Quality management (QM) in the industry has received increasing attention in the last decades. The benefits of Total Quality Management (TQM) are extensively recognised following reports of its successful implementation in many organisations and companies, which has led these structures becoming highly competitive by producing products and services that meet customer requirements and expectations. With this regard numerous studies have been carried out which have highlighted factors affecting quality in many countries throughout the word, but there is limited research in developing countries.
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), despite the quality movement has received more attention in the late 1990s, the industry sector is still being criticised as having poor quality performance. With this regard, organisations and companies realised the need to improve the quality of their products and services in order to become competitive. Indeed, there is a need to study critical success factors, barriers of implementation of TQM in the UAE.
The paper will examine to what extent SMEs companies in the UAE are applying the principles of TQM. For that purpose, a questionnaire survey was developed to assess the level of TQM implementation.  The survey results confirmed that most of SMEs companies and organisations surveyed understand that TQM approach is a fundamental tool to long-term survival and therefore will be encouraged to implement TQM.
Indeed leadership is an important feature for managers to improve the quality management because managers promote quality, emphasis on improving continuously the quality programme in the company with a clear vision of their future strategy. The empowerment of employees is got only if managers are committed to quality and employees need to understand the importance of their specific job. Their relationships, good coordination between departments and feedback given to employees about their performance are very important to achieve the TQM process improvements.
 Education and training are given to employees in accordance with their needs and objectives of company. Their job and working conditions have to match with their abilities that will enhance the skills towards quality management.