A survey of quality management practices of pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in Kenya

Abstract

.The objective of the study was to identify and determine the extent of implementation of various quality management practices by pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in Kenya. The study also aimed at determining the challenges of implementing quality management practices by pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in Kenya. The research methodology was based on a survey study approach for establishing quality management practices and challenges of implementation by pharmaceutical manufacturing companies. Surveys are concemed with describing, recording, analyzing and interpreting conditions that either exist or existed. An open ended and closed ended questionnaire was used to collect data; the questionnaire was divided into 2 sections which were answered by the top management and the lower level management This study reveal the importance pharmaceutical firms attach to quality improvement practices. The study also revealed that the basic elements of quality management such as an appropriate infrastructure or quality system encompassing the organizational structure, procedures, process and resources; systematic action necessary to ensure adequate confidence that a product or service will satisfy given requirements for quality are indeed vital for any quality management activity. In relation to top commitment by top management in ensuring there is quality improvement in the firm, the total counts agree (both strongly agree and agree) was 25. This make 83.3% of the total counts, which indicate that management is actively involved in quality improvement. This when compared to lower level management, the total count strongly agreeing were only 6 (20%). This study therefore reveals that top management is generally more supportive to quality management practices as compared to lower level management although different levels of perceptions permeate the entire management spectrum.