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resented in the overview.

1.9 Research context

The context of the research problem is described in this paragraph. The unit of analysis for the research is the three private universities ((Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) - Pharos University (PU) and 6Th October University (6OU)). The major contextual concepts are used in this research: total quality management, change management and private universities. Hence, they warrant clarification.

1.9.1 Total quality management

During the first half of the twentieth century, especially prior to World War II, the Quality Movement was developed which proposed that quality was not only a state to inspect or a characteristic to measure, but it was the outcome of a planned effort and a systemic process that would result in the level of quality that the organization proposed to itself. This would be the level of quality to be offered and experienced by the recipient of the products; that is to say, the users and the stakeholders. This new quality approach is applicable to any organization, regardless of its size, industry, country or economic situation. These quality practices have been widely used for more than half a century (Wu, 2011); however, the question whether quality could be controlled (Shewhart, 1931) marked the beginning of the Quality Movement.

For universities, the quality concept is not new, and there has been a continuous discussion about the need for improving the quality of education (UNESCO, 2005).

Efforts are being made to identify the characteristics of a world-class university and comparing them (Alden and Lin, 2004), to find benchmarks as a reference for quality improvement for any university regardless of its present quality level. However, there is no evidence of research on how to improve the quality of a university as an organization: what needs to be done, or how to organize and set up a road to improve the quality of a university. The lack of a methodology for implementing Total Quality Management in universities, does not allow organizing efficient and structured initiatives to improve quality. Models and sets of criteria for quality improvement and assurance are available; however, these focus on standardizing what needs to be done but do not describe how to do it.

This study addresses the development of a TQM proposed model to improve the total quality of a private university.

1.9.2 Change management

Today’s business environment is changing continuously. Even if nothing changes within an organisation, many changes, which affect the organisations’ function and performance, are entailed from the outside of the business environment. These changes are influenced by political, social, financial and technological factors and they certainly cannot be ignored. Subsequently, the organisations that decide not to embrace the new environmental changes cannot sustain competition, challenges, productivity and profit. Taking into consideration the motives which makes change an inevitable procedure, a strategic plan should be applied in order to achieve the goals. Every change, but in particular a change on the holistic function in an organisation is considered to be very a difficult issue. Resistance to change is in the human nature. A support regarding the change process, the motivation and the sta