Empirical study on total quality management in features processing facilities

This research, which aims to examine the total quality management practices of managers and employees working in Aquaculture Processing facilities, is the first study in the aquaculture sector. In line with the purpose of the research, an empirical study was conducted examining the relationship between total quality management practices, corporate affiliation, performance and its components in Aquaculture Processing facilities. Aquatic products, described as "healthy food" by experts, have a wide range from production to consumption. Demand in consumption stimulates investment. It has also increased competition in Aquaculture Processing technologies, one of the important stakeholders of the investments. The survival of businesses in a competitive environment is directly proportional to the supply of quality products. The concept of quality, which entered our lives centuries ago, has gained meaning as Total Quality Management in the last fifty years. The population of the research consisted of managers and employees in Aquaculture Processing facilities operating in Sinop, Mersin and Muğla provinces. In addition to determining the demographic and socio-economic status of the participants in the research, the situation about total quality management practices was also determined with Likert-type questions. In the analysis of the data obtained in the research, it was also aimed to obtain more meaningful factors by reducing the size. The 26 variables applied in the field were reduced to 6 (six) factors by factor analysis. In the research, the application dimensions of total quality management employees in Aquaculture Processing facilities are; The critical factors of "affiliation", "duties and responsibilities", "wage policy and decision-making", "communication with managers", "recruitment", "delegation of authority" were used. These factors explained 70.724% of the total variance. In the evaluation of the data obtained from the managers, below the threshold value of 3.41 was identified as a problem area. It has been determined that the performance, motivation and satisfaction levels of employees in Aquaculture Processing facilities are higa. All managers apply total quality management principles in their businesses. Managers stated that the wage policies they give to employees are a problematic area and they think that the wages given are not sufficient. Current data was obtained by examining the factors about managers and employees working in seafood processing facilities. The research; Considering that it is the first and only empirical study on total quality management practices in Aquaculture Processing facilities, it is expected that this study will form the basis for further and more comprehensive research. Key words: Total quality, affiliation, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction