The influence of leaders’ attitudes and commitment to quality management of training on organisational excellence: a mixed-methods study

Abstract

Quality is core for all organisations, particularly training departments. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods research design, the researchers aimed to investigate leaders’ attitudes and commitment to quality management of training within corps training units within the South African (SA) Army. In the quantitative study, 229 respondents were distributed a survey instrument. At the same time, 49 participants who completed the survey instrument also partook in focus group interviews at six of the SA Army’s corps training units. Merged findings of both datasets confirmed that quality management of training was adversely affected by higher-level (formation and SA Army headquarters) leaders within the SA Army and that corps training unit officers’ attitudes affected their commitment to quality management of training adversely, which also affected the quality management of training in corps training units adversely. This research may benefit other organisations; by changing leaders’ undesirable attitudes, commitment may improve, and overall quality management of training.