After 20 years, what has remained of TQM?

Purpose – Many Brazilian organizations have adopted total quality management (TQM). However, this model has lost prominence in academic and business environments. The purpose of this paper is to determine which aspects of TQM have endured over 20 years. Design/methodology/approach – With descriptive and exploratory objectives, this study used case studies of four companies that have adopted TQM, using temporal and comparative approaches in Brazil. The analysis explores the transcendence of disseminated aspects of TQM. Findings – The results revealed 19 percent disuse of TQM practices, 28 percent disuse of TQM tools and 57 percent disuse of TQM methodologies. However, the principles of TQM showed an average use of 96 percent, i.e. the predominant management philosophy remains part of the organizational environment of the companies. Although many practices, tools and methodologies are not described or named in the same way, their essence remains preserved and other practices, tools and methodologies have been incorporated into the automated systems of the companies. Research limitations/implications – Simple statistical tools are used as we use an exploratory and qualitative approach (with just four samples), making generalizations impossible. For future research the authors suggest a more quantitative approach using more complex statistical tools. Originality/value – The originality is demonstrated by the investigation of the cases of disuse, which contradicts most studies that analyze success stories. This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of how certain aspects of the models or “fads” survive or disappear over time.