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The primary objective of the paper is to present the role and meaning of fear in organizations implementing TQM. The author's intention is to identify the causes of fear in the TQM components as well as the main types of fear, their causes, consequences and methods of reduction.

The main research method applied is a systematic review of the literature on the subject. The applied systematic review procedure takes into consideration the indicated research objective, the selection of the basic literature and publications, the presentation of the publication database and content analysis. The author also makes use of his own observations ensuing from his acting in the capacity of a TQM consultant and a juror of the Polish Quality Award.

The paper presents the causes of fear in the TQM components, the main types of fear and its consequences. The limited possibilities of eliminating fear are also indicated. Fear appears when, for various reasons, TQM is improperly implemented and maintained, but also when resources are allocated incorrectly (e.g. a wrong selection of quality team members), and it is included in social processes (e.g. in the quality team forming process). It appears when only structural empowerment rather than mental empowerment is applied, when there exist contradictory expectations with regard to empowerment, in case of excessive and/or “have to” commitment in particular employees, and when too much emphasis is placed on commitment.

The reflections included in the paper may become useful for quality management practitioners, as such knowledge allows them to avoid mistakes which are the cause of fear, that is an emotion making quality improvement difficult. The paper does not present the manifestations and sources of fear in all TQM components, and they are certainly included in a broadly understood quality culture. Nevertheless, the gathered and arranged knowledge can be the source of further research.

Being the result of the studies of the literature on the subject, this paper is one of few publications discussing in a detailed manner one of the principles of effective quality management formulated by E. Deming, namely “driving fear out”.

The aim of this paper is to show the ways of setting quality objectives, their attributes and the conditions under which they can perform a motivational function.

Collecting relevant data, the authors used the results of previous research and theoretical assumptions concerning quality objectives. Subsequently, they carried out a survey and exemplification research based on participatory observations, document content analysis and interviews.

Goals are set mainly by top management, but the communication process itself is insufficient; the needs of system users are not taken into account. In the opinion of the employees, quality objectives are measurable and objective, although not very ambitious. For quality objectives to fulfil a motivational function, they should be objective and measurable. Also, the allocation of tasks among employees needs to be fair. Furthermore, quality objectives have to play a greater role in remuneration systems.

This paper is one of the first publications on the role and function of quality objectives. Its advantage is that it defines the conditions under which such objectives can have a motivational effect and encourage employees to pursue the improvement of their products and services.

The aim of this paper is to identify factors moderating the process of managing environmental objectives and to develop potential behavioural scenarios related to this process.

The main research method used by the authors was a systematic literature review. The applied procedure was consistent with the general methodology of conducting research and the methodology of research in management sciences. The conducted literature review was supplemented with an analysis of grey literature.

A number of factors influence the process of managing environmental objectives. Legal factors can stimulate the introduction of pro-environmental measures. The lack of universal legal regulations encourages unethical actions. The ethical values deserve special attention. If their level is high, then even the factors embedded in the environment that foster unethical behaviours are of little importance. In this sense, the performed literature review confirms the theory proposed by Locke. Managerial factors, including remuneration for the achievement of environmental objectives, may be the reason for weakening the process of minimising the negative impact on the environment.

On the basis of the conducted research and various theories of objectives, the authors formulated practical managerial recommendations aimed at reducing the number of errors in the process of setting environmental objectives.

The main objective of the conducted research was to find out various manifestations of pro-environmental behaviours (PEBs) amongst students of extramural programmes forced to stay at home during the lockdown period.

In order to identify manifestations of PEBs during the lockdown, the authors conducted research with the participation of students of various management extramural programmes in a Polish university. The primary research method was diary, supplemented by literature review and analysis of curriculum content.

Pro-sanitary behaviours that dominated during the pandemic period were aimed at protecting individuals from contracting the virus and resulted from legal regulations. No clear and regular differences in PEBs were observed amongst the respondents with respect to their age, gender or familiarity with management systems used in their respective workplaces. Student-employees acquire little knowledge of PEBs during their studies. A serious barrier to the development of PEBs is the lack of access to knowledge that would clearly indicate the causes of environmental degradation.

Based on the obtained results, a list of recommendations for educational practices was developed. The list emphasises the importance of drawing students' attention to PEBs in the household environment.

The conducted research was another project focussed in general on environmental behaviours and aimed in particular at exploring how mandatory social distancing influenced people's PEBs. The paper also highlights some limitations of the diary method used to identify people's behaviours in the pandemic context.

The study aimed to determine the correlations occurring between systemic support and environmental awareness. Additionally, the authors wished to establish which systemic factors (criteria of the ISO 14001) impact those dependencies.

Quantitative and qualitative research were carried out (survey findings were analysed against documentation research and self-observation records). The authors used literature review, analysis of system documentation, survey research and self-observation. The research was conducted in the period from April to May 2020. It focused on a chemical company operating within the structure of a large capital group and employing over 1,500 people. The system theory was used in the research. This theory recognises the existence of correlations and interactions among its subsystems and the elements that constitute them.

The conducted study points unequivocally to a considerable discrepancy between employees' opinions and records made in the documentation. Correlations between support and awareness level do exist, although for them to be positive, it is necessary to ensure an efficient process of communicating the effectiveness of the environmental management system. Reliance merely on audit findings, management reviews and environment monitoring process is insufficient. More focus is required on building employee commitment, as well as on counteracting excessive formalisation.

Environmental management systems have been gaining in popularity. There have been studies into the motives behind implementation of such systems, their benefits and their barriers for their application. However, there is a lack of research on the relationship between the individual criteria of the environmental management system.

The purpose of the paper is to present an overview of various total quality management (TQM) issues in Poland's business organizations and the public sector.

Describes the role of the Polish Quality Award Committee in promoting the idea of TQM. Presents the results of survey research on the implementation of TQM in Polish companies. Presents a critical analysis of the results and formulates conclusions based on the author' experience gained while working in the Polish Quality Award Committee at the National Chamber of Economy.

The analysis of the literature on the subject and the results of empirical research allow the formulation of conclusions. It turns out that most Polish companies implement the TQM philosophy under the influence of the positive results of the functioning quality management systems based on ISO standards. The influence of cultural and social factors cannot be underestimated. The further development of the TQM philosophy should be related to the development of knowledge in the field of human resources management. The promotional and didactic activities of the Polish Quality Award Committee and Polish universities influence positively the functioning and development of TQM. Some Polish companies try to combine TQM with other management methods, e.g. reengineering.

The practical aspects comprise these conclusions which are related to the barriers to the implementation of TQM. The knowledge of such barriers and their character can be advantageous for managers in the process of decision making.

The paper is the first holistic survey of TQM in Polish companies. It may constitute a basis for further research and scholarly analysis.

The purpose of this paper is to define the meaning of trust in the total quality management (TQM) concept and to present the practical possibilities of its development.

The basic research method was a study of the literature on the subject. First, the author carried out a detailed analysis of the literature on the subject and distinguished several thematic aspects comprising, among other things, the role and meaning of organizational values in management, the role of trust and its relation to other organizational values, and recommendations concerning trust development. The following stage was classification and categorization. Most of the issues were arranged in order and particular contents were ascribed to predetermined research aspects. The system approach and, indirectly, the hermeneutic interpretation were used in the article.

The research confirmed the possibility of trust development, taking into consideration a specific character of TQM. On the basis of previously developed concepts, the author proposes three methods of trust development in the TQM environment: taking into consideration an organizational values system; applying various trust types; and applying the key elements of TQM.

On the basis of the presented methods of TQM development, trust development programmes can be created. This is what some organizations have already been doing (e.g. Boeing‐Seattle).

The article is the first attempt to present the methods of trust development within the context of the specific character of TQM.