Motivations, barriers and readiness factors for Quality 4.0 implementation: an exploratory study
ISSN: 1754-2731
Article publication date: 22 January 2021
Issue publication date: 28 October 2021
Abstract
Purpose
Quality 4.0 is the new buzzword among quality professionals. There has been no empirical study of Quality 4.0 yet. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to investigate what are the motivations, barriers and readiness factors for Quality 4.0 implementation.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses an online survey on senior quality professionals working in leading companies in Europe and America. In total, 50 participants participated in this study.
Findings
This study finds the top five motivating, barriers and readiness factors for Quality 4.0 implementation. These factors are ranked in terms of the order of importance as perceived by senior quality professionals.
Research limitations/implications
This is the first empirical study on Quality 4.0 that investigates the motivation, barriers and readiness factors of Quality 4.0. This study provides a theoretical base of Quality 4.0 body of knowledge in terms of its practical relevance and adoption in modern-day organizations.
Practical implications
Organizations can use this study to understand what the motivation and barriers for implementing Quality 4.0. In addition, before implementation of Quality 4.0, the readiness factor for Quality 4.0 can be used by organizations to evaluate their preparedness before the actual implementation of the initiative.
Originality/value
This is the first empirical study on Quality 4.0 that captures the viewpoints of senior quality professionals on the motivation, barriers and readiness factors of Quality 4.0.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully thank all the senior quality professionals who participated in the online survey. The authors also thank the anonymous reviewers for the constructive comments, which have improved the paper.Corrigendum: It has come to the attention of the publisher that the article Sony, M., Antony, J. and Douglas, J.A. (2021), “Motivations, barriers and readiness factors for Quality 4.0 implementation: an exploratory study”, published in The TQM Journal, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-11-2020-0272 did not include Dr Olivia McDermott as a co-author of the article.The authors recognise the contributions made by Dr McDermott and sincerely apologise for this mistake. The author guidelines for The TQM Journal make it clear that anyone who has made a significant contribution to an article should be included as an author. Dr McDermott has now been added as fourth co-author of the article.
Citation
Sony, M., Antony, J., Douglas, J.A. and McDermott, O. (2021), "Motivations, barriers and readiness factors for Quality 4.0 implementation: an exploratory study", The TQM Journal, Vol. 33 No. 6, pp. 1502-1515. https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-11-2020-0272
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited