Exploring the Greek national business system: Towards a modernization agenda

Purpose: This paper seeks to explore the Greek National Business System (NBS) in terms of management practices, organizational culture and public administration. Moreover, the need for modernization is analyzed with focus on total quality management (TQM) as the major issue on this agenda.

Design/methodology/approach: This study utilizes a critical literature review approach to draw together and conceptualize the modernization agenda of the Greek NBS.

Findings: This paper supports the idea that there is a need to put promising management practices into the context of the Greek national business system and to study not only the market situation, the industrial relations history and the HR practices used, but also how these practices are understood and used by managers and employees who work in different employment sectors.

Practical implications: The findings of this study may have a broader impact as Greece attempts to redefine itself as a hub for South‐East Europe.

Originality/value: Since most academic studies concerning the application of promising management strategies like TQM have been conducted in Anglo‐Saxon countries, there is a need to remove the blinkers and explore these management initiatives in the context of other than Anglo‐Saxon NBSs.