Total Quality Management (TQM) has come a long way since its inception, evolving into Quality 4.0, a digitalized version of TQM that focuses on the impact of digitalization on quality management, process, and people. Industry 4.0 has had a significant impact on TQM practices, with the use of big data, algorithms, and advanced technologies enhancing traditional quality management techniques.
In this scientific paper, the authors provide valuable insights into the role of Industry 4.0 in improving various aspects of TQM, such as customer focus, employee training and learning, process management, and availability of quality data. They discuss how Industry 4.0 enables businesses to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, produce customized products, and improve employee expertise and competency.
Sustainability is a crucial aspect of modern businesses, and the paper highlights the association between TQM practices and sustainable performance. The authors delve into the concept of soft and hard TQM practices and emphasize the need for harmony between social (soft) and technical (hard) systems of process. They provide valuable insights for organizations seeking to adopt and implement digital TQM (Quality 4.0) with the help of Industry 4.0 technologies.
Furthermore, a study conducted in Malaysia found that both soft and hard TQM practices have a positive and significant impact on the sustainable performance of Malaysian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector. The study highlights the importance of the social-technical system theory in the context of Industry 4.0 and the effective implementation of TQM practices. The findings suggest that SMEs should focus on both soft and hard TQM practices for an effective quality management implementation and improved sustainable performance.
In conclusion, the evolution of TQM into Quality 4.0 has made a significant impact on the way businesses operate, with Industry 4.0 technologies enabling organizations to improve their quality management practices and sustainable performance. The research discussed in this paper provides valuable insights into the relationship between TQM practices and sustainable performance and emphasizes the need for harmony between soft and hard TQM practices.
Authors
Ali, K., & Johl, S. K. (2022). Impact of total quality management on SMEs sustainable performance in the context of industry 4.0. In Proceedings of International Conference on Emerging Technologies and Intelligent Systems: ICETIS 2021 (Volume 1) (pp. 608-620). Springer International Publishing. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-82616-1_50