Quality Management Practices and Competitiveness of Manufacturing Industries in Uganda: A Case Study of Mukwano Industries (U) Limited

Abstract

This study investigated the interconnections between quality management practices and competitiveness in manufacturing industries with particular reference to Mukwano Industries Uganda Limited. The study is grounded in the Total Quality Management (TQM) Theory, with it being established that continuous improvement, customer focus, and systematic process control are the key enablers of sustainable competitive advantage. The study was inspired by rising competitive forces from dominant companies in the East and Central African Common Market. The research has, in particular, been motivated to establish the correlation between quality planning and competitiveness, analyse the relevance of quality control to competitiveness, and analyse the contribution of quality improvement to organizational competitiveness. To ensure a holistic analysis, the case study research design was used in combination with a mixed-methods design. Data was collected from 66 respondents randomly selected from a target population of 80 employees. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, with descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations) and inferential statistics, particularly Pearson correlation analysis, used for determining the strength and significance of relationships among variables. Qualitative data included semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaire responses that were analyzed for thematic content using systematic coding, categorization, and the interpretation of emerging themes. Quality planning and quality improvement have statistically significant and positive relationships with organizational competitiveness, whilst quality control exhibited a positive but weak relationship with organizational competitiveness. It aligns with the TQM and shows the major aspects of proactive planning and continual improvement to improve firm performance. As per the research study, the successful implementation of quality management practices, and in particular quality planning and continuous improvement, is key to competitiveness and sustainability among the manufacturing firms. It is recommended that management institutionalize strategic quality planning, enhance its internal quality control system with effective monitoring and timely enforcement of corrective actions, and always improve quality improvement initiatives in order to reduce waste, reduce risks, and ensure long-term competitive advantage.