Kavrakoğlu: a management pioneer with style and substance

Purpose: This paper aims to reassess Professor Ibrahim Kavrakoğlu’s contributions to management, focusing on his Total Management Quality (TMQ) concept. It examines how his ideas offer an alternative and practical perspective, emphasizing the integration of theory and practice across various contexts. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses a multidisciplinary approach, integrating a literature review of Kavrakoğlu’s works and interviews with his collaborators. It compares his management theories to prominent scholars like Michael Porter and Peter Drucker. The framework emphasizes Kavrakoğlu’s intellectual contributions within the context of broader critiques of management scholarship. Findings: Kavrakoğlu’s work, particularly the concept of TMQ, provides an alternative by offering a holistic approach, integrating quality management across strategic, operational and human resources dimensions. His locally adapted concepts, such as 3D Data-Driven Decision-Making, Asymmetric Education, Synergic Management and Knowledge Leveraging provide practical tools widely applied in Turkish industries but overlooked globally. Research limitations/implications: Based on Kavrakoğlu’s works and firsthand testimonials, further empirical research is needed to explore the practical applications of his theories. Practical implications: Kavrakoğlu’s principles provide valuable insights for integrating global theories with local business realities, improving overall managerial quality and decision-making in various contexts. This study highlights the importance of incorporating diverse management perspectives to enrich management education and practice. Social implications: By emphasizing the contributions of management thinkers from diverse cultural backgrounds, this study promotes inclusivity and broadens the global discourse in management education and practice. Originality/value: This study highlights Kavrakoğlu’s overlooked contributions, emphasizing his practical impact on management and advocating for a more inclusive view of global management history.