The Zambian manufacturing sector faces significant challenges in achieving global competitiveness, primarily

due to the critically low adoption of formal Quality Management Systems (QMS). With less than 3% of

registered manufacturing companies certified at the time of data collection, this study identifies and ranks the

critical barriers hindering implementation. Adopting an integrated theoretical lens combining the Resource-

Based View (RBV) and Institutional Theory, the research posits that adoption failure stems from a lack of

coercive and normative external pressures coupled with critical deficiencies in internal, firm-specific resources

and capabilities. Using a robust mixed-methods approach involving a survey of 94 manufacturing managers

and 18 semi-structured interviews, the study empirically ranks Organisational barriers (high cost and lack of

(RBV); Institutional Theory; Top Management Commitment.

In an era defined by intense globalisation, the implementation of a robust Quality Management Systems

(QMS) such as ISO 9001, Total Quality Management (TQM), and Lean Manufacturing is a strategic

imperative for manufacturing firms seeking sustainable growth and international market access and penetration

(Goetsch & Davis, 2022; Sila, 2017). These systems are proven Organisational capabilities that improve

efficiency, enhance product conformity, and ensure customer satisfaction (Ali et al., 2020). However, the

Zambian manufacturing sector exhibits a profound capability gap. Statistics from the Zambia Bureau of

Standards (ZABS) and industry reports, current at the time of this study's data collection, indicated that out of

ascertain the barriers retarding Zambian manufacturing companies from applying quality management. The

paper presents empirical evidence by ranking the identified barriers and interpreting these findings through a

combined theoretical framework, providing targeted recommendations for QM professors, industry, and

policymakers.

To provide a robust foundation for analysis, this study integrates two dominant theoretical lenses in strategic

management and Organisational change: The Resource-Based View (RBV) and Institutional Theory.

The Resource-Based View (RBV) argues that a firm's superior performance and sustained competitive

advantage are rooted in its unique bundle of resources and capabilities that meet the VRIO criteria: Valuable,

(R) in the low-adoption Zambian context; and potentially Inimitable (I) due to the underlying socially complex

culture and integrated processes (Sila, 2017). The primary failure point analysed in this paper is the

Organisation (O) element: Zambian firms often lack the necessary resources and Organisational structure to

build and exploit this capability. The barriers identified are, fundamentally, critical deficiencies or gaps in the

required VRIO resources.

Institutional Theory explains Organisational behaviour as a response to external pressures, coercive,

normative, and mimetic from the environment (DiMaggio & Powell, 1983).

The integrated framework posits that QMS adoption occurs when external institutional pressures align with

sufficient internal resource endowments (RBV). The absence of strong external demand (Institutional gap) and

the presence of critical internal resource deficiencies (RBV gap) combine to create the most significant

retardation to quality management application.

The study adopted an explanatory mixed-methods research design, combining a cross-sectional survey with

semi-structured interviews to provide both the breadth of quantified ranking and contextual depth.

The study population comprised approximately 1,519 registered manufacturing firms in Zambia. Given

resource constraints and the requirement for direct access to key decision-makers, a non-probability,

quality officers to triangulate and provide illustrative context to the quantitative findings. Table I provides a

demographic summary of the 94 respondent firms, showing a sample composition that aligns with the SME-

heavy structure of the Zambian manufacturing sector.

Table I: Sample Firm Demographics

for relevance to the African industrial context. The questionnaire was pilot-tested with 10 non-sampled

industry professionals to ensure clarity, comprehension, and contextual validity before final administration.

measurement instrument used in this study.

Analysis of Barriers were ranked based on their mean scores. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts

was used to interpret the quantitative rankings, particularly by relating the identified barriers back to the

categories defined by the RBV (Tangible, Intangible, Human) and Institutional Theory.

represent the most critical domain impediment.

Figure I, support this ranking, showing Organisational constraints (Mean: 4.07) as the dominant domain

impeding adoption, followed by Institutional factors (Mean: 3.76), Technical factors (Mean: 3.70), and

Market/Cultural factors (Mean: 3.59).

Interpreting Barriers through RBV and Institutional Lenses. The empirical ranking strongly validates the

integrated RBV and Institutional framework as follows:

A. Tangible Resource Deficiencies (Financial and Technological); The top two ranked barriers (High Cost and

al., 2023). The prohibitive direct costs (consulting, training, fees) and indirect costs (system downtime) prevent

many Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) from making the initial investment required to build the

B. Human Resource Deficiencies (Skills and Culture); The second most binding constraint is the shortage of

cultural preference for informality and centralized control must be proactively managed to embed the QMS

into the firm's inimitable processes.