Abstract: “This study conducted an empirical investigation of the total quality management practices in 87 industrial companies in Yemen that had local and international quality certificates. It investigated the effect of human factors of quality management on the quality improvement practices. A self administered questionnaire was distributed to 261 quality managers (three from each company). A total of 210 managers participated in the study with a response rate of 80%. A structural equation modelling (SEM) was carried out by Amos program to test the hypothesis of this study. This study was the first in Yemen as well as in the Middle East interested on the human side of quality management. This study found a direct and significant relationship between the human factors and quality improvement practices (standardized coefficient was 0.80, P (0 .001).”

Keywords: human factors, quality improvement practices, total quality management, Yemen industrial companies