Problems in manufacturing have always been a hurdle for leadership, engineers, and professionals. They can lead to low productivity, poor quality, high costs, and ultimately loss of customers. Problems should be prevented by fair means and following well-established methodologies of continuous process improvement. The present paper addresses this topic, which in both academic and professional literature has been discussed from one single angle–that is, how to use a specific methodology in a certain situation. From that perspective, researchers from academia and consultancy promote the use of a particular method. One of the greatest challenges to researchers and practitioners in manufacturing is to select the right methodology for problem-solving and process improvement. The present paper attempts to address this issue from a literature review perspective. The approach followed is based on the fact that understanding the attributes of process improvement methodologies reported in the open literature and their linkages to the main phases of the continuous improvement process will provide insights on how the selection of the methodologies can be carried out in real manufacturing situations.

Working to ensure a safe and secure work environment for workers and employees has become an essential component of achieving organizational excellence in modern organizations. Occupational safety and health (OSH) programs help in attracting and retaining the workforce and human competencies, thus improving the operational and organizational performance of these organizations. Total quality management (TQM) is a management philosophy adopted by successful organizations to achieve sustainable business performance. This study aims to assess the level of implementation of total quality management and occupational safety and health in Saudi organizations and investigates the relationship between total quality management practices and occupational safety and health performance. Data were collected from a number of random organizations during the period November to December 2021. Based on a sample of 99 valid responses, empirical results were obtained through descriptive and advanced statistical analysis, indicating that TQM practices and OHS are highly implemented in Saudi organizations. The statistical results also showed that TQM practices have a significant positive impact on OSH performance in the surveyed organizations. The seven TQM fundamental pillars and the five OSH program components can be considered as essential success factors and fundamental pillars for TQM implementation in organizations and for OSH performance improvement.

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One of the major priorities for manufacturing companies in the globalized economy is the ability to offer high-quality products to customers at the lowest production cost. Globally, process improvement methods and techniques are used to reduce waste and improve product and service quality. This paper aims to propose a systematic model based on process improvement methodologies and tools to help the manufacturing companies decide on cutting tool life and other manufacturing issues. This research seeks to prove that some common industry practices, such as changing cutting tools in machining processes, can significantly affect the economics of production and the overall performance of the plant. The research is mainly based on analyzing real field data using the DMAIC methodology to identify improvements in order to achieve a balance between economy and quality in a Saudi manufacturing plant. Although the study was concerned only with changing cutting tools in the machining process in an air conditioning plant, its findings and conclusions can be generalized to all manufacturing processes.