The readiness of manufacturing industries to transit to Quality 4.0

Abstract

PurposeThis research provides the essential aspects of the transition from traditional quality methods like total quality management, quality assurance and quality control to a new quality approach linked with the Industry 4.0 era. The purpose of this paper is to address this issue.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a survey method to obtain the practitioners' perceptions of the Quality 4.0 (Q4.0) concepts. Both closed-ended and open-ended structured questionnaires assessed the perceptions of respondents regarding manufacturers' readiness and Q4.0 awareness to transition to Q4.0. Non-probability and purposive sampling tactics selected 15 Tanzanian manufacturing industries (TMIs). Garnered data were scrutinised quantitatively and qualitatively utilising Minitab® 20, SmartPLS 3.3.7 and MAXQADA 2020 software packages.FindingsThe results indicate that TMIs are equipped to deploy the Q4.0 approach because industrialists are familiar with the concept's characteristics and dimensions and the benefits of implementing Q4.0. Most TMIs utilise a Q3.0 method for managing quality, while some manufacturing industries have begun to apply Q4.0 leveraging technologies. The study revealed several factors influencing Q4.0 readiness in TMIs, including leveraged technology adoption, training, Q4.0 skills, infrastructures, the government set-up, top management support, Q4.0 strategy and vision, collaboration, awareness, knowledge of Q4.0, customer and supplier centeredness and organisational culture.Research limitations/implicationsThe implication of this study is on Q4.0 awareness creation so that industries can grab the advantages of Q4.0 leveraged technologies. Another implication is that organisational readiness factors identified in this study are critical for the effective adoption of Q4.0. The highlighted influences may be utilised as indications to determine an organisation's readiness to transition to the Q4.0 approach. This research was limited to TMIs, excluding service firms, mining, and the building and construction industry due to differences in their mode of operation.Originality/valueDetermining readiness factors and awareness for the Q4.0 study is probably the first amongst the seven East African countries, including Tanzania. This study thus bridges a huge gap in fulfilling the need of this research type.

Insights into quality professionals' adoption of Quality 4.0 in the high-tech industry

“…The literature review reveals several research publications utilizing the questionnaire method to ascertain the practitioners' perception of the Quality 4.0 technologies (Maganga and Taifa, 2023; Xiang et al. , 2023; Roy Ghatak and Garza-Reyes, 2024; Alrabadi et al.…”

“…The literature review reveals several research publications utilizing the questionnaire method to ascertain the practitioners' perception of the Quality 4.0 technologies (Maganga and Taifa, 2023;Xiang et al, 2023;Roy Ghatak and Garza-Reyes, 2024;Alrabadi et al, 2023). Considering the literature review on latent variables included in the technology acceptance models, it is observable that there is no standardized approach and models are formulated according to researchers' preferences.…”

Critical Steps and Conditions to Be Included in a Business Model in Logistics, Seeking Competitive Advantage from the Perspective of the Modern Digital Age and Industry 4.0

“…These cutting-edge tools make it possible to offer clients high-quality goods and services, giving businesses a much-needed competitive advantage. These tools increase operational effectiveness inside a company, lower nonconformance and defect rates, and guarantee on-time deliveries, manufacturing output, and supply chain adaptability [53,54]. In a nutshell, Quality 4.0 is a branch of Industry 4.0 that aims to improve quality through clever solutions and algorithms.…”

Developing a Systematic and Practical Road Map for Implementing Quality 4.0

“…Research on Q4.0 in the I4.0 context is still in its infancy with the new quality model (Javaid et al, 2021;Sureshchandar, 2023). The main obstacle is how enterprises, especially those in developing nations, can switch from the traditional approach to modern quality and have a methodical plan for implementing Q4.0 (Maganga and Taifa, 2022). In this context, total quality management (TQM) and I4.0 concerns were reviewed in the literature to produce a bibliographic panorama, focusing on the emerging concept of TQM without going into specifics (i.e., different industrial sectors and different nations' cultures) (De Souza et al, 2022).…”