This paper emphasises on the question of how quality management initiatives influences business performance with particular emphasis to Australian manufacturing industries. The paper describes the finding of a pilot survey on quality conducted among manufacturing companies in the Geelong region of the Victoria state. The results of the survey have helped in understanding the transient nature of the quality management process. It transpires from the study that the industry managers have limited perception of the quality process. They fail to realise some of the important feedback loops of the quality management system. The paper attempts to identify the missing links and develop a comprehensive (and a more representative) causal model of quality management process.