MSc

The study on "Quality management in agricultural research in Kerala Agricultural
University - A critical analysis" was conducted with the objective of analyzing the
quality management related to agricultural research in Kerala Agricultural University.
The respondents of the study comprised of 55 agricultural scientists who were the
principal investigators of the externally aided projects completed after 1995 in the central
zone.
Ten critical dimensions of quality management in agricultural research were
identified and their perceived importance in deciding the final quality of agricultural
research were analysed. Research problem identification emerged as the most important
dimension of quality management in agricultural research, followed by formulation of
objectives, research methodology, literature review, data generation, data analysis,
results and implications, project title, reporting, and bibliography in their descending
order of importance.
A composite scale was developed tor quantifying quality management in
agricultural research and applied to the selected sample. A good majority of the
respondents (75%) showed a high level of quality management in their research work.
The remaining 25% belonged to the 'medium' group of quality management.
The influence of selected personal, psychological, job/ organizational
characteristics on quality .managementin agricultural research was studied. Scope for
personal development and task identity were the two independent variables that showed
a positive and significant correlation with quality management in agricultural research.
Five independent variables viz. experience, technical competence, scope for
personal development, job satisfaction and task identity together contributed 27.64
per cent variation in quality management, out of the total 29.3 per cent variation
constituted by all the 14 independent variables.
Job satisfaction and task identity showed their maximum indirect effect through
scope for personal development. Experience had its maximum indirect effect on quality
management through technical competence.


The critical problems related to quality management in agricultural research in
Kerala Agricultural University were analysed. Inadequate and insufficient mechanism for
planning and determining research priorities and cumbersome and time consuming
procedures for committing and using research funds were perceived to be the two most
important problems.
The study, it is believed, could bring out the subtle details of quality management
concept in agricultural research, which would provide deeper insight to the policy
makers and top management of the University on how to cultivate and foster this vital
value in the field of agricultural research.