How do cultural differences affect quality management in global organizations? A new scientific article highlights the importance of understanding and managing different levels of cultures - from national to organizational - in quality management in multinational companies.
Through a conceptual framework and a case study of Swedish entities in international groups, several crucial insights are identified:
🔹 National culture shapes perceptions of quality. What is perceived as good quality can differ between countries.
🔹 Different perceptions of quality challenge global uniformity. Inconsistent QM practices are a common pitfall.
🔹 Technical standardization as a bridge builder. When focusing on technical aspects of quality work, a common understanding can be promoted, regardless of cultural background.
🔹 Organizational culture as a unifying force. A strong, quality-driven corporate culture can reduce the effects of national differences and support consistent quality work globally.
👉 For those who manage or work with quality in an international context, this means concrete tools: Invest not only in processes and systems - but also in cultural understanding and organizational development.
📌 The article is written by Promporn Wangwacharakul, Linköping University, and is published in the special issue Operational Excellence in Sweden in International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, with Peter Cronemyr and Anders Fundin as guest editors.