Total Quality Management 4.0 framework: Present and future

Abstract

Utilising socio-technical system theory, this study explores the Total Quality Management 4.0 (TQM 4.0) framework on the integration of quality management principles and industry 4.0 tools. The systematic literature review technique was applied to 203 articles from the Web of Science database to establish a theoretical framework for TQM 4.0. After an in-depth analysis of twenty key papers, twenty-one indicators for TQM 4.0 practices are proposed. Using the Pareto analysis, thirteen of the most important are identified. The research also explores the five major pillars of TQM 4.0, including technical elements, social elements, smart organisation, smart factory, and smart product. The study thoroughly understands TQM 4.0 and its related trending topics by employing a bibliometric technique to examine the publications’ keywords. The result of the bibliometric analysis shows that TQM 4.0 research addresses not only issues associated with Industry 4.0 techniques, such as big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning but also digital transformation, sustainability, and quality culture. Especially organisational performance has been a relatively recent topic of interest to TQM 4.0 researchers. The study provides a TQM 4.0 framework for scholars to conduct additional research and for practitioners to implement the TQM 4.0 to gain long-term sustainability, as well as provides an overview of the current TQM 4.0 and suggests possible future research trends in the TQM field.