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Education 4.0 (E 4.0) represents a new paradigm in the field of education, which emphasizes a student-centric approach that allows learners to access education anytime, anywhere, tailored to their individual needs through modern-day technologies. The purpose of the study was to unearth the critical success factors (CSFs) essential for the successful implementation of E 4.0.

The CSFs were unearthed using a literature review and further the interrelationships were analysed using multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) approach.

The study unearthed 15 CSFs for the successful implementation of E 4.0. The most important factor for the successful implementation of E 4.0 was personalized learning which was found to be the casual factor. The other causal CSFs were clear vision and leadership for E 4.0, stakeholder involvement, data analytics in teaching and learning, inter-disciplinary learning and blended learning environments. The effect factors were digital citizenship-based education, teacher training and development for E 4.0, supportive environment, curriculum redesign for E 4.0, open educational resources, digital technologies, formative assessments, infrastructure for E 4.0 and sustainability in education.

This is the first study which unearthed the CSFs and found the interrelationships among them, thus contributing to the theory of technology organization environment.

This study represented a pioneering effort in understanding the CSFs underpinning the successful adoption of E 4.0, paving the way for a more personalized, tech-savvy and effective education system.

The purpose of this study is to examine whether variation in franchising across US states can be explained by differences in state regulatory burdens.

Three years of US state-level panel data is used on measures of franchising activity published by the International Franchise Association. The authors measured variation in regulatory burdens across state governments using the regulatory freedom index, developed by the Cato Institute. Multiple regression analysis was the statistical technique used.

Controlling for state-level per capita personal income, educational attainment, unemployment and share of population identifying as non-white, the authors find states with fewer regulatory burdens for business owners have more franchises and franchise jobs per 100,000 residents, higher franchise output per capita and a larger share of small businesses are franchises. These results were robust to alternative econometric specifications. The results support our hypothesis that states with lower regulatory burdens will have more franchising activity.

Only three years of data are currently available; however, our research provides some practical avenues for managers and policy makers to explore when considering new franchise opportunities or developing policies that impact regulatory burdens for small businesses.

This study contributes to the literature by providing supporting evidence for the relationship between US state institutional factors and franchised small businesses, and it adds a cross-state study to the existing literature using cross-country and cross-city data.

In a highly competitive and globalised era, agile organisations proactively steer towards sustainability. This situation persuaded the organisations to align Quality Management (QM) initiatives to achieve sustainable outcomes. This study aims to explore quality–sustainability linkage, explicitly focusing on attaining the prestigious IAQ Quality Sustainability Award. Further it investigates, the impact of QM as a strategy for promoting sustainability to meet sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Due to the lack of substantial literature connecting QM to sustainability, the current research adopted an explanatory multiple-case study. Six cases were purposively chosen for the study. Three cases of those who have achieved the prestigious IAQ Quality Sustainability Award and remaining have been selected that have fallen short of receiving the award. A detailed within-case and cross-case examinations involving six cases that reported their QM achievements aligned with SDGs.

The findings demonstrate the significant role of QM adoption in achieving positive results from the perspective of SDGs, such as reduced environmental impacts, improved operational efficiency and enhanced quality of life. Effective stakeholder collaboration, proficiency in analytical tools and strategic alignment with SDGs emerged as critical success factors. Conversely, weak linkage with sustainability and unclear approaches were crucial challenges in attaining the IAQ Quality Sustainability Award.

This paper outlines essential commandments for organisations actively seeking to promote sustainability. It offers valuable insights for decision-makers, facilitating a profound understanding of the challenges and opportunities in pursuing sustainable performance.

The distinctive nature of this study lies in its dedicated exploration of the intricate relationship between QM deployment and its true impact on the achievement of the SDGs.

This study investigates the challenges and opportunities that organisations face in implementing Quality 4.0 as an approach to quality management and investigate the current state of Quality 4.0 implementation.

This study uses a qualitative research methodology to interview senior managers from globally based manufacturing and service industries.

The study explicates that most organisations implemented Quality 4.0 to improve their flexibility, efficiency, transparency and productivity while focusing on improving service quality, customer satisfaction and reducing cost. In terms of sustainability of Quality 4.0 the key factors found were a consistent effort from the top management, continuous training to employees, building leadership quality and creating a habit of using Quality 4.0.

The findings of this study offer useful guidance to organisations desirous of implementing Quality 4.0. In addition, the findings have identified key sustainability factors, helping organisations ensure a successful implementation and long-term returns from Quality 4.0.

The findings of this study contribute to the body of knowledge related to Quality 4.0 and help organisations in their digital transformation journey. In addition, it is one of the first studies to investigate the key factors for Quality 4.0 sustainability.

This research aims to establish the applicability of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 18404 standard to the service sector, identify any required amendments and identify the critical success factors and barriers to deploying the standard within the service sector.

The study used a qualitative approach by interviewing operational excellence (OPEX) professionals who work in the service sector.

The findings indicate a significant lack of knowledge about the existence of the standard and a general scepticism regarding the applicability of the current ISO 18404 standard to the service sector.

Limited examples of the application of ISO 18404 in organisations exist, as only a few organisations have adopted the standard. Therefore, the research focussed on the challenges and obstacles that experienced OPEX professionals perceived could be an issue.

The study will aid service sector organisations in understanding the standard and, subsequently, determine whether to pursue it as part of an OPEX programme. This research is the first study on the application of ISO 18404 to the service sector.

This study aims to investigate the adoption of Quality 4.0 (Q4.0) and assess the critical failure factors (CFFs) for its implementation and how its failure is measured.

A qualitative study based on in-depth interviews with quality managers and executives was conducted to establish the CFFs for Q4.0.

The significant CFFs highlighted were resistance to change and a lack of understanding of the concept of Q4.0. There was also a complete lack of access to or availability of training around Q4.0.

The study enhances the body of literature on Q4.0 and is one of the first research studies to provide insight into the CFFs of Q4.0.

Based on the discussions with experts in the area of quality in various large and small organizations, one can understand the types of Q4.0 initiatives and the CFFs of Q4.0. By identifying the CFFs, one can establish the steps for improvements for organizations worldwide if they want to implement Q4.0 in the future on the competitive global stage.

The concept of Q4.0 is at the very nascent stage, and thus, the CFFs have not been found in the extant literature. As a result, the article aids businesses in understanding possible problems that might derail their Q4.0 activities.

The purpose of this global study is to investigate the critical failure factors (CFFs) in the deployment of operational excellence (OPEX) programs as well as the key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be used to measure OPEX failures. The study also empirically analyzes various OPEX methodologies adopted by various organizations at a global level.

This global study utilized an online survey to collect data. The questionnaire was sent to 800 senior managers, resulting in 249 useful responses.

The study results suggest that Six Sigma is the most widely utilized across the OPEX methodologies, followed by Lean Six Sigma and Lean. Agile manufacturing is the least utilized OPEX methodology. The top four CFFs were poor project selection and prioritization, poor leadership, a lack of proper communication and resistance to change issues.

This study extends the current body of knowledge on OPEX by first delineating the CFFs for OPEX and identifying the differing effects of these CFFs across various organizational settings. Senior managers and OPEX professionals can use the findings to take remedial actions and improve the sustainability of OPEX initiatives in their respective organizations.

This study uniquely identifies critical factors leading to OPEX initiative failures, providing practical insights for industry professionals and academia and fostering a deeper understanding of potential pitfalls. The research highlights a distinctive focus on social and environmental performance metrics, urging a paradigm shift for sustained OPEX success and differentiating itself in addressing broader sustainability concerns. By recognizing the interconnectedness of 12 CFFs, the study offers a pioneering foundation for future research and the development of a comprehensive management theory on OPEX failures.

Operational excellence (OpEx) is a proven philosophy focusing on continuous improvement in processes and systems for superior performance and efficiency. It plays a crucial role in the energy sector, acting as a catalyst for safety, customer satisfaction, sustainability and competitiveness. This research aims to assess OpEx methodologies in Oman’s energy sector, examining methods, approaches, motivations and sustainability.

This study applies qualitative analysis methodology, involving interviews with 18 industry experts, from the energy sector in a sizeable energy country.

The analysis revealed a growing demand, particularly, in the oil and gas industry, driven by emerging business needs. Qualitative data analysis has identified 10 themes such as implemented methodologies, motivation drivers, deployment approaches, sustainability factors, benefits and challenges. Additionally, new themes emerged, including influencers to start OpEx, resource requirements, enablers for successful OpEx and systems.

This research was limited to Oman and the findings drawn from Omani energy companies may have limited applicability to energy companies in other regions. Therefore, if these findings were to be used, the validation of the findings in relation to other countries should be conducted, to ensure the validity of the context and outcome.

These findings contribute to understanding OpEx dynamics in the Omani energy sector, offering valuable insights for effective utilisation and organisational goal achievement. Furthermore, the study offers valuable insights on how to effectively employ OpEx initiatives in the energy sector to achieve their goals and create value. It addresses the lack of knowledge, offers a framework for successful OpEx implementation, bridges the theory-practice gap and provides insights for optimal utilisation.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study on assessing OpEx methodologies in the energy sector, and therefore it serves as a foundation for many future studies. The study provides a theoretical foundation for the OpEx methodologies in terms of organisational readiness for successful OpEx implementation.

The use of quality management (QM) to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) is a topic of growing interest in academia and industry. The IAQ (International Academy for Quality) established Quality Sustainability Award in 2020, a testament to this growing interest. This study aims to investigate how QM philosophies, methodologies and tools can be used to achieve sustainable development in organizations.

Five large manufacturing organizations – three from India and two from China – who reported their achievements about using QM in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were studied using multiple sources of data collection. A detailed within-case and cross-case analysis were conducted to unearth this linkage's practical and theoretical aspects.

The study finds that QM methodologies effectively met the five organizations' UNSDGs. These organizations successfully used OPEX (Operational Excellence) methodologies such as Lean, Kaizen and Six Sigma to meet UNSDGs 7, 11, 12 and 13. Moreover, UNSG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) is the most targeted goal across the case studies. A cross-case analysis revealed that the most frequently used quality tools were Design of Experiments (DoE), Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA), C&E analysis and Inferential statistics, among other essential tools.

The study's sample size was limited to large-scale manufacturing organizations in the two most populous countries in the world. This may limit the study's generalizability to other countries, continents, or micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Additionally, the study's conclusions would be strengthened if tested as hypotheses in a follow-up survey.

This practical paper provides case studies on how to use QM to impact SDGs. It offers both descriptive and prescriptive solutions for practitioners. The study highlights the importance of using essential QM tools in a structured and systematic manner, with effective teams, to meet the SDGs of organizations.

The study shows how QM can be used to impact UNSDGs, and this is very important because the UNSDGs are a set of global objectives that aim to address a wide range of social and environmental issues. This study could motivate organizations to achieve the UNSDGs using essential QM tools and make the world a better place for the present and future generations.

This case study is the first to investigate at a micro-level how QM can impact UNSDGs using live examples. It uses data from the IAQ to demonstrate how QM can be integrated into UNSDGs to ensure sustainable manufacturing.