Although TQM and SCM share the same ultimate goal, which is customer satisfaction,
their primary goals are different, as implied by the emphasis on “quality and supply.”
Better quality and a faster delivery always lead to lower costs. Finally, better QDC enhances
customer satisfaction and the competitiveness of the whole supply chain. In some cases,
there may be a trade-off if conflict arises between quality and delivery performance, and
this is when the difference in primary goals can present potential problems in implementing
an integrated TQM and SCM approach. On the other hand, there is synergy in the ultimate
goal, since both TQM and SCM aim to achieve customer satisfaction. Therefore, more
research needs to be done to further explore the potential areas of conflict and synergy that
practitioners need to be aware of in terms of methodology