How do organizational performances vary between early adopters and late adopters of Quality 4.0? An exploratory qualitative study

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how early and late adopters of Quality 4.0 (Q4.0) differ in terms of organizational performance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employed a grounded theory approach for interviewing 15 senior managers from diverse organizational contexts throughout the globe as part of their qualitative research methodology.FindingsThe research's findings were analyzed based on four types of performance: operational, financial, environmental and social. It was clear that early adopters of Q4.0 were sustaining superior performance in quality over time, even though their investment was significantly higher than that of late adopters. From a financial viewpoint, it was evident that early adopters had a competitive edge over their rivals compared to late adopters. Late adopters have utilized the notion of the circular economy (CE) more effectively than many early adopters in the context of environmental performance in order to establish a green economy and sustainable development.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the results of the interview indicate that Q4.0 is having some positive effects on social performance, in the authors' view, it is still least understood from an empirical standpoint.Originality/valueThe study's findings assist organizations in comprehending the performance differences between Q4.0 early adopters and late adopters.