This paper presents the results of an empirical study on the relationship between quality management practices and competitive performance in Japanese manufacturing companies. The data was gathered from two surveys including the common sample of twenty-seven Japanese manufacturing companies in the 1990s and the 2000s. | Int. J. Production Economics 133 (2011) 518–529 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Int. J. Production Economics journal homepage: Quality management practices and competitive performance: Empirical evidence from Japanese manufacturing companies Anh Chi Phan a,b,n, Ayman Bahjat Abdallah c, Yoshiki Matsui b a University of Economics and business, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, 307-E4, 144 Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam Faculty of Business Administration, Yokohama National University, 79-4 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-Ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan c Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Applied Science Private University, Amman 11931, Jordan b a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t Article history: Received 6 August 2009 Accepted 29 January 2011 Available online 3 March 2011 This paper presents the results of an empirical study on the relationship between quality management practices and competitive performance in Japanese manufacturing companies. The data was gathered from two surveys including the common sample of twenty-seven Japanese manufacturing companies in the 1990s and the 2000s. Statistical techniques are used to compare the degree of implementation of the eleven quality management practices and their impact on different dimensions of competitive performance between two periods. Findings of this study highlight the stability and consistency of the Japanese quality management, which can be used as one of the strategic weapons for maintaining competitive advantage of Japanese manufacturing companies. & 2011 Elsevier . All rights reserved. Keywords: Japanese quality management Competitive performance Manufacturing Empirical study 1. Introduction During the 1990s, the Japanese economy has suffered from a long recession. The growth rate has markedly declined. Many companies have suffered from low profits or financial losses. However, some well-managed Japanese manufacturing companies still continue to hold
