Total Quality Management Implementation Assessment in a Plastics Manufacturing Company in Cross River State

This project assesses the extent and effectiveness of Total Quality Management implementation in a plastics manufacturing company located in Cross River State, South South Nigeria. Total Quality Management has gained widespread adoption globally as a philosophy for integrating quality into every aspect of organisational operations; however, evidence from Nigerian manufacturing studies suggests that implementation remains partial and inconsistently sustained in many firms. This study employs a structured survey instrument adapted from the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria to assess eight TQM dimensions: leadership commitment, customer focus, strategic planning, human resource management, information management, process management, supplier management, and business results. The questionnaire was administered to sixty-two employees across management, supervisory, and operational levels, and results were triangulated with document review and management interviews. Findings indicate strong scores in the leadership and customer focus dimensions but significantly weaker performance in process management and supplier quality management, reflecting gaps in formalised standard operating procedures and supplier audit programmes. Recommendations include developing a documented process management system aligned to ISO 9001:2015 principles, implementing a structured supplier qualification and monitoring programme, and establishing cross-functional quality improvement teams. Keywords: Total Quality Management, plastics manufacturing, Malcolm Baldrige, Cross River State, quality assessment