TQM implementation serves the purpose of achieving business excellence which eventually leads to customer satisfaction, increased profits and higher production for the organization.  The purpose of this paper is to investigate the most important success factors of TQM and study its comparative importance for enhanced execution in manufacturing industries. In this study a broad literature review was done to identify and prepare the list of success factors for sustaining TQM implementation. Analytic hierarchy process is used to assign the relative importance and ranking the identified success factors of TQM in perspective manufacturing industries. The finding of study demonstrates that ‘Top management commitment’ ranked number one and this factor is fundamental for implementing TQM initiatives successfully. The success factors ‘education and training’ and ‘rewards & recognition’ ranked at second and third positions which need special attention while performing TQM activities in a more effective manner. The results also propose a general hierarchy model for judging the relative importance of success factors that would influence implementation of TQM.