An Investigation into Quality Commitment in a Service Organisation in South Africa

Abstract

Dramatic changes are taking place within the world of work, as organisations seek to keep pace with an evergrowing rate of change driven by technological advances and changes in patterns of consumer demand. The drive to provide products or services, which meet or exceed customer expectations consistently and on- time must rely on quality as the basis of its efficacy. Customers perceive that the service quality within the Operations Department of the organisation is poor. Quality is the basis for the whole of modern manufacturing and service delivery processes; and research and practice have shown the importance of individual employees taking ownership over the quality of their work. The importance of employee identification with the organisation’s goals and values has gained increasing recognition, as organisations look for much more from their employees today than previously. Organisations are simultaneously restructuring their organisation structures, and empowering their staff by expanding the scope of work roles. The core purpose of this study is to determine the level of commitment of employees to quality in the organisation. The research methodology comprised a semi -structured questionnaire in order to assess employee commitment towards service delivery in the workplace.