The impact of total quality management on achieving sustainable development: An exploratory and analytical study of a sample from the Ministry of Electricity

Abstract

In recent years, institutions have faced increasing challenges, including resource scarcity, shifting customer expectations regarding service quality, and growing commitments to economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Amid these challenges, international reports, including the 2024 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) report, highlight the limited progress towards achieving the SDGs in Iraq. The report indicates that nearly half of the goals are showing only slight or moderate progress, while more than a third are moving in the opposite direction. This reality underscores the need for continuous improvement in institutional processes, a goal to which Total Quality Management (TQM) contributes by enhancing performance efficiency, optimizing resource utilization, and developing skills. This issue is particularly relevant in Iraq, as the World Bank's SDGs report indicates a performance gap of 34.1%, making an analysis of TQM's role essential to understanding its contribution to bridging this gap. This research aims to analyze the impact of Total Quality Management (TQM) on achieving sustainable development within the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity. This is achieved by measuring the level of TQM implementation and its reflection on performance indicators. The study relied on a sample of 100 department and division managers. A total of 130 questionnaires were distributed, 110 were returned, and 100 valid questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS software. The results showed a clear understanding among the sample of the importance of TQM practices in promoting sustainable development. Furthermore, the results indicated a statistically significant impact of TQM on sustainable development. The study recommends strengthening the adoption of TQM principles within the Ministry of Electricity as a framework for improving processes and enhancing performance efficiency. This will contribute to bridging the performance gap and achieving tangible progress towards sustainable development.