This study investigates the implementation of Quality-Health-Safety-Environment (QHSE) management systems as a strategic mechanism to enhance organizational performance, mitigate operational risks, and ensure regulatory compliance in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries. We quantitatively model and empirically validate the key structural determinants influencing QHSE maturity in 214 Cameroonian SMEs operating across four sectors: agri-food, construction and public works, light chemical industry, and technical services. Drawing on organizational capability theory and principles of integrated management systems, we examine factors including firm size, process formalization, hierarchical structure, digitalization level, regulatory adherence, and the presence of dedicated QHSE functions. Data were analyzed using multiple regression, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM). Our findings demonstrate that process formalization, digitalization, and regulatory compliance are the primary drivers of QHSE maturity, collectively explaining 67.4% of the variance, while managerial leadership and organizational learning act as significant mediators. Furthermore, we introduce a four-level QHSE maturity typology, specifically tailored to the structural characteristics of Cameroonian SMEs, which extends the theoretical understanding of integrated QHSE management in developing country contexts. This research provides managers with an analytical framework to support continuous improvement processes and offers policymakers evidence-based insights to design targeted interventions for improving QHSE performance. Although the cross-sectional design limits causal inference, the study establishes a foundation for future longitudinal and cross-regional research, with relevance for SMEs in comparable international settings.
References
[1]
Abad, J., Dalmau, I., & Vilajosana, J. (2014). Taxonomic Proposal for Integration Levels of Management Systems Based on Empirical Evidence and Derived Corporate Benefits. Journal of Cleaner Production, 78, 164-173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.04.084
[2]
Bititci, U. S., Garengo, P., Ates, A., & Nudurupati, S. S. (2015). Value of Maturity Models in Performance Measurement. International Journal of Production Research, 53, 3062-3085. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2014.970709
[3]
Bullock, A., & Hughes, A. (2001). Survey Design, Response Bias and Sample Characteristics in the 1997 CBR SME Survey. Centre for Business Research, University of Cambridge. http://doc.ukdataservice.ac.uk/doc/4431/mrdoc/pdf/a4431uab.pdf
[4]
Chong, J., & Duan, S. X. (2022). Riding on the Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Re-Thinking Organizational Design: A Contingency-Based Approach. Journal of Strategy and Management, 15, 628-646. https://doi.org/10.1108/jsma-07-2021-0142
[5]
Ding, R., Xu, J., & Sui, Y. (2021). An Integrated Management System for Quality, Health and Safety, and Environment: A Case Study. Journal of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 9, 170-179. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jeee.20210905.14
[6]
Domingues, P., Sampaio, P., & Arezes, P. M. (2016). Integrated Management Systems Assessment: A Maturity Model Proposal. Journal of Cleaner Production, 124, 164-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.02.103
[7]
Garengo, P., Biazzo, S., & Bititci, U. S. (2005). Performance Measurement Systems in SMEs: A Review for a Research Agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews, 7, 25-47. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2005.00105.x
[8]
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2019). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS SEM) (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
[9]
Hillnhagen, S., Mütze, A., Nyhuis, P., & Schmidt, M. (2023). Influence of ISO 9001 on the Configuration of Production Planning and Control. Procedia CIRP, 120, 1292-1296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2023.09.165
[10]
Ispas, L., Mironeasa, C., & Silvestri, A. (2025). A Study on the Emergence and Resilience of Integrated Management Systems in Organizations with an Industrial Profile in Romania. Sustainability, 17, Article 2401. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062401
[11]
Kaassis, B., & Badri, A. (2018). Development of a Preliminary Model for Evaluating Occupational Health and Safety Risk Management Maturity in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. Safety, 4, Article 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/safety4010005
[12]
Loushine, T. W., Hoonakker, P., Carayon, P., & Smith, M. J. (2004). The Relationship between Safety and Quality Management in Construction. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 48, 2060-2064. https://doi.org/10.1177/154193120404801658
[13]
Lubatkin, M. H., Simsek, Z., Ling, Y., & Veiga, J. F. (2006). Ambidexterity and Performance in Small-to Medium-Sized Firms: The Pivotal Role of Top Management Team Behavioral Integration. Journal of Management, 32, 646-672. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206306290712
[14]
Ramsaroop, M. A., & Mafini, C. (2023). Integrated Management System Implementation in SMEs: A Proposed Model for Organisational Performance and Sustainability. International Journal of Business and Management Review, 8, 58-77.
[15]
Shaibu, B. O., Abubakar, F. M., Mustapha, A. H., & Abdulmumuni, B. (2025). Effect of Organizational Structure on Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Kaduna State, Nigeria: The Role of Learning Orientation. FULafia International Journal of Business and Allied Studies, 3, 163-180. https://fijbas.org/index.php/FIJBAS/article/view/207
[16]
Silva, A. C., Vidor, G. R., & Santos, F. A. (2019). Assessment of Maturity Level: A Study of QHSE Culture. Revista Produção e Desenvolvimento, 5, e357.
[17]
Vega Martinez, J. E., Martinez Serna, M. d. C., & Parga Montoya, N. (2020). Dimensions of Learning Orientation and Its Impact on Organizational Performance and Competitiveness in SMEs. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 21, 395-420. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2020.11801
