Business organizations may be able to improve their Sustainability Performance (SP) by adopting Total Quality Management (TQM) concepts combined with Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies. This research ...has developed a model to investigate the influence of TQM and I4.0 on SP. It also analyzes the mediating role of TQM in the relationship between I4.0 and SP. A survey was conducted among 240 respondents employed in ready-made garment (RMG) industries in Bangladesh. A Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique was used to analyze the collected data. Research findings show that both TQM and I4.0 technologies have a significant impact on the sustainable growth of the Bangladeshi RMG sector. Moreover, it is observed that TQM mediates the relationship between I4.0 and SP. The findings show that TQM helps to explain the relationship between I4.0 and sustainable performance. This study will provide a guideline for industrial executives on securing sustainability through the adoption of TQM concepts and I4.0 technologies. We are not aware of any additional studies that look at the possible link between TQM, I4.0, and SP, as well as the mediating role of TQM between I4.0 and SP.
Purpose The purpose of the research is to recognize and rank the barriers preventing Industry 4.0 (I4.0) adoption in Bangladesh’s food and beverage industries. It aims to highlight the major ...difficulties the sector is currently facing and offer a hierarchical framework for evaluating these barriers. Design/methodology/approach An exhaustive literature review was conducted along with expert interviews with academics and industry professionals to identify and assess the barriers. The interpretive structural modeling and Matrice d'Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée à un Classement (ISM-MICMAC) approach was used to classify the identified barriers based on driving and dependent power and understand the interrelationships among them. Findings A total of 20 barriers to I4.0 adoption in the food and beverage sector of Bangladesh were identified. The top tier of significant barriers includes “Financial constraints,” “Lack of management support,” “Lack of research and development team,” “Lack of adequate skills in the workforce,” “Lack of digital strategy alongside resource scarcity” and “Employee resistance to change.”. Practical implications The created hierarchical framework offers a useful tool for dealing with the noted barriers and assisting with the successful adoption of I4.0 in the food and beverage sector. Businesses can overcome financial constraints by allocating enough resources and obtaining management support. By creating a focused research and development team and giving the workforce the necessary training, the lack of knowledge and skills can be overcome. By developing a thorough digital strategy and making sure that the necessary resources are available, resource scarcity can be overcome. Furthermore, effective change management methods can support the adoption of I4.0 technologies by overcoming employee resistance to change. Originality/value By concentrating specifically on the difficulties encountered by the food and beverage industries in Bangladesh as it attempts to adopt I4.0, this study contributes to the body of existing literature. The study’s originality lies in its thorough analysis of barriers and the use of the ISM-MICMAC approach to comprehend how these barriers interact with one another.
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the influence of the interrelationship between the deployment of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies and the application of lean production (LP) practices on the ...degree of organizational sustainability performance (SP) enhancement of the Bangladeshi ready-made garment (RMG) sector.
Design/methodology/approach
Previously, researchers have applied the resource-based view (RBV) or dynamic capability view (DCV) to describe the interaction of resources and capacities (technologies, management practices, SP) to analyze their effectiveness. However, in light of several contemporary academic discussions, this study contends that these organizational views are inappropriate for explicating SP. Hence, as the foundation of this study’s theoretical framework, the authors used the practice-based view (PBV), which is recommended as a useful window to evaluate the function of practices that are common and simple to emulate in execution. To test the theoretical framework and research hypothesis, this study used partial least square (PLS) analysis. For that, the authors carried out a systematic survey to collect data from 80 Bangladeshi RMG factories.
Findings
The results of this research imply that LP is a crucial factor in enhancing organizational SP. Moreover, the results also indicate that the adoption of I4.0 technologies along with LP can assist in delivering the lean objectives more efficiently and, therefore, the combined application of LP practices and I4.0 technologies play a significant role in enhancing organizational SP.
Originality/value
Though the present literature indicates the probable significant association between LP and SP or I4.0 technologies and SP, no study, with the best of the authors’ knowledge, has empirically examined the combined impacts of correlation between LP and I4.0 on SP. This is also a unique study to apply the PBV theory to explain the organizational SP through the combination of common resources and technologies.
This research delves into Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) risk factors, using a blend of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and mode-based ranking. The aim is to refine understanding, classification, ...and prioritization for focused prevention and treatment. Eight NLP models are evaluated, combining pre-trained transformers, cosine similarity, and distance metrics to categorize factors into personal, biomechanical, workplace, psychological, and organizational classes. BERT with cosine similarity achieves 28% accuracy; sentence transformer with Euclidean, Bray-Curtis, and Minkowski distances scores 100%. With 10-fold cross-validation, statistical tests ensure robust results. Survey data and mode-based ranking determine severity hierarchy, aligning with the literature. "Working posture" is the most severe, highlighting posture's role. Survey insights emphasize "Job insecurity," "Effort reward imbalance," and "Poor employee facility" as significant contributors. Rankings offer actionable insights for MSD prevention. The study suggests targeted interventions, workplace improvements, and future research directions. This integrated NLP and ranking approach enhances MSD comprehension and informs occupational health strategies.
In the pursuit of sustainable development within Bangladesh's Readymade Garment (RMG) sector, this study undertakes an analysis of the substantial advantages of deploying an Integrated Management ...System (IMS). Focusing on ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, OSHAS 18001:2007, and SA 8000:2014, the research illuminates the pivotal role of IMS in the context of this vital industry. The research methodology involved searching Google Scholar, Emerald, and Elsevier databases for IMS benefits from 2005 to 2022. Key IMS advantages were assessed through a questionnaire distributed to 248 representatives from 16 Bangladeshi RMG industry companies, resulting in 197 usable responses. The findings of this study reveal five major benefits of IMS in Bangladesh's RMG sector: improved resource utilization, reduced error and risk percentages, enhanced business sustainability, improved teamwork, and a reduction in duplications. This research offers both theoretical and practical implications. The study contributes to the literature by systematically reviewing IMS advantages and encourages managers to consider IMS for their organizations. Additionally, it provides valuable insights for decision-makers in formulating effective plans for IMS implementation, particularly in resource-constrained environments. Notably, this study holds significance due to its relatively unique focus on the major benefits of IMS implementation and can serve as a valuable guideline for IMS implementation in the RMG sector of developing countries.
Textile industries play a vital role in the economy of Bangladesh contributing significantly to its gross domestic product. However, they are associated with high environmental pollution, especially ...water pollution. Since small‐scale textile industries cannot afford the treatment cost of discharged wastewater, they tend to contaminate water sources—both groundwater and surface water. To intervene in response to this situation, the existing treatment system was assessed in the present study. The effluents from industries under this research were analyzed for color, pH, TSS, TDS, chlorides, sulfates, COD, BOD, and total hardness. A Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) with zero liquid discharge was suggested as a solution. It was observed that the water recovery in the proposed scheme by reverse osmosis and salt recovery using nanofiltration were 90%–95% and 80%–90%, respectively. Cost analysis also indicated that the cost of treating water can also be decreased by 18.7% which can show that water recovery is even more affordable for small‐scale industries. Finally, a linear programming model was developed to assist the industries with decision‐making in the selection of treatment schemes. This research revealed that a CETP using zero liquid discharge technology is a potential solution to the environmental crisis due to industrial wastewater discharge. This could ensure reduced water pollution, increased drinking water availability, improved public health, and thus could be a potential driver for environmental sustainability.
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