Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop an optimal model of an integrated quality and safety management system (QSMS). Design/methodology/approach Keywords related with these systems were identified from international standards and subsequently mined from a selection of peer reviewed articles that discuss and propose varying forms of integrated models for both systems. Cluster analysis was used to establish the degree to which integrated models, as described in the articles were quality dominant vs safety dominant. Word counts were utilized for establishing content and attributes for each category. An optimal integrated model was developed from the final cluster analysis and substantiated by a one-way analysis of variance. Experts from industry were consulted to validate and fine-tune the model. Findings It was determined that characteristics of an optimal integrated model include the keywords “risk,” “safety,” “incident,” “injury,” “hazards,” as well as “preventive action,” “corrective action,” “rework,” “repair,” and “scrap.” It also combines elements of quality function deployment as well as hazard and operability analysis meshed into a plan-do-check-act type work-flow. Research limitations/implications Given the vast array of clustering algorithms available, the clusters that resulted were dependent upon the algorithm deployed and may differ from clusters resulting for divergent algorithms. Originality/value The optimized model is a hybrid that consists of a quality management system as the superordinate strategic element with safety management system deployed as the supporting tactical element. The model was implemented as a case study, and resulted in 13 percent labor-hour saving.

This work presents a review of causal comparative quality related research over time. With an in-depth review of research databases, the author concludes that quality related research are few and far between compared to researches in other field like physic and chemistry to mention a few. It is noted that high-quality scholarship in the field of quality systems and management which is about working to gain a deeper understanding within the discipline and not just a repeat of concepts from the teachings of the quality gurus are hard to come by. This work reveals that opportunities for scholarly work in the quality discipline are immense. The work concludes by noting that the increasing use of quality gurus' philosophies for research-based evaluation, thesis and dissertation by quality professionals across the globe is a testament to the fact that the interest in scholarship in quality is not declining. The burden is on the professionals in quality management fields to ensure continual scholarship in the profession as a way to ensure they are counted as equivalent to professionals from other traditional disciplines.