Do Americans have their minds set against TQM?

Evidence indicates that two‐thirds of quality programs implemented in the United States either fail to produce real improvements or are stalled, in spite of increased efforts. Most explanations for poor performance focus on operational deficiencies in the implementation of TQM practices and fail to address the underlying systemic psychological constraints that limit the dynamic impact of TQM in this country. This article examines five mental models, characteristic of the American mind‐set, that seriously constrain the implementation of TQM.