The industrial revolution has come a long way since the first, with the fourth industrial revolution characterized by the digitization and integration of processes, equipment, and people into cyber-physical systems. This has advanced the field of quality management (QM) with the introduction of Quality 4.0 (Q4.0), which enhances human intelligence, decision-making speed and quality, and other aspects of QM. However, QM remains a challenge for many organizations to achieve consumer expectations, and current QMSs do not fit the fourth industrial era.
In this blog post, we will delve into a study that analyzed the readiness of Tanzanian manufacturing industries (TMIs) to transit to Q4.0. The study examined various factors that contribute to Q4.0 readiness, including Q4.0 awareness, readiness factors, adoption challenges, and benefits. The research used a mixed research method and collected data from 90 respondents, including managers, engineers, and supervisors from 14 large and medium-sized manufacturing industries.
The results showed that while there is a high level of awareness of Q4.0 characteristics in general, most respondents still use Quality 3.0 (Q3.0) or lower approaches. This highlights the need to establish implementable strategies that can foster higher productivity for manufacturing industries. The study also confirms the reliability of the research tools used in the analysis.
The study used various statistical measures such as Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, and average variance extracted (AVE) to evaluate the validity and reliability of the data. The results showed that the convergent validity was acceptable, and the model fit was good. The study found that factors such as Q4.0 strategies and vision, collaboration, customer-centeredness, training and Q4.0 skills, and government set-up had a significant positive impact on Q4.0 readiness, while factors such as supplier-centeredness had an insignificant impact. The study also suggested that the government should develop strategies and policies to drive Q4.0 leveraged technological adoption and establish training centers for experts to expand their technical expertise and implement Q4.0 in their industries.
The study also highlighted the key factors that need to be addressed for TMIs in Tanzania to transition to Q4.0, such as leveraged technology adoption, organizational culture, Q4.0 awareness and knowledge, infrastructure, financial set-up, and top management support. The challenges faced by TMIs in adopting Q4.0 include investment costs, skilled workers, high-speed internet, government set-up, and reliable electricity supply. However, the benefits of adopting Q4.0 are substantial, such as simplifying decision-making, waste elimination, continuous improvement, product and/or service enhancement, and customer satisfaction.
The results of the study can assist in developing a transition framework and national quality policies for various industries to spearhead the Q4.0 transition. The study also calls for future research to consider the differences in readiness factors between large and small and medium-sized enterprises and to explore Q4.0 adoption in sectors beyond manufacturing. The study provides a list of questions to assess an organization's readiness for Q4.0 implementation.
In conclusion, the study explores the readiness of manufacturing industries to transition to Quality 4.0 (Q4.0), which emphasizes data sharing, analytics, and advanced quality management. The study highlights the challenges and benefits of adopting Q4.0 and provides valuable insights into the transition to Q4.0 in TMIs. Policymakers, industry leaders, and practitioners in Tanzania can use this information to effectively adopt Q4.0 and improve their quality approaches to ensure sustainability.
Authors
Maganga, D. P., & Taifa, I. W. (2022). The readiness of manufacturing industries to transit to Quality 4.0. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, (ahead-of-print). https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-05-2022-0148