The impact of digitalization on quality management challenges: A field study in a sample of Algerian industrial companies

Abstract

Digitalization has become a pivotal element in enhancing production processes and boosting competitiveness. However, this transformation imposes new challenges on quality management, necessitating an examination of its impact on industrial companies. This study aims to identify the effect of digitalization on the challenges faced by quality management in a sample of Algerian industrial companies. The study used convenience sampling to distribute a questionnaire to 43 industrial companies in western Algeria during the first three months of 2024. Data coding and descriptive statistical analysis were conducted using SPSS software. Subsequently, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed using the Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) approach via SmartPLS 4. The results revealed that digitalization positively influences more than 78% of the challenges faced by quality management in these companies, prompting the development of adaptive quality management strategies aligned with the evolving digital environment. Based on these findings, it is recommended that quality management personnel in these companies enhance their skills and continuously update their working mechanisms to keep pace with ongoing digitalization, thereby ensuring the achievement of quality standards amid rapid technological advancements