Identification of influential quality management variables using ISM approach

This paper aims to explain the relationship between the influential variables which affects the quality in supply chain. It proposes modelling the quality variables and outlining how these variables influence quality in context with a typical supply chain. Interpretive structural modelling (ISM) is used in this study to derive the interrelationship among the influential variables to improve the quality in supply chain. It is found that out of 14 selected variables the top management commitment, employee training and involvement, best practices, market sensitiveness and supply chain coordination are the key variables which greatly affect the return on investment and brand value of an organisation. The above model gives important guidelines to the supply chain managers to tackle these variables on priority basis for effective supply chain quality management. The results can give good learning insight for practitioners about driving and dependence power of variables in supply chain quality.