Industry 4.0, quality management and TQM world. A systematic literature review and a proposed agenda for further research

Abstract

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to analyse the current literature situation in terms of relationships between Industry 4.0 and quality management and TQM. The author wanted to understand what topics and issues can be considered the most relevant referring to the so-called Quality 4.0, what the literature is missing opening avenues for further research.

Design/methodology/approach

This research employed a systematic literature review. In total, 75 papers from different sources were reviewed using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Findings

Four categories of topics emerged, namely: creating value within the company through quality (big) data, analytics and artificial intelligence; developing Quality 4.0 skills and culture for quality people; customer value co-creation; cyber–physical systems and ERP for quality assurance and control. This paper also tried to understand if there is a definition of Quality 4.0 based on determined methods.

Research limitations/implications

Systematic literature review could have introduced some limitations in terms of the number and reliability of reviewed papers. Probably some interesting papers had been not intentionally missed.

Practical implications

Consultants and managers in developing and implementing their own Quality 4.0 models could use many practical and discussed implications concerning I4.0 technologies and quality management.

Originality/value

This is one of the first papers which employed the systematic literature review for researching Industry 4.0, quality management and TQM relationships.

Citation

Chiarini, A. (2020), "Industry 4.0, quality management and TQM world. A systematic literature review and a proposed agenda for further research", The TQM Journal, Vol. 32 No. 4, pp. 603-616. https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-04-2020-0082