Assessing Quality 4.0 implementation maturity in manufacturing organizations: a hierarchical framework

Abstract

This study aims to develop and empirically apply a structured framework for assessing Quality 4.0 (Q4.0) implementation maturity within manufacturing organizations. This study addresses the fragmented nature of existing Q4.0 assessment approaches by integrating strategic, organizational, operational, technological, analytical and customer-oriented dimensions into a unified hierarchical evaluation framework. The proposed framework was developed through a structured review of prior Q4.0 and digital quality management literature and refined through expert consultation. The framework comprises 6 enablers, 18 criteria and 36 measurable attributes. A multi-grade fuzzy logic approach was used to aggregate expert evaluations and compute maturity indices. The framework was empirically applied within a large Saudi manufacturing organization operating in the food and beverage sector. The empirical assessment classified the organization at the Advanced level of Q4.0 implementation maturity, with an overall maturity index of 7.2307. The findings of this study indicate relatively strong performance in leadership and strategic alignment, process integration and quality methodology and technology infrastructure and connectivity. In contrast, comparatively lower maturity levels were observed in data management and analytics, workforce readiness and customer-oriented digital integration. The results of this study further demonstrate that Q4.0 maturity depends on balanced development across interconnected organizational dimensions rather than isolated technological investment. The framework provides managers with a structured diagnostic tool for evaluating current Q4.0 maturity and identifying priority areas for digital quality transformation. This study contributes to the Q4.0 assessment literature by integrating the most consistently emphasized dimensions of digital quality transformation into a unified hierarchical assessment framework. This study further extends the application of multi-grade fuzzy logic to Q4.0 maturity assessment and provides empirical evidence from the Saudi manufacturing context, which remains comparatively underexplored in existing Q4.0 research.