Exploring Top Management Experiences with TQM in Ghanaian HEIs: Lessons for WAAQAN Institutions

Quality Assurance in Higher Education is now a global priority, especially post-COVID-19, when institutions had to shift rapidly to new teaching/learning modes. Total Quality Management (TQM) is a philosophy focused on continuous improvement, customer focus, and total staff involvement. In Ghana and across West Africa, many universities have adopted TQM policies on paper, but implementation remains weak. The critical gap is that TQM success depends heavily on top management, their awareness, commitment, and visionary leadership. Yet we know very little about what top managers actually experience and understand about TQM on the ground. Deep knowledge exists, but it is uneven; lack of education and training is the biggest barrier, and implementation strategy is everything. Because data came from the experiences of only three top managers in one university, generalisability to all Ghanaian or West African universities is difficult. This is expected in qualitative research where depth is prioritized over breadth. However, transferability is well assured. Through thick description of the university context, participants’ roles, TQM implementation processes, and direct quotations from managers, readers and QA practitioners from other West African institutions can judge whether these findings fit their own settings.