale is consisted by 11 conceptual constructs of 64 5-point Likert items. Cronbach’ alpha was used to test scale’ reliability. Multivariate statistical methods were employed for data analysis.

Findings:
The results of the study demonstrate that all eleven dimensions/ conceptual constructs show a significant correlation of TQM.

Research Limitations/Implication:
The paper calls for more research on how Leadership, Vision, Measurement and evaluation, Process control and improvement, Program design and resources allocation, Quality system improvement, Employee involvement, Recognition and reward, Education and training, Student focus and Other-stakeholders focus is influenced by TQM principles.

Originality/value:
The paper expands existing literature, focusing on TQM principles in Greek Higher Education.

Keywords:

Total, Quality, Management, Tertiary, Education, Greece.