Webology, Volume 18, Number 2, December, 2021

The Practice of Total Quality Management and Sustainable

Competitive Advantage: Perspectives from Commercial Banks in
Nigeria
Hilary Obioma Ibegbulem
Business Administration and Marketing Department, Delta State University, Abraka
(Asaba Campus), Delta State, Nigeria.
E-mail: hilaryibegbulem27@[Link]

Received April 19, 2021; Accepted August 15, 2021

ISSN: 1735-188X
DOI: 10.14704/WEB/V18I2/WEB18349

Abstract

The practices of Total Quality Management result in stimulating property competitive

advantage in elected Nigerian business banks. Was the fulcrum of this study. The survey
analysis style was adopted to extract acceptable information from respondents (contract and
permanent) staff chosen from old (3) and new (3) generation banks quoted within the
Nigerian securities market. The five point Likert scale for structured questionnaire was
administered by the investigator at the banks used in Delta State. The sampling technique
used for the study is the chance sampling technique (simple random sampling) with a sample
size of 262. The study used descriptive and inferential statistics in establishing the link among
the freelance and dependent variables whereas multiple correlation analysis was accustomed
to look at the hypotheses. The correlation result disclosed that the two independent variables
for the study (leadership and high management commitment in management with total quality
and continuous improvement have a powerful relationship with the variable quantity
(sustainable competitive advantage). The regression result indicated that each one of the
freelance variables had a positive result and an important relationship with a property
competitive advantage. Amongst others, the study suggested that: the leadership/top
management team should always live by example by incessantly exhibiting behaviors that
support the operational objectives and show huge support in each means potential. They have
to perpetually make sure also that there's no disconnect between the building blocks of
operational excellence: individuals, strategy, structure processes, and technology and
encourage perpetually on the means. The study additionally suggested that for Nigerian banks
to perform optimally, there's a desire for all TQM practices to be tangled towards enhancing
property competitive advantage, and there ought to exist a larger commitment to TQM
practices.

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Key-words

Quality Management, Competitive Advantage, TQM Practices.

Introduction

The global aim of all business related concern is to process happily the needs of
customers. Nowadays customers are clamoring for quality in products, services, and life.
They need to be clothed increasingly instead of the perceptive assumption that they have
begun sorting out selections more tuned to their essential wants, conditions, and dignity.
They’re able to incur further prices for a high-quality product or service as long as a
corporation t meets or exceeds such demands gains a competitive advantage over different
competitors. Ultimately, competitive advantage implies superior monetary performance
through value leadership (being a value leader) and differentiation (providing distinctive
products and services to customers). The simplest approach that appears to handle the
difficult philosophy is Total Quality Management (TQM). Several factors affect the fight
of a corporation and one in every one of them is that the application of total quality
management. The concept of total quality management looks at unity of all levels in
functionality with quality and continuity of functions simultaneously. Historically, it looks
at the ability of organizations to manage resources with coordination, achieve results,
satisfy customers while building competitive advantage (Milosan, 2017). Measurable
performance is what drives Total quality management and firms that don't try and apply
models don't come through excellence (Medinschi & Karnyanszky, 2019). Competitive
advantage is that condition a corporation will produce worth for the value incurred by the
client. The worth in question is that if the corporation will turn out a superior product and
provide a cheaper price than its competitors (Porter, 2001). The competitive advantage
consists of 3 things: value leadership, differentiation ways, and price focus that target sure
segments within the market. The work of Seto & Febri (2017) pointed that the advantage
of the fight may be obtained if the corporation will gift each facet of the business
operations method higher in manufacturing products and services that have a prime
quality of competitive costs, and also viewed at ensuing product will vie each in terms of
quality, price, product delivery, and suppleness than its competitors within the market
(Heizer & Render, 2004). Based on the preceding, TQM is the integration of all functions
and processes among the organization to attain continuous improvement on the standard
of products and services resulting in property competitive advantage (Leela & Sireesha,
2014). Although many researchers have researched TQM on firms' performance,
nonetheless there are very little or no literature on TQM and property competitive
advantage within the Nigerian deposit cash bank. The study, therefore, fills a niche by

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investigating the impact of TQM on property competitive advantage specializing in the

Nigerian deposit cash bank.

The Drawback

The eminent attainment of profitable heights in an exceedingly turbulent Nigerian

Business atmosphere depends on the property of the competitive benefits that they
command. The accomplishment of competitive advantage isn't perpetually permanent or
maybe lasting of any organization. Property competitive advantage allows organizations
together with deposit banks to continue giving valuable, rare, inimitable, and
non-substitutable monetary services to the market wherever its competitors are unable to
duplicate the advantages of the monetary firm's strategy. Effective TQM practices will
have control over the competitive advantage and property of this advantage. Effective
TQM is possible through a set of practices. These practices of effective TQM need
leadership and high management commitment, consistency among others. Like totally
different industries, quality improvement is occurring at a revolutionary pace inside the
banking sector. Keeping seeable the competitive atmosphere within the banking sector
where bank officers try their best to provide high-quality services to their customers,
there' an honest ought to develop a TQM model.

Objectives

1. To look at the result of leadership and high management commitment in total

quality management on the property competitive advantage of the banks.
2. To assess the impact of continuous improvement in total quality management on
the property competitive advantage of the banks.

Hypotheses

HO1: Leadership and high management commitment in total quality management has no
important result on property competitive advantage.
HO2: Continuous improvement in total quality management has no important impact on
property competitive advantage.

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Review of Connected Literature

Concept of Quality

In shaping quality, Ahmed (2000) quotes ISO 8402 as "the degree of excellence during a
competitive sense, like responsibility, serviceableness, maintainability or perhaps
individual characteristics" in line with Wikipedia (Quality (business), 2010), the common
component of the business definitions is that the standard of a product or service refers to
the perception of the degree to that the merchandise or service meets the customer's
expectations. Quality has no specific that means unless associated with a selected
operation and/or object. Quality could be a sensory activity, conditional, and somewhat
subjective attribute.

The conception of Total Quality Management

This is a structured and comprehensive management system that strengthens standard

about products and services based on feedbacks (Rouse, 2005). The mission of this
Quality Management in Totality is to ensure that they go even to the public to expand and
expose their products for inputs considering best practices that is in agreement with global
best practices such as ISO 9000. The origin of these practices is as old as the product
creation and is applicable to all organisations across the world, irrespective of the sector;
telecommunications, financial institutions and manufacturing institutions and so many
others. The study by Agyyapong, (2011) gave birth to a study that narrowed qualitative
analysis in Vodafone Telecommunications in Ghana which stresses productivity,
efficiency, growth associated with survival cause, honesty and general wellbeing of the
company. The concept of growth for them has to be a measurement that will to assure
customers continuity, loyalty and deepened relationship. Generally retaining customers
and bringing out the confidence is what constitutes Business success depends on a firm's
empathetic and meeting customers' desires and demands. Shoper expectations,
performance standardization and consistency is what constitutes Total Quality
Management (TQM), (Owusu & Duah, 2018). In other words, it can be a public
management philosophy of what management has put togetger to satisfy the public meet
their objectives, target market with efficiency and effectiveness of the staffing outlay and
willingness to improve at all times, (Cornish, 1998).

Competitive Advantage

This is viewed from the zenith competitively of the firm from the competitive position
that the organization has worked painstakingly to achieve, (Al-Qudah, 2012). The term

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competitive advantage is otherwise known as what drives a firm in a competitive business

environment and how well such firm can continue to maintain a tall position.
(Li, Ragu-Nathan, Ragu-Nathan, and Rao, 2006). Competitive advantage views the how
organisations provide a distinct and unique product in a market (Lewis, 2000). The
considerations here is in productivity targeted at customers and not input (Bowman and
novelist, 1997). Differentiation strategy can come into play as soon as customers
understand the direction of what their products can bring before its competitors (Porter,
1985). Generally, competitive advantage looks at roles, flexibility, skills and dexterity
about uniqueness, company, staheholders and operations of an organisations within the
market space, of operations (Lewis, 2000).

Sustainable Competitive Advantage

The conception of property competitive advantage (SCA) was introduced in 1984 by

Porter.

Porter viewed this sustainable competitive advantage from the dimensions focus, cost
leadership and differentiation, was geared towards achieving competitive. Conversely,
Barney (1991), added continuity, distinctive wealth creation and potential state
competitors are ready to face with especially in getting the right benefit. Generally, the
ability to raise certain strategic advantages which other firms cannot determine and derive
gives an advantage (Hakkak & Ghodsi, 2015). In line with Shelby & Morgan (1995),
potential SCA resources area units are divided into monetary, physical, legal, human,
structure, informational, and rational resources. They believe that competitive advantage
in resources will become a competitive advantage within the marketplace (Nicol, 2000).
Prahalad and Hamel (1990) argue that companies mix resources and skills with core
competencies so they'll successfully produce property competitive advantage
systematically and unambiguously. Four factors comprising of ex-post limits, current
restriction Peteraf (1993) considers four factors as necessary to achieve a property
competitive advantage: resources (heterogeneity among the industry), ex-post limits,
imperfect resource quality, and current restrictions to competition Relative structure
system derives and determines what constitutes sustainable competitive advantage in
terms of assets that are strategic, repute, with novelty and relative structure (Matthews &
Shulman, 2005).

Total Quality Management and Competitive Advantage

The study of Ullah, Akhtar and Leader (2016) argued that in Quality of Management in
Totality is an organisational focus bordering on client focused success. TQM elements

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consisting of leadership, strategic designing, client focus, info and analysis, peoples'
management, and management method have a serious result on product quality
performance. TQM isn't solely supported by the philosophy of providing client
satisfaction and quality merchandise and services however it's concentrating on future
needs the foremost effective TQM results are often achieved once associate open, shared
and cooperative culture is formed by management and supported by structure learning
cooperation, and client focus. TQM proponents have argued that rising quality can cause
many by products, also as improved delivery and reduced price. TQM aims to
unceasingly improve the various processes and practices within the organization; we often
assume that it provides how for reassuring that innovation and self-renewal occur.

Theoretical Framework

Knowledge-based Theory

Information is viewed as the most basic firm asset. Its defenders contend that information
is an extraordinary item thus difficult to copy. The information and abilities in a firm are
what a firm would use to make its strategic advantage separating it from the rest
consequently demonstrating them a specialty over the rest. The information an association
has is constantly shown in its societies and characters, strategy records, frameworks, and
rehearsed by workers (Barney and Conner, 2012). Markets and advancements address two
parts of information that a firm ought to have. They display extraordinary execution
openings as they take into consideration innovative work inside the firm, while on the
opposite end extrapolate the business capability of the association in the changing
industry environment. With this, the firm can realize best which sort of moves to make to
work seriously and set out open doors (Brown, 2007).

Empirical Reviews

The investigation of Mohamed (2016) examined the impact of complete quality

administration on the upper hand in transport and coordinations firms in Mombasa
Province in Kenya. The examination utilized a cross-sectional unmistakable overview
plan which was considered as the most suitable time skyline because the data was
assembled at a specific point on schedule or over a brief period. The objective populace
61 vehicle and coordinations firms in Mombasa District and because of the little size of
this populace, there was no examining consequently the investigation was an evaluation
review. A semi-organized survey was the primary information assortment instrument. A
total of 61 polls flowed among the investigation populace, of which 43 of the respondents
gave input on the survey, addressing a 72% reaction rate which was considered sufficient.

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Information examination with the assistance of SPSS created graphic measurements and
connection results. The outcomes showed that the client center has been executed
generally followed by initiative and top administration responsibility while learning
association and collaboration and representative responsibility have been carried out to a
little degree. Generally speaking, TQM has been embraced to a moderate degree and the
effect of TQM on the upper hand is additionally moderate. The investigation suggested
that chiefs should view TQM as an administrative rule that is more than authority, client
center, frameworks, association's way of life, collaboration, provider relationship, or
preparing. It's anything but a mix of all the TQM rehearses and fruitful execution that
suggests that exertion and perseverance are necessary to discover amicability for every
association.

The investigation of Owusu and Duah (2018) zeroed in on assessing absolute quality
administration as an upper hand apparatus in versatile telecom administrations in Ghana.
The graphic examination technique was utilized since a large part of the information
assortment depended on polls. The investigation utilized a quantitative technique intended
to get a few audits from clients or purchasers, telecom organizations, and different
associations on complete quality administration as a serious instrument in the portable
telecom administrations in Ghana. One hundred and fifty (150) cell phones clients from
portable telecom firms in and from Ghana were tested for the investigation since it's
getting late requirements and restricted assets accessible. Information was gathered
utilizing a survey. Information was examined utilizing SPSS and summed up as
recurrence tables and bar outlines. The investigation uncovered that supporters who chose
to buy into the MTN network considered "long time utilization" as their most significant
characteristic. Furthermore, the endorsers likewise consider "more extensive inclusion" as
their next most significant characteristic with regards to the membership of an
organization. Besides, most of the endorsers considered "lower taxes" as their third most
significant quality that draw them in picking MTN and Vodafone organizations. The most
un-significant (or compelling) trait is "tosses of the dice". Furthermore, respondents
consider "client care" as the most significant and "gathering advantage" of the
organization administrator as the most un-significant factor while picking an organization.
The investigation inferred that all-out quality administration is viewed as an upper hand
instrument in the versatile telecom administration industry in Ghana. It was suggested that
portable media transmission network administrators should expand their inclusion region
to build catchment region to draw in more likely endorsers, considering the investigation
discoveries that more extensive inclusion is quite possibly the most imperative ascribes.

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Accordingly, the administrators ought to decrease the expense of administrations and

bundles, where fundamental, to draw consideration or draw in more expected supporters.

The investigation of Wibowoa and Adisty (2017) analyzed the all-out quality
administration in the oil and gas businesses in Indonesia to demonstrate its impact on the
cutthroat execution. Essential information was utilized in the examination by utilization of
a survey which was appropriated to a few oil and gas industry organizations. Test
outcome which utilized exemplary presumption showed that the survey was viewed as
typical and didn't experience the ill effects of multicollinearity and heteroscedasticity. The
information was tried utilizing different direct relapses. The information was tried all the
while and halfway. The aftereffect of all-out quality administration was demonstrated to
have a huge relationship to cutthroat execution. However, part of the way not all segments
of absolute quality administration demonstrated to influence serious execution. This was
because the test just utilized various direct relapses, so the outcomes got were less
explicit.

Methodology

The investigation is an expressive examination plan. Engaging examination configuration

decides that it is followed when there is a need to clarify something in subtleties. For this
situation, the exploration question is arranged and organized and the data required is
characterized (Malhotra, 2007). The populace for this examination is 759 drawn across
four new ages and three old age banks separately in Delta State. Additionally, an example
size of 262 utilizing the Taro Yamani recipe was utilized for the examination. Legitimacy
was set up expertly while content validity. Cronbach's alpha was utilized to test
dependability and to get to the nature of the estimation. An acknowledgment level for
Cronbach's alpha is 0.7 or higher while 0.7 underneath means frail unwavering quality
(Seckaran, 2001).

Result and Discussion

Data Presentation

Research Question One: what impact do leadership and top management commitment in
total quality management have on the sustainable competitive advantage of firms?

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Leadership and Top Management Commitment

Table 1 Showing Leadership and Top Management Commitment Question from number
1-5
SCALE
S/N ITEMS 1 2 3 4 5 ẋ
1 In my bank, top management establishes quality policy and 9 15 23 101 94
quality objectives and communicates to the organization (3.7) (6.2) (9.5) (41.7) (38.8) 4.06
2 Top management ensures the availability of resources to 5 16 32 78 111
achieve objectives (2.1) (6.6) (13.2) (32.2) (45.9) 4.13
3 In my bank senior executives clearly articulate the 9 11 14 100 108
organization’s values relevant to quality and continuous (3.7) (4.5) (5.8) (41.3) (44.6) 4.19
quality improvement
4 The behavior of the senior executives is consistent with 3 9 10 111 109
values relevant to quality and continuous quality (1.2) (3.7) (4.1) (45.9) (45) 4.30
improvement.
11 The senior executives generate confidence that efforts to 4 16 12 76 134
improve quality will succeed. (1.7) (6.6) (5) (31.4) (55.4) 4.32
Mean of means 4.20
Source: Field survey, 2021
NB: The figures in the bracket are in percentage

From Table 1, 80.5% expressed agreements that during their financial institution, pinnacle
control establishes great coverage and great goals and communicates to the organization,
9.5% had been not sure whilst 9.9% indicated confrontation that during their financial
institution, pinnacle control establishes great coverage and great goals and communicates
to the organization. With an average rating of 4.06, we can say that on average, the
maximum of the respondents agreed that during their financial institution, pinnacle
control establishes great coverage and great goals and communicates to the organization.
Similarly, a bit extra than three-quarters of the respondents (78.1%) agreed that pinnacle
control guarantees the provision of sources to reap goals, 13.2% had been unsure whilst
8.7% expressed confrontation that pinnacle control guarantees the provision of sources to
reap goals. The suggested rating for this object (4.13) indicates that the respondents agree
that pinnacle control guarantees the provision of sources to reap goals. While, 85.9% are
in settlement that during their financial institution senior executives surely articulate the
organization’s values applicable to great and non-stop great improvement, 8.2% had been
in confrontation whilst 5.8% had been not sure if of their financial institution senior
executives surely articulate the organization’s values applicable to great and non-stop
great improvement. With the suggested rating of 4.19, we can say that the respondents
agree that during their financial institution senior executives surely articulate the
organization’s values applicable to great and non-stop great improvement.

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For the object “The behaviour of the senior executives is regular with values applicable to
great and non-stop great improvement” 9 of each ten respondents (90.9%) indicated
settlement to this object, 4.9% had been in confrontation whilst 4.1% had been not sure
for this object respectively. The suggested rating for this object (4.30) means that the
respondents agree that the behaviour of the senior executives is regular with values
applicable to great and non-stop great improvement. As for the “The senior executives
generate a self-belief that efforts to enhance great will succeed" a bit extra than four-5th
of the respondents (86.8%) indicated settlement to this object, 8.3% had been in
confrontation whilst 5% had been not sure for this object. With the suggested rating for
this object (4.32), we can say that the respondents agree that the senior executives
generate a self-belief that efforts to enhance great will succeed. This suggests a mean of
(4.20) that indicates a conclusive judgment for the above in an organization.

Research Question Two: How does continuous improvement in total quality

management affect the sustainable competitive advantage of firms?

Continuous Improvement

Table 2 Showing Continuous Improvement Question from number 6-10

S/N. ITEMS SCALE
1 2 3 4 5 ẋ
6 There is usage of improvement tools continuously in the process of 3 6 1 102 130 4.45
maintenance (1.2) (2.5) (0.4) (42.1) (53.7)
7 Total Deployment Maintenance (TPM) is the values usually deployed 0 12 10 123 97 4.26
(0) (5) (4.1) (50.8) (40.1)
8 The Bank carries out maintenance monitoring and capacity to enhance 3 5 3 95 136 4.47
improvement (1.2) (2.1) (1.2) (39.3) (56.2)
9 There is continuous information about quality and purpose with 8 19 16 101 98 4.08
continuous improvement. (3.3) (7.9) (6.6) (41.7) (40.5)
10 Continuous improvement and commitment is very key for management 0 4 7 135 96 4.33
(0) (1.7) (2.9) (55.8) (39.7)
Mean of Means 4.32
Source: Field survey, 2021
NB: The figures in the bracket are in percentage

In Table 2 a significant number of the respondents (95.8%) indicated agreement that they
use tools for constant development in maintenance processes, 3.7% were in disagreement
while 0.4% were undecided for this item. The mean score (4.45) for this item implies
agreement by the respondents that they use tools for continuous improvement in
maintenance processes.

It was also observed that nine of every ten respondents (90.9%) indicated agreement that
they deploy the principles of total productive maintenance (TPM), 5% were in
disagreement that they deploy the principles of total productive maintenance (TPM) while

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4.1% were uncertain. With a mean score of 4.26, we can imply that the respondents
indicated agreement that they deploy the principles of total productive maintenance
(TPM). For the item “In my bank, we systematically monitor the proposals and
suggestions for developments in maintenance processes" the majority of the respondents
(95.5%) indicated agreement to this item, 3.3% were in disagreement while 1.2% were
uncertain about this item respectively. The mean score of 4.47 for this item suggests a
conclusive judgment for this item that the respondents agreed that in their bank, they
systematically monitor the proposals and suggestions for improvements in maintenance
processes.

Furthermore, it was observed that a little more than four-fifth of the respondents (82.2%)
indicated agreement that in their bank, they are continuously informed about the quality of
processes and products, with the purpose of maintenance processes improvement, 11.2%
were in disagreement that in their bank, they are continuously informed about the quality
of processes and products, with the purpose of maintenance processes improvement while
6.6% were uncertain. The mean score (4.08) for this item implies a conclusive judgment
that the respondents agree that in their bank, they are continuously informed about the
quality of processes and products, with the purpose of maintenance processes
improvement. For the item “Management is committed to continuous improvement in
maintenance” a significant number of the respondents (95.5%) indicated agreements for
this item, 2.9% were undecided while 1.7% were in disagreement respectively. The mean
score of 4.33 for this item suggests a conclusive judgment that the respondents agree that
management is committed to continuous improvement in maintenance.

Judging from the mean of means (4.32) we can imply a conclusive judgment that the
respondents are high for continuous improvement in the organization.

Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Table 3 Showing Sustainable Competitive Advantage Question from number 11-15

S/N ITEMS SCALE
1 2 3 4 5 ẋ
11 My bank can offer prices as low or lower than our competitors 3 7 5 100 127
(1.2) (2.9) (2.1) (41.3) (52.5) 4.41
12 My bank can compete based on quality 2 6 6 119 109
(0.8) (2.5) (2.5) (49.2) (45) 4.35
13 My bank offers products and services that are highly reliable 0 9 8 117 108
(0) (3.7) (3.3) (48.3) (44.6) 4.34
14 My bank offers high-quality products and services to its customers 3 6 39 112 82
(1.2) (2.5) (16.1) (46.3) (33.9) 4.09
15 My bank delivers customer orders on time 12 24 80 82 44
(5) (9.9) (33.1) (33.9) (18.2) 3.50
Mean of means 4.14
Source: Field survey, 2021
NB: The figures in the bracket are in percentage

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From Table 3, it was observed that a significant number of the respondents (93.8%)
indicated agreement that their bank can offer prices as low or lower than their
competitors, 4.1% were in disagreement while a minority (2.1%) were undecided if their
bank can offer prices as low or lower than their competitors. With a mean score of 4.41,
we can imply that on average, the respondents are in support that their bank can offer
prices as low or lower than their competitors.

It was also seen that the majority of the respondents (94.2%) indicated agreement that
their bank can compete based on quality, 3.3% were in disagreement while 2.5% were
undecided if their bank can compete based on quality. The mean score of 4.35 for this
item implies that on average the respondents are in support that their bank can compete
based on quality. A substantial number of the respondents (92.9%) indicated agreement
that their bank offers products and services that are highly reliable, 3.7% were in
disagreement while 3.3% were uncertain if their bank offers products and services that are
highly reliable. The mean score of 4.34 for this item implies that on average, the
respondents are in support that their bank offers products and services that are highly
reliable.

For the item “My bank offers high-quality products and services to its customers"
four-fifth of the respondents (80.2%) indicated agreement to this item, 16.1% were
undecided while 3.7% expressed disagreement to this item respectively. The mean score
(4.09) for this item implies that the respondents are in support that their bank offers high-
quality products and services to its customers. As for the item “My bank delivers
customer orders on time” a little more than half of the respondents (52.1%) agreed with
this item33.1% were undecided while 14.9% were in disagreement for this item
respectively. With a mean score of 3.50, we can imply that on average, the respondents
are in support that their bank delivers customer orders on time. The mean of means (4.14)
suggests a conclusive judgment that on average, the respondents are high on sustainable
competitive advantage.

Correlation Coefficient

To identify relationships among the variables, a correlation analysis was performed. The
Pearson correlation test is the most widely used bivariate test. The correlation test results
are shown in figure Table 4. below;

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Table 4 Correlation coefficient between variables for the study

Correlations
SUSTCOMPAD LDTPMGTCO CONTIMPRV CUSTMRF STRTGCPLN
VTG MM MT CS NG
SUSTCOMPAD Pearson 1 .648** .680** .520** .401**
VTG Correlati
on
Sig. (2- .000 .000 .000 .000
tailed)
N 242 242 242 242 242
LDTPMGTCOM Pearson .648** 1 .799** .542** .365**
M Correlati
on
Sig. (2- .000 .000 .000 .000
tailed)
N 242 242 242 242 242
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

At a 0.01 significance level, several strong relationships can be identified. As observed

from Table 4, leadership and top management commitment (0.648) and continuous
improvement (0.680) has a positive and strong correlation with a sustainable competitive
advantage.

Multiple Regression Analysis

Multiple regressions were conducted to establish the impact of total quality management
on sustainable competitive advantage. The results are shown in the Tables below.

Table 5 Model Summary of Multiple Regression Analysis

Model Summaryb
Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate Durbin-Watson
1 .724a .525 .516 1.934 1.728
a. Predictors: (Constant), STRTGCPLNNG, CUSTMRFCS, LDTPMGTCOMM, CONTIMPRVMT
b. Dependent Variable: SUSTCOMPADVTG
Source: SPSS output of field survey data, 2021.

The size of the R2 (.525) in Table 4.3.8 above implies that the independent variables
collectively explained 52.5% of the variation in the dependent variable. Thus, 52.5% of
the variance in sustainable competitive advantage is accounted for by the joint predictive
power of leadership and top management commitment and continuous improvement,
while the remaining percentage is explained by exogenous factors. Consequently, the
Durbin Watson statistics is 1.73 which is between 1.5 and 2.5 and shows that the data is
not autocorrelated.

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Table 6 ANOVA
ANOVA
Model Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.
1 Regression 978.233 4 244.558 65.362 .000b
Residual 886.763 237 3.742
Total 1864.996 241
a. Dependent Variable: SUSTCOMPADVTG
b. Predictors: (Constant), STRTGCPLNNG, CUSTMRFCS, LDTPMGTCOMM,
CONTIMPRVMT

The p-value for the F statistic (.000) is <.05. This means that at least one of the
independent variables is a significant predictor of the dependent variable (sustainable
competitive advantage).

Hypotheses Testing

This section tests the impact of leadership and top management commitment and
continuous improvement, on sustainable competitive advantage. This hypothesis was
tested using multiple regression analyses presented in Table 7 below.

The Decision Rule

If the chance worth calculated is larger than (>) the important level of significance, then
the null hypotheses are accepted whereas the alternate hypothesis is rejected and vice
versa. If the probability value of 0.00 is smaller than the critical value of 5%
(i.e. 0.00<0.05) we conclude of the given parameter that it's statistically important. during
this situation, it is accepted that there's a desire to reject the null hypotheses and to just
accept the alternate. Gujarati and Porter (2009) ascertained that after we reject null
hypotheses, we are saying that our findings are statistically significant and vice versa.
Thus the p-value for the hypotheses testing is at 0.05(5 %) i.e. the tolerable error thereby
inserting the extent of significance at 5%.

Table 7 Multiple Regression Coefficients Analysis

Coefficients
Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t Sig.
B Std. Error Beta
1 (Constant) .370 1.374 .269 .788
LDTPMGTCOMM .241 .079 .232 3.049 .003
CONTIMPRVMT .399 .088 .356 4.557 .000
CUSTMRFCS .185 .066 .156 2.815 .005
STRTGCPLNNG .138 .054 .127 2.585 .010
a. Dependent Variable: SUSTCOMPADVTG
Source: SPSS output of field survey data, 2021.

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Hypothesis One

HO1: Leadership and top management commitment in total quality management have
no significant effect on sustainable competitive advantage.

The result shows that leadership and prime management commitment in total quality
management exert a positive and vital impact on property competitive advantage
(β = 0.232, p = 0.003). The result indicates that an amendment in leadership and top
management commitment in total quality management can result in a 0.232 change in
sustainable competitive advantage. Sample knowledge provided convincing proof that
there's a statistically necessary affiliation between leadership and top management
commitment in total quality management and sustainable competitive advantage. so we
tend to reject the hypothesis that states that leadership and top management commitment
in total quality management haven't any significant effect on property competitive
advantage and settle for the alternate hypothesis that leadership and prime management
commitment in total quality management have a major impact on sustainable competitive
advantage.

Hypothesis Two

HO2: Continuous improvement in total quality management has no significant impact on

sustainable competitive advantage

Results disclosed the existence of a positive affiliation between continuous improvement

in total quality management and property competitive advantage. The connection between
continuous improvement in total quality management and sustainable competitive
advantage is positive and statistically vital (β = 0.356, p = 0.000). The result implies that a
unit amendment in continuous improvement in total quality management can result in a
0.356 unit change in sustainable competitive advantage. Sample knowledge provided
convincing proof that there's a positive and significant impact between continuous
improvement in total quality management and sustainable competitive advantage. We,
therefore, reject the hypothesis that states continuous improvement in total quality
management has no vital impact on property competitive advantage and settle for the
hypothesis that continuous improvement in total quality management incorporates a
significant impact on sustainable competitive advantage.

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Results and Discussions

Leadership and High Management Commitment and Property Competitive Advantage

Top Management in organizations maintains the leadership responsibility for the quality
management systems, with the involvement of all structure employees. This responsibility
includes; guaranteeing the provision of resources to any or all workers to create certainly
improved service delivery is achieved for the conclusion of the organization's vision and
mission. Establishing and reviewing the standard policy and quality objectives quarterly
to make sure compliance to the standard standards (Soltani, 2005). McLeod and
MacDonell (2011) emphasized the importance of high management incomes as a result of
it plays varied roles inside the organization like influencing attitudes, encouraging user
participation, creating a positive context for amendment, overseeing the event of the
project, managing political conflicts, and guaranteeing the provision of resources. Cole
and Phil (2011) made public leadership as a result of the strategy of influencing others to
understand and agree regarding what has got to be done and also the thanks to attempting
to do it, and thus the method of facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish
shared objectives. Such leaders need to provide a clear vision of the organization’s future
and set troublesome goals and targets. it' only through unity of purpose and direction of
employees that succeed the organization's objectives. they ought to maintain indoor
surroundings where folks can get involved by establishing trust and eliminating worry. it's
the role of leaders to stipulate the mission, vision, and goals that promote quality culture
and establish a set of shared values, resulting in high performance (Kanji, 2008).
Therefore, the requirement for the whole commitment of high management need to be
understood, communicated, enforced and maintained within the slightest degree levels
inside the organization. The importance of quality management practices ought to be
emphasized at the highest, where serious commitment to performance ought to be
demonstrated through a clear framework that features the organization's guiding
philosophy, core values, and beliefs, purpose, associate degreed mission (Terziovski,
Power & Sohal, 2003). Conclusively, Civi (2000), declared that whereas not the support
of superior managers, the success of data management activities is cumbersome
(Civi, 2000). only durable leadership would possibly provide the obligatory direction,
where an academic degree enterprise will implement and effectively deploy a knowledge
management strategy (Abebe, 2016). to grasp the potential of information management,
structure leadership ought to offer the proper surroundings to inspire its workers to change
the creation, organization, and sharing of information (Abell & Oxbrow, 1999). Salleh &
Goh (2002) assert that leadership skills area unit essential to inferior managers, as the're
that United Nations agency leads the modification in lower levels. It’ll thus be all over

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that leadership and high management commitment can be a vital enabler to unvanquished
knowledge management implementation that's anticipated to increase structure
competitive advantage (Abebe, 2016).

Nonstop Improvement and Practical Upper Hand

The huge incentive for persistent improvement in absolute quality management is 0.000
from the coefficient table. When contrasted and the examination level of importance
(0.05), ceaseless improvement in all-out quality administration has a critical and
beneficial outcome on the feasible upper hand. The measurable meaning of the outcome
infers that persistent improvement incomplete quality administration gives the firm a
practical upper hand. The t measurements esteem then again show 4.557. It infers that
persistent improvement in all-out quality administration positively affects a reasonable
upper hand. The positive outcomes gave substantial proof concerning the achievement of
nonstop improvement incomplete quality administration and its impact on the practical
upper hand in the Nigerian store cash bank. One percent (1%) development in supportable
upper hand is represented by a normalized coefficient of (β= 0.356). The r-esteem is 0.724
while the r-squared worth of 0.525 portrays close to integrity of the fit connection
between ceaseless improvement in all-out quality administration and the manageable
upper hand. The changed r square worth on its part shows 0.516 (stressing non-false of
variable) and this shows that development in manageable upper hand is anticipated by the
variation in the model particular to the tune of 51.6% while different elements excluded
from the model detail has an impact of 48.4%. A Durbin Watson worth of 1.728 is
additionally uncovered from the examination. This finding is by Maletic, Maletic &
Gomiscek (2012) that tracked down a persistent improvement to have a positive and
critical impact on performance. The finding is additionally like the case of Pintelon,
Pinjala & Vereecke (2006) that in a contemporary profoundly testing climate, ceaseless
improvement has been considered as a pivotal factor for competitiveness. Bessant, Caffyn
& Gallagher (2001) likewise inferred that nonstop improvement is seen as a specific
arrangement of schedules that can assist an association with acquiring reasonable
cutthroat advantage. However, Wibowoa and Adistyb (2016) tracked down that constant
improvement essentially affected the upper hand.

Conclusion

All out quality administration isn't just founded on the way of thinking of giving
consumer loyalty and quality labor and products yet it is focusing on future necessities.
Further developing quality will bring about a few side-effects, including further developed

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conveyance and diminished expense. Complete quality administration means consistently

work on the different cycles and practices in the association. The current examination was
left upon to decide the effect of all-out quality administration in advancing economical
upper hand in Nigerian banks. The study presents that the best absolute quality
administration results can be accomplished when there is a sensible commission on the
authoritative pioneers and top administration,

Recommendations

1. The administration/top supervisory crew should in every case live as a visual

demonstration by ceaselessly displaying practices that help the functional excellent
objectives and show monstrous help inside and out. They should consistently
guarantee that there is no distinction between the structure squares of functional
greatness: individuals, methodology, authoritative cycles, and innovation, and
empower consistently en route.
2. Management should comprehend and seek endless improvement. This should
cover arranging and working cycles, giving data sources, assessing yields,
inspecting execution, and altering measures and their sources of information.

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