Achievement Extent of Total Quality Management Standards at Palestinian Universities in the West Bank Districts as Seen by the Teaching Staff

This study aimed at identifying the extent of achieving the standards of total quality management (TQM) at the Palestinian universities in the West Bank districts as seen by the teaching staff, and its influence by the demographic variables.The study problem was determined by the following question: -To what extent are the standards of TQM are achieved at the Palestinian universities in the West Bank districts as seen by the teaching staff through the four study domains? The study population was (1084) teaching staff and consisted of all the full-time Arabic-speaking teaching staff at the six regular universities in the West Bank districts: An-Najah National University, Arab-American University, Bir Zeit University, Al-Quds University- Abu Dees, Bethlehem University, and Hebron University, holders of Master and Ph. D. certificates during the academic year 2004/2005. The study sample onsisted of (346) members of teaching staff selected randomly by the stratified random sample. The sample represented (32%) of the total number of the teaching staff. The questionnaire consisted of (73) items distributed at the four domains of the study: the Organizational Culture of TQM, Academic, Professional Growth, and the Relationship between the University and the Local Community. The validity and reliability of the instrument were verified by the suitable educational and statistical methods. The value of reliability coefficient of the total degree according to Alpha Cronbach equation was (0.98), which is a very high value. Data were analyzed by using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS). The study revealed the following results: -The degree of achieving the standards of TQM at the Palestinian universities as seen by the teaching staff was medium with percentage (65%). -There were statistical significant differences between the domains of achieving the standards of TQM. -There were no significant differences according to the gender and age variables. -There were statistical significant differences according to the faculty variable in the academic and the relation of the university with the local community domains. There were statistical significant differences according to the academic qualification variable in the professional growth domain and the total degree. -There were statistical significant differences according to the experience variable in the organizational culture domain. -There were statistical significant differences according to the academic rank variable in the organizational culture domain. -There were statistical significant differences according to the academic rank variable in the professional growth domain. -There were statistical significant differences according to the academic rank variable in the university relationship with the local community. -There were statistical significant differences according to the occupational position variable in the organizational culture. -There were statistical significant differences according to the university variable in the organizational culture. The study recommended the following: -Team work rather than individual work in carrying out works should be used. Principle of authorization in accordance with responsibility should be applied. -More attention should be paid for academic research. Effective efforts should be made to link the studies and research carried out at universities with the community's problems and its comprehensive development issues. Adequate financial support should be supplied to support academic research. -Universities should attempt to provide mechanisms to keep in touch with their graduates and to strengthen relations with them so as to benefit from their notes and opinions about work market since they represent the linking ring between the university and the community. -Services provided to teaching staff at universities including facilities, modifying salary system and offering suitable rewards should be increased and enhanced.