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Impact of TQM Practices on SMEs
Performance in Pakistan: Information
Technology Turbulence as a Moderator
Ghias ul Hassan Khan*, Lily Julienti Abu Bakar, Maliani Mohamad
School of Business Management, Universiti Utara Malaysia, 06010 Sintok, Kedah, Malaysia
*Corresponding author email: ghiasacca@gmail.com
ABSTRAC T
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of Total Quality Management (TQM) practices on the
performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan. This study considered how Information Technology
Turbulence (ITT) by acting as a moderating factor in the era of technological advancements inuenced the rm’s
performance. The study compared the export performance of SMEs in the sports goods manufacturing sector
over the last ve years till 2021. About 361 questionnaires were chosen at random for study those were distributed
and personally collected, the collected data analysed by using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation
Modelling (PLS-SEM). The research indicated that ITT moderated the association of practicing features of TQM
as a major player with the SMEs’ performance. These revelations provided a better understanding of how TQM
practices together with ITT affected SME performance, which is benecial for researchers and policymakers. The
researcher used a quantitative approach based on cross-sectional data. The conceptual model in this study
intends to propose TQM practices as exogenous and ITT as a moderating variable on the performance of SMEs.
This study will be useful for people in strategic positions to make decisions by providing a working ground on
factors signicance to enhance the SMEs’ performance.
KEYWORDS: Small and Medium Enterprises, Total Quality Management, Performance, Information Technological
Turbulence, Sport goods
Received 13 September 2024; Revised 3 October 2024; Accepted 27 October 2023
Doi: https://doi.org/10.59953/paperasia.v40i6b.279
1. INTRODUCTION
The globalization of economic activities in the twenty-
first century has resulted in the free movement of
tangible and intangible capital between countries in
the Asian continent and the rest of the world (Kanaan et
al., 2024). According to the Resource-Based View (RBV),
a business with access to scarce, valuable, unique, and
non-substitutable resources will perform better than
businesses without such access (Tehseen et al., 2019). No
one can deny the dynamic role of Small and Medium
Enterprise (SMEs) in the competitive and challenging
business world in the current scenario (Alkhuzaie et al.,
2024). SMEs are one of the most important vehicles for
achieving economic independence on a global scale
(Hoque & Awang, 2019). In general, SMEs help to achieve
long-term development goals by providing jobs and
encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation (Asad
et al., 2021; Amnha et al., 2023).
According to Pakistan's Small and Medium Enterprises
Development Authority (SMEDA), the countr y has 5.2
million businesses registered as enterprises, the majority
of which are SMEs with approximately 99 percent
employment, service providers, manufacturing units,
and start-ups are examples of these (among many
others) (Asad, 2024). SMEs account for almost 30 to 40
percent of Pakistan's GDP and a quarter of its exports
(Suleman et al., 2020; Hussain et al., 2020). Unlike large
fo r mal busi ness es, SMEs are cons t rai ned by na nci al an d
other resources. According to SMEDA, Punjab province
has 65 percent of SMEs, Sindh province has 18 percent,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has 14 percent, while Baluchistan
province and Islamabad have 3 percent (SMEDA, 2022).
Among the various sectors of SMEs, the sports goods
sector is a vital part of Pakistan's SME landscape, with
strong connections to other areas of the economy. It
contributes to the nation's economy by creating jobs,
generating income, boosting foreign exchange, and
supporting national trade. The industry is primarily
concentrated in Sialkot, Punjab, which serves as the
industrial hub, responsible for around 95% of the sector's
total production (SMEDA, 2022). This concentration is
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largely due to economies of scale, as Sialkot has been
a centre of excellence for sports goods manufacturing
for over a century.
Meanwhile, the sports goods sector in Sialkot, Pakistan,
is internationally renowned, particularly for producing
high-quality footballs along with other sports goods
that meet global standards. This sector, comprising
SMEs, plays a signicant role in Pakistan's economy by
creating jobs, generating income, boosting foreign
exchange, and contributing to trade. According to the
SMEDA annual report 2019-2020 (SMEDA, 2020), Sialkot
alone meets 75% of the world's demand for hand-
stitched footballs, producing 40 million balls annually.
In the last decade, the performance of this sector has
deteriorated specically in the export area as reected
in Figure 1.
In Figure 1, this can easily be seen that the export
performance of SMEs working in the sports goods
manufacturing sector has deteriorated while at the
overall global level, it has positive growth, and Pakistan
has dropped to 138th place out of 189 countries in the
global business index (Albassami et al., 2019; Alosani
et al., 2020). This deterioration in performance gives
motivation to study this sector in this paper. Among the
numerous factors of declining export performance,
Total Quality Management is considered as one of the
major factors. It refers to maintaining quality at all levels
to meet the demand and standing sustainably at the
international level (Asad & Ahmed, 2024; Sulaiman &
Asad, 2023). TQM is a management strategy that focuses
on continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, and
active employee participation to improve product and
service quality (Asad et al., 2023). From the perspective
of Resource-Based Theory (RBT), TQM practices including
process improvement techniques, quality control tools,
and employee expertise in quality management are
seen as valuable and unique resources.
Hence, TQM is a management attitude that attempts
to perpetually improve the quality of processes
and products to improve customer happiness and
performance (Anil & Satish, 2016). TQM practices are a
valuable management tool for improving the process by
emphasizing teamwork and cooperation (Anderson &
Sohal, 1999; Farish et al., 2017; Imran et al., 2018; Asad et
al., 2021; Asad., 2024). TQM is one of numerous inuential
variables, according to the research, which causes
Pakistani SMEs' products to be unable to compete in
both the domestic and international markets, hurting
their overall performance (Anderson & Sohal, 1999;
Farish et al., 2017; Aquilani et al., 2017; Rida, 2020; Satar
et al., 2024). Furthermore, numerous studies have shown
that using TQM methods can improve SMEs' exible,
efcient, and competitive behavior in meeting client
needs for en hanc ing r m performa nce by co nti nuo usly
upgrading their conduct (Imran et al., 2018; Pambreni
et al., 2019).
Moreover, TQM is critical in evaluating local and
international growth and performance. Various studies
performed on the relationship of TQM with SMEs
performance and found results in mixed directions such
as signicant vs. insignicant, direct vs. indirect, positive
vs. negative, U-Shaped as well, and sometimes TQM is
considered a mediator and moderator (Imran et al.,
2018; Mardani et al., 2018; Mahmud et al., 2019; Hussain
et al., 2020; Anwar & Shah, 2020; Ta’Amnha et al. 2024).
As per the literature so far reviewed by the researcher
found various variables used as moderators in light of
Baron and Kenny's theor y, among those in reference
to previous studies Information Technology Turbulence
(ITT) taken as moderator in this paper (Chavez et al.,
2015; Wardi et al., 2018; Pratono, 2018; Ullah et al., 2020).
Figure 1: Export trend in Pakistan's Sports goods manufacturing sector
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Information technology has a supporting role also
recommended by some other authors (Rehman et
al., 2020; Ferdowsi et al., 2022). Last but not least,
ITT mitigated the association between sustainable
leadership and sustainable performance (Iqbal et al.,
2021). The association with innovative performance was
also mitigated by ITT (Farrukh et al., 2021). According
to the moderation study, ITT positively moderates the
association between numerous constructs and rm
success, implying that ITT significantly strengthens
the relationship between the variables (Gyedu et al,
2021). Therefore, the goal of this research is to assess
the moderating inuence of ITT in conjunction with
Contingency Theory (CT) in empirically evaluating
and enhancing the RBV has link with TQM and SMEs'
performance in Pakistan. As a result, combining TQM
principles with the moderating effect of ITT was found
to have a considerable impact on SMEs' performance.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Performance
Performance is dened in a variety of ways, just like
its ideologies. Performance is the difference between
an actual and expected output in relation to the
accomplishment of goals and objectives (Alkhuzaie &
Asad 2018). Furthermore, Small and Medium Enterprise
(SME) performance is dened as the aggregate of all
divisions' actions and accomplishments over a certain
period and the successful transformation of tangible
and intangible resources to meet the desired goals
(Hafeez, 2018; Aftab et al., 2021; Gyedu et al., 2021;
Asad et al., 2024). As a result, performance is dened
as productivity as measured by sales, profitability,
development, and growth. Pakistan is one of the
developing countries, and for it to share its potential
and worth with the rest of the world. Due to competition
from multinational enterprises, SMEs in emerging nations
attempt to gain an edge due to competition within the
national market to remain protable and improve their
performance (Asad & Kashif, 2021). Nonetheless, only a
few conclusions have been discovered regarding the
ch a ra cte rist ics an d va r iabl es th at in ue nce the su ccess
of developing SMEs in rising economies (Bannour & Mtar,
2019; Damer et al., 2021).
2.2 Total Quality Management Practices
Quality improvements are used to create a competitive
advantage, customer happiness, rm excellence, an
acceptable initial attitude, efcient productivity, and
a prot base (Anil & Satish, 2016; Khan et al., 2021). As
a result, TQM techniques strive to improve a company's
ability to effectively respond to consumer demand in
terms of various product-associated features qualitative,
creative designing, deliver promptly, valuable in use,
and reasonable pricing over time. These methods also
help businesses deal with market problems (Eniola et
al., 2019; Saleem et al., 2024). To achieve client loyalty,
many SME managers have recently implemented TQM
principles. In an increasingly competitive world, TQM is
a recommended technique for differentiating an SME's
conduct from its competitors leading to achieving the
best output.
Hence, research is undertaken in a variety of nations
and industries. As previously stated, TQM necessitates
ongoing participation from all individuals because of
the need to enhance the quality of production and
services necessitate their involvement in recognizing
faults and improving production processes. Employees'
feasible ideas must be implemented. As a result, TQM
implementation will benet personnel by contributing
to their enrichment, development, and training (Patyal
& Maddulety, 2015; Iqbal et al., 2018; Hafeez, 2018; Al-Ali
& Abu-Rumman, 2019; Bannour & Mtar, 2019; Asif et al.,
2021). It is important to note that entire staff involvement
is impossible to attain without a strong strategic quality
orientation that promotes TQM implementation. As a
result, the current study hypothesized that Information
Technology Turbulence (ITT) has a moderating function
in establishing effective TQM methods and practices. In
this respect, the literature so far reviewed does not nd
and study that used the moderating inuence of ITT as
an effective in implementing TQM practices in SMEs in
developing countries, as a result, this study tried to ll
this gap in the literature.
Therefore, the goal of this study is to determine whether
ITT has a moderating effect on the relationship between
TQM practice and SMEs' performance (Fadhel et al.,
2022). In general, previous studies have built multiple
models to assess the impact of several variables on
SMEs' performance, among them TQM practices are
one of the exogenous variables (Al-Dhaafri et al.,
2016; Eniola et al., 2019). Literature evaluations have
yielded mixed conclusions regarding the crucial
functions of TQM procedures in directly improving the
performance of SMEs (Asad et al., 2021). Furthermore,
several authors have revealed no substantial impact
of TQM practices on SMEs' performance in terms of
employee involvement, customer focus, leadership,
and continuous improvement components (Asad et
al., 2023). Therefore, extended research needs to be
conducted to assess the inuence of TQM practices on
SM E s' perfo r mance, rat her than rely ing so lel y on nd ing s
from large-scale studies.
2.2.1 TQM Practices and SMEs Performance
Enterprises that applied TQM practices effectively
performed better than non-TQM practicing rms in terms
of gross revenues, operating expenses, protability,
capital expenditure, and total assets. According to the
literature studied so far, several studies on TQM practices
and SMEs' performance have been conducted
(Anderson & Sohal, 1999; Farish et al., 2017; Hafeez, 2018;
Imran et al., 2018; Mahmud et al., 2019; Rida, 2020).
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The results of studies suggest that using TQM practices
has a good impact (Hafeez, 2018; Imran et al., 2018;
Pambreni et al., 2019; Hilman et al., 2019). Research
has shown and demonstrated a strong correlation
between TQM practices and performance (Hilman et
al., 2019). To better understand the relationship between
TQM practices and SMEs' performance, researchers
conducted empirical investigations. SMEs could benet
from TQM practices implementation (Sahoo & Yadav,
2018; Asif et al. 2021). Quality is viewed as a criterion for
achieving a competitive advantage, with the goal of
imp roving r m per for m anc e whi l e lowerin g cos ts (Anil &
Satish, 2016; Farish et al., 2017; Imran et al., 2018; Hafeez,
2018; Imran, et al., 2018: Mahmud et al., 2019). TQM
practices are concerned with the concept of continual
improvement in business operations. It is a reliable and
methodical method of involving everyone in the rm to
achieve performance.
H1: There is a positive effect of TQM practices on the
performance of SMEs.
2.3 Information Technological Turbulence (ITT)
Several variables have been employed as moderators
in numerous studies all over the world with various sets
of independent variables. Some research in Pakistan
employed Information Technology Turbulence (ITT) as
one of the reacting variables (Rehman et al., 2020).
ITT tempered the relationship between sustainable
leadership and sustainable performance (Iqbal et al.,
2021). The association between political relationships
and innovative performance has been tempered
by technological volatility (Farrukh et al., 2021). The
moderation study revealed that technical turbulence
positively moderates the association between the
various constructs and business per formance, implying
that technological turbulence signicantly strengthens
the relationship (Gyedu et al., 2021). However, the study
found that technological turbulence had a negative
impact on performance (Ullah et al., 2020).
2.3.1 Information Technology Turbulence as Moderator
on SME Performance
A variable is set to be a moderator that could strengthen,
diminish or other way to bring modifications in the
connection between dependent and independent
variables. The helping hand of the moderating
variable in elaborating the relation of dependent
and independent variables is the reason behind
this phenomenon. The association between TQM
practices and performance can be harmonized with
studies that demonstrated the moderating inuence
of Information Technology Turbulence (ITT) based on
Contingency Theory (CT) (Pratono, 2018; Wardi et al.,
2018). Researchers also investigated the effect of ITT as
a moderating element in performance as an external
environment component (Chavez et al., 2015; Ndabako
et al., 2019; Gomezel & Aleksić, 2020). ITT is also aligned
with numerous factors that impact performance (Slim et
al., 2021). It also uses blockchain technology to improve
performance (Muslikh et al., 2024). Previous ideas, such
as Frederick Winslow Taylor's scientic management
theor y (1909) and Max Weber's Bureaucracy theory
(1905), focused on a rm 's in te r nal reso urces, parti cul a rly
its culture and norms (Ndabako et al., 2019).
2.3.2 Role of Information Technology Turbulence as
Moderator on Relationship of TQM Practices and SME
Performance.
To have a better understanding of the numerous
situations in which Total Quality Management (TQM)
practices influence performance, a contingency
factor emphasizing the various levels of Information
Technology Turbulence (ITT) is required (Ndabako et
al., 2019). ITT provides a platform for businesses to seek
and gather information on how to give better service
by utilizing social media as one of the technology
tools (Ali & Johl, 2021; Shrivastav, 2023). The inclusion
of ITT as a moderating variable elucidates the
significance of information technology in ensuring
quality (Ndabako et al., 2019; Ali & Johl, 2021). When
additional components, like TQM practices are coupled,
ITT leads to success (Ndabako et al., 2019). SMEs can
boost their performance and gain a competitive
advantage by improving the quality of their ser vices,
which is an internal resource, and correctly aligning
their resources with the technological environment. So,
the hypothesis is as follows.
H2: There is a moderating impact of ITT between TQM
practices and SME performance.
A research framework has been developed based
on the insights gained from the reviewed literature
to enhance understanding of how to improve SME
performance, particularly in Pakistan's sports goods
manufacturing sector. The framework aims to explore
the role of TQM as a predictor or independent variable
for SME per formance (Kwamega et al., 2015; Sinha et
al., 2016; Semrau et al., 2016; Asad et al., 2018; Singh et
al., 2018; Albassami et al., 2019; Fitriati et al., 2020). To the
author's knowledge, this is the rst time TQM has been
studied with the moderating effect of ITT within a single
research framework. Figure 2 illustrates the research
framework, highlighting two types of relationships: the
direct impact of TQM on SME performance (Singh et al.,
2018; Albassami et al., 2019; Fitriati et al., 2020) and the
moderating role of ITT on the relationship between the
independent and dependent variables (Pratono, 2018;
Ndabako et al., 2019; Sahi et al., 2019; Jardim et al., 2021;
Asad et al., 2024). Several researchers have debated
the success or failure, positive or negative outcomes,
and signicant or insignicant effects of independent
variables on SME performance. This study will test the
proposed hypotheses based on the outlined research
framework.
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3. METHODOLOGY
The data for Pakistani Small and Medium Enterprises
(SMEs) was collected using a survey questionnaire
designed in English to evaluate the conceptual model.
The questionnaires were distributed to the respondents
by personally administered emails and in person as well.
The resea rchers utili zed a seven-point Likert scale ranging
from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree" to collect the
responses through a questionnaire. To provide clear
questions and for respondents to answer depending
on their viewpoints, the questionnaire was constructed
using simple and straightforward words. The survey
items were adapted from previous studies to ensure
content validity, and minor modications were made
where necessary. This study developed a construct for
measuring Total Quality Management (TQM) based
on the main aspects of TQM as conceptualized and
evaluated by previous TQM researchers to thoroughly
capture the essential features of TQM (Anderson & Sohal,
1999; Imran et al., 2018). The construct of TQM was usually
described based on numerous basic features of TQM,
together with the moderating impact of Information
Technology Turbulence (ITT) on the rm performance
as discussed in the literature review. The performance
measures were adapted from a 2011 study by Avci,
Madanoglu, and Okumus. TQM was evaluated using 12
items based on Kaynak's 2003 research. ITT was assessed
using 6 items, modied, and adapted for this study as
information technological turbulence.
Moreover, one of the primary reasons for the rm's
success is the manager's ability to strike a balance
between many aspects to achieve success. As a
result, there were three categories of factors in this
study: independent, moderating, and dependent.
Following that, the current study intends to provide a
conceptual model that incorporates critical constructs
of TQM practices and SME performance, with the
goal of addressing the weakness of SME performance
in developing nations, with Information Technology
Turbulence (ITT) as a moderating element in this
relationship. The structural model will be evaluated using
PLS-SEM in this study, in line with a quantitative method.
Using the PLS-SEM as perceived good for primary data
analysis and support, in theory, building in line with RBV
and CT to build the relationship of independent variable
with a moderator.
In the context of the research work focuses on owners/
managers as a representative of SMEs located in Sialkot,
Punjab, Pakistan. Owner/managers are selected for this
study because the owner/managers are the bedrock of
th e busi nes ses , and the per forma nce of a rm depends
upon its owner/manager's decision. To examine the
effect of independent variables on dependent variables
this research used a 7-point Likert scale. The 2021 Sports
Goods Sector Brief by SMEDA reported that Pakistan has
5.2 million SMEs. Data for this study was collected from
owners and managers of SMEs in Sialkot, who play a
crucial role in shaping business strategies. Sialkot was
chosen as the sample location due to its prominence
as a hub for sports goods manufacturing. Sampling
techniques are divided into two main types: non-
probability and probability sampling (Masocha, 2019).
In sample-based studies, because the entire population
is not observed, results may reect general perceptions
of the sample with an acceptable margin of variation,
potentially introducing biases. This study used probability
sampling, specically cluster sampling, to collect data
from SMEs in Punjab, Pakistan. A representative sample
typically ranges from 30 to 500 observations (Roscoe,
1975). Other studies suggest a sample size of 150 to 200
(Udriyah et al., 2019; Ranatunga & Priyanath, 2023).
Based on Krejcie and Morgan's (1970) guidelines, a
sample size of 357 to 368 is appropriate for a population
of 5,00 0 to 9,000. Consequently, selecting a sample of
361 SMEs from the 6,000 SMEs in Pakistan's sports goods
manufacturing sector, as reported by SMEDA in 2021,
was deemed sufcient for data collection.
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This section presents the research ndings based on
data collected from subject matter experts (SMEs) in
Pakistan, focusing on both the reliability of the data and
Figure 2: Research framework
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the validation tests performed. The reliability of the data
refers to how consistent and dependable the responses
from SMEs were across various measurements. Reliability
tests, such as Cronbach's Alpha and Composite
Reliability, have been conducted to ensure that the
data collected provided stable and accurate results
over repeated measurements. Consistency in responses
is crucial for validating that the data accurately reects
the views of the respondents and the context of the
study. After establishing reliability, the next step involved
conducting validation tests to ensure that the data
gathered truly measures what it is intended to measure.
These tests would involve evaluating the validity of the
constructs used, such as Total Quality Management
(TQM) and Information Technology Turbulence
(ITT). Diverse types of validity tests. Each hypothesis
formulated in the study was evaluated using statistical
methods of Partial Least Square Structural Equation
Modelling (PLS-SEM). The path coefcients measure
the strength and direction of the relationships between
the independent variable TQM and the dependent
variable SME per formance. For instance, a positive path
coefcient indicates that improvements in TQM lead
to better SME performance. These coefcients help
assess whether the hypotheses hold true based on the
collected data. Therefore, this section offers a thorough
ana lys i s of the re sea rch ndi ngs, supp orte d by stat ist ica l
evidence and validation procedures. It provides
insights into the robustness of the data and model used,
ensuring that the conclusions drawn are well-grounded
in empirical analysis. The results of the hypothesis tests,
combined with the reliability and validity checks, offer
a comprehensive view of the study's outcomes. This part
of the research conrms that the relationships between
TQM, ITT, and SME performance are well-supported,
providing actionable insights for businesses looking to
improve productivity and competitiveness.
In Table 1, the outer loadings provided seem to indicate
the strength of these relationships for each item within
the specified categories (TQM, ITT, and FP). These
values typically range between 0 and 1, where extreme
loadings direct a convincing association between the
obser ved variable and the latent construct it is intended
to measure. In the TQM category, TQM 1 through TQM
12 represent different observed variables (indicators)
related to the values provided (ranging from minimum
0.714 to maximum 0.932, ITT 1 through ITT 6 represent
observed variables ranging from minimum 0.684 to
maximum 0.862. Similarly, with reference to FP, these
values lie in the range of 0.762 to 0.818 all these values
are close to 1 which shows their strong association with
the latent construct of variables.
Table 1: Outer loadings
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These outer loading values are crucial in SEM as they
help assess the validation and reliable acceptance
of the dimensional model, indicating how well the
observed variables capture the underlying constructs
they are intended to measure.
The composite reliability coefcient and Cronbach's
alpha coefficient are two methods for reliability
assessment that are frequently employed in SMEs
research. A Cronbach's alpha value of more than 0.5 is
typically regarded as appropriate for instrument build
dependability as per George and Mallery's approach
(Demirel 2022). For research instrument reliability,
values close to 0.8 are good, 0.9 are outstanding,
and 0.7 is regarded as satisfactory. As per the result of
the statistical analysis in Table 2 for the current study,
a composite reliability approach was used to assess
the reliability of the instrument construct, following
(Hair et al., 2021). The study employed both composite
reliability and Cronbach's alpha during the testing to
determine the internal consistency and variance of the
measurement scale. Hence, the instrumental validity
and acceptability of SMEs performance and TQM at
an excellent level of acceptability. Whereas, as ITT level
is considered acceptable as good which showed the
authenticity and reliability of the data and gathered
results from the instrument used in the study in terms
of big data analytics to deal with turbulence (Asad et
al., 2021).
According to Hilkenmeier in 2020, Fornell and Larcker
suggested that achieving adequate discriminant
validity ideally requires an average variance extracted
(AVE) of at least 0.50 this approach was utilized to assess
discriminant validity. The analysis involved comparing
correlations between variables, as depicted in Table 3
AVE reected in bold gures. The diagonal bold values
in the table represent the square root of the AVE for
each construct. According to Hair in 2021, whose criteria
suggest that values should range from 0.20 to 0.90,
the remaining items in the analysis met the required
thresholds. A similar pattern is observed in Tab l e 3 within
the variables of the current investigation, where values
consistently fall within the acceptable range, ranging
from a minimum of 0.777 for ITT to a maximum of 0.821
for TQM. This meticulous validation process ensures
the suitability for evaluating the proposed hypotheses,
thereby strengthening the robustness and reliability of
the study's conclusions (Hair, et al., 2021).
Upon analysing Table 4, the study evaluated the
signicance of interaction terms between Total Quality
Management (TQM) and per formance (t = 2.369; p <
0.01), providing empirical support for Hypothesis 1 (H1).
Employing PLS- SEM analytics, the research incorporated
the moderating effects of Information Technology
Transformation (IT T) in relation to TQM as an independent
variable on SME performance, as depicted in Table
4. The analysis revealed that the interaction between
TQM and ITT is statistically signicant, as evidenced by
the T-statistic (t = 2.906; p < 0.01) presented in the table.
Consequently, based on these results, Hypothesis 2
(H2) is substantiated. This study examines the impact of
Total Quality Management (TQM) on the performance
of SMEs in Pakistan's sports goods manufacturing
sector, focusing on the moderating role of Information
Technology Turbulence (ITT). Findings reveal that
TQM positively affects SME performance, with IT T
further enhancing this relationship. IT plays a crucial
role in supporting TQM by improving data collection,
analysis, and real-time monitoring, boosting quality
management. The study, based on survey data from
SMEs, suggests that TQM practices, especially when
moderated by ITT, can significantly improve SME
performance and sustainability.
Table 2: Content Reliability and Validity
Table 3: Discriminant Validity
Table 4: Path Coefcients
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The study explores the relationship between TQM
practices and SMEs performance within Pakistan's
sports goods manufacturing sector. The research
conrms a positive correlation between TQM and SME
per for mance, and the developm ent of a comprehensi ve
TQM construct was key to understanding this relationship.
Expectedly this will may support in solving the problem
of the sector’s negative drastic performance in the
last decade especially in 2021. Initially, TQM focused
on product-level quality control, with an emphasis on
inspection and corrective actions to address quality
issues. This early approach to quality management was
reactive, focusing on identifying defects after products
were made. TQM evolved into a broader management
philosophy that emphasizes maintaining quality across
all organizational levels. This includes a customer-centric
approach, where continuous improvement is applied
not just to the product, but also to processes, ser vices,
and customer interactions. TQM now encompasses a
comprehensive approach involving all employees and
departments in the quality improvement process.
Therefore, to fully capture the impact of TQM on SME
performance, the study developed a comprehensive
TQM construct, incorporating key elements from
previous research (Nair & Choudhary, 2016; Soesilo,
2024). This ensures products and services meet
customer expectations with the aim of incremental
improvements in processes and outputs. It also engages
all employees in quality- related activities to understand
the business's performance depends on the efciency
and effectiveness of its processes. This study conrms
that implementing TQM practices has a positive
impact on SME performance. By focusing on quality
improvement at all levels, SMEs are better positioned
to enhance customer satisfaction, reduce waste, and
improve operational efciency. These improvements
lead to higher productivity, protability, and market
competitiveness. The ndings support the hypothesis that
TQM is crucial for improving the performance of SMEs.
The study aligns with previous research, demonstrating
that businesses adopting TQM practices are better able
to compete in both local and global markets.
Additionally, the study highlights the signicant role of ITT
in shaping SME per formance. ITT refers to the rapid pace
of technological advancements and the disruptions
caused by innovative technologies. In today's dynamic
business environment, technology plays a critical
role in enabling businesses to adapt to changing
market conditions, customer needs, and competitive
pressures. The ndings emphasize that for SMEs to remain
competitive in the ITT-driven global market, they must
develop a culture of continuous improvement: TQM
practices should be ingrained in the organizational
culture, encouraging employees to seek ongoing
improvements in both quality and performance. The
study concludes that TQM practices are essential for
enhancing SME per formance in Pakistan's spor ts goods
industry. Furthermore, ITT plays a moderating role in
the relationship between TQM and performance. The
study provides critical insights into how SMEs in Pakistan's
sports goods industry can enhance performance by
adopting a comprehensive TQM approach, while
also emphasizing the need to adapt to technological
changes in order to stay competitive.
5. LIMITATIONS AND DIRECTION FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
This study provides insights into the performance of small
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) but acknowledges
certain limitations. One challenge is the potential
for common technique variance and non-response
bias, which can affect behavioral research results. To
address this, a single-factor analysis based on Harman's
te chn ique was used, showin g no si gni cant imp act fro m
common method bias. However, future studies could
improve by gathering data from multiple participants
within each SME (e.g., owners, managers) to reduce
measurement errors and improve validity. The study
focused on Pakistan’s sports goods manufacturing
sector, limiting generalizability to other industries.
Broader sector-specic analyses are necessary to fully
understand SME performance variations across different
industries, which would help policymakers create more
tailored interventions. The research relied solely on a
quantitative approach using questionnaires, which
may not always capture accurate responses. Future
studies could benet from combining quantitative and
qualitative methods, such as interviews or focus groups,
for deeper insights into SME dynamics. Integrating both
approaches would enhance the study's robustness,
provide a more comprehensive understanding, and
allow for more targeted strategies to improve SME
performance.
6. CONCLUSION
Conclusively, the study highlights the importance
of TQM practices for boosting SME performance in
Pakistan, conrming a signicant positive relationship
between TQM and performance. It also emphasizes the
vital role of ITT, noting that adapting to technological
advancements is crucial for maintaining a competitive
edge. Ineffective IT management can lead to market
share loss, reduced competitiveness, and lower
profitability. To thrive, SMEs must embrace modern
technologies, monitor market changes, and adapt
quickly. The analysis using Baron and Kenny's method
found that ITT significantly moderates the TQM-
performance relationship, underscoring the need for
effective resource optimization and technological
adaptation. The study also identied several limitations
to consider for future research. First, the cross-sectional
design may have introduced response biases. Second,
while TQM dimensions and SME performance were
67 paperASIA 40 (6b): 2024
COMPENDIUM by paperASIA
sourced differently, both were based on the perceptions
of SME owners or managers, which could affect
objectivity. To address this, responses from multiple
managers were aggregated. Future studies should use
multiple data sets to track changes and link quality
certications to performance improvements.
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