Abstract
The "Total Quality Orientation" construct and its measurement: The OCT questionnaire. The psychometric properties of a questionnaire for the evaluation of "Total Quality Orientation" of SMEs are presented in this study. We define the construct "Total Quality Orientation" as the degree with which one company approaches the Total Quality Management. The instrument includes the principles of Total Quality Management -customer focus, continuous improvement, teamwork and use of data- as well as other aspects of the Human Resources Management emphasised by this management system. The analyses have been carried out from two data measures, and the sample, in both cases, consisted in around 300 people belonging to 17 different enterprises. Results indicate that the instrument measures in a valid and reliable way the dimensions evaluated. The questionnaire tries to be useful for practitioners and researchers providing an easy measure of the level a company has reached in putting into practice the Total Quality Management principles and Human Resources Management related with it.
