TQM and academic performance in Iraqi HEIs: associations and mediating effect of KM

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the associations between total quality management (TQM) core elements, knowledge management (KM) processes, and educational organization outcome with respect to academic performance (AP). Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a cross-sectional survey design. The survey was conducted on 87 colleges in Iraqi higher-education institutions (HEIs). Four main hypotheses were developed and tested statistically by applying multivariate data analyses. Findings The results provided evidence that both TQM core elements and KM processes should be implemented holistically. TQM core elements have a positive and significant impact on both KM processes and AP. Moreover, KM processes partially mediate the association between TQM core elements and AP. Originality/value Empirical research on the association between TQM, KM, and performance is very limited. This study provides insights and further understanding of the effect of TQM core elements on KM processes and AP, and therefore, allows decision makers to get in-depth knowledge about these associations and the mediating effect of KM in HEIs context.