Implementation of Quality Management: Small and Medium IT Companies

Abstract

The goal of the present paper is to develop recommendations on usage of Quality Management instruments in small and medium sized IT companies. Contemporary knowledge base on Quality Management is represented with great variety of theoretical literature and practical researches. Nevertheless, as was revealed during empirical study of case companies, the latter show strong unwillingness to address QM instruments, regardless of their usefulness and ability to solve business problems. Such attitude can be justified by various reasons, which are individual to each particular company. Yet we managed to define several general aspects, true to all case companies. Among arguments against QM there are high complexity of QM systems, significant financial and resource costs, and inapplicability of QM instruments to particular companies. Part of these arguments is based on managers’ lack of understanding of QM instruments and the ways they can be used. In order to fulfill our goal we conducted analysis of theoretical background on the chosen topic, developed an instrument for evaluation of a company’s current state in QM implementation, and established a list of requirements, which will help managers to analyze correctly the instruments of QM and to make the right choice. For empirical study we conducted interviews of representatives of six companies, operating on Russian market. Four out of six companies were included in detailed analysis, since not all participants of our research managed to provide sufficient informational contribution.