Purpose The fundamentals of Lean are applicable and can be used in any industry, even non-profit and government organizations, however, there might be certain limitations due to the nature and the specifics of the industry. This study aims to explore what barriers of Lean implementation textile manufacturers might encounter. The authors consider the problem is worth to be explored for the potential to improve the effectiveness of Lean implementation in textile sector companies. Design/methodology/approach This research was conducted by using qualitative content analysis with open coding of the selected literature followed by empirical research in a Latvian textile manufacturing company. Findings The presented literature review shows Lean implementation barriers and critical success factors in various industries. The findings from the case study can be divided into two groups. The first confirmed the barriers already identified in the previous research. The second identified industry specific implementation barriers that were not recognized in the related literature. Research limitations/implications The original research was limited in scope to one Latvian textile manufacturer, therefore future studies on the subject to confirm the outcome of the research are required. Originality/value There is a limited number of studies on the application of Lean in the textile and apparel industry. The literature on Lean implementation in the Latvian manufacturing sector is also limited. The results of this research may have a practical application for textile manufactures considering implementing Lean in their processes.

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The main purpose of this paper is to explore how digital transformation influences and changes quality management practices adopted by the organisation. The methodology employed in this study is qualitative content analysis with open coding of selected literature followed by an empirical study in three logistic companies. Quality management practices related to leadership and culture, strategy, customer focus, improvement, relationship management, organisation and people, decision-making and processes are likely to transform with the integration of digital technologies. Innovation and digitalisation itself have all prospects to become a new addition to the core quality management concept. This study reviewed the general influence of digital transformation on quality management practices. The impacts of particular digital technology integration, such as blockchain, Internet of Things, robotics, etc. on quality management practices were not considered. The future research can be conducted on aspects of digitalisation of quality management systems and on the role of quality management practitioners in digital transformation. This study could be beneficial for the managers of organisations and quality professionals considering different aspects of digitalisation and adoption of digital technologies in their companies. This paper adds to the general knowledge about the relations between quality management and digital transformation which are not studied widely enough in the existing literature. The findings of the study provide a new insight on quality management in the light of digital transformation.

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Digital transformation (DT) is rapidly penetrating all spheres of human life, and higher education is no exception. This process is inevitable and ensures competitive advantage and other benefits for Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in case of success. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, HEIs worldwide were forced to completely transform their working methods and go digital in a very short period. Some institutions are more successful in this transformation by possessing the ability to overcome DT challenges and combining internal and external success factors. This research aims to identify what drives digital transformation in Higher Education Institutions, what benefits are there for them, what challenges they need to overcome, and what are the success factors of digital transformation in higher education.