Interactions among cost of quality factors in Indian manufacturing: An interpretive structural modeling approach

Abstract

Quality-related costs represent a significant concern for manufacturing organizations, as they directly influence competitiveness, efficiency, and long-term sustainability. Understanding how these costs interact is crucial for developing effective quality management strategies, particularly in emerging economies such as India. This study investigates the interactions among cost of quality (CoQ) factors in the Indian manufacturing sector using an interpretive structural modeling (ISM) approach. A comprehensive literature review identified critical CoQ components, which were then structurally interrelated through ISM to develop a hierarchical framework that clarifies the relationships between driving and dependent factors. This framework provides insight into how specific CoQ elements influence one another, offering actionable guidance for quality management. The study not only advances theoretical understanding but also contributes a practical tool for decision-makers in manufacturing. Key findings indicate that prevention-related factors act as strong drivers, whereas appraisal- and failure-related costs are more dependent. The proposed ISM-based framework provides a strategic lens for prioritizing quality improvement initiatives.

Keywords

Cost of quality / Interpretive structural modeling / Cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification / Soft systems methodology

Acknowledgments

None.

Funding

None.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Author contributions

Conceptualization: Hans Kaushik

Formal analysis: All authors

Investigation: All authors

Methodology: All authors

Writing-draft: Hans Kaushik

Writing-review & editing: Abhinav Pandey

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Availability of data

Not Applicable.

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