Editor’s overview

Fall returns with the rhythm of students entering classes and the end of summertime adventures. We hope you had many adventures and will teach quality management with added gusto this year. I myself have been teaching quality-related courses since 1989. That is a long time. This is a particularly good journal issue with submissions from around the world. Please support the journal by citing these articles and others. Also, consider submitting to the Quality Management Journal. Thank you to our many reviewers who make this journal special.

The first article is entitled “A Bibliometric Analysis of the Quality Management Journal: 10 Years of Publications and The Pathway Forward” by Jiju Antony, Professor, Northumbria University, UK, Priya Vij, University School of Business, Chandigarh University, India, Navjit Singh, University School of Business, Chandigarh University, India, S. Thomas Foster, Jr., Marriott School of Business, Brigham Young University, Michael Sony, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, and Olivia McDermott, College of Science & Engineering, University of Galway, Ireland. According to the authors, “the purpose of this paper is to examine the trends in research published by the Quality Management Journal (QMJ) based on Scopus Indexed publications for a time period ranging 2013 to 2023. The paper intends to offer a bibliometric analysis of the journal by highlighting the contributions made by the journal through document citations, prominent authors, most frequent keywords and publication trends for the last decade. The analysis provides an insight into how the QMJ has contributed toward the development of the field quality management. As analyzed from the author keyword analysis the contributions made to journal can be categorized into seven themes i.e., Leadership Essentials for Quality Management, Six Sigma & Quality, Quality Management in Services, Stakeholder Involvement for Quality Management, TQM & Continuous Improvement in Manufacturing, Service Quality and Quality Management in Healthcare. A key theme to emerge from this study is that future research and applications must be robustly framed in relevant theory, to clearly recognize, understand and articulate implications for practice. Experiential quality will move further along the spectrum of socio-technical or socio-materiality.”

The second article is entitled “What Deans Say About Quality: A Natural Experiment in French Higher Education” by Arnaud Eve, Institute of Business Administration, Rouen University, France, Anne Maurand-Valet, Marketing Techniques Department, Avignon University, France, Yue Cai Hillon, College of Business, Western Carolina University, and Mark Hillon, Lafayette Institute. According to the authors, “Quality in higher education is deemed important by many stakeholders, but as a field of research and practice, it has not advanced very far in its roughly 30 year history. This study begins with an overview of that brief history through a first era of borrowed QM ideas, to a second era of ISO standards, and on into the emergence of an era for theory-building developed specifically for quality in the context of higher education. The article then presents a detailed case in which a quality management mandate in France was implemented for all higher education entities offering practical training programs. The mandate created a natural experiment with potential for findings to be generalized beyond the single study. Academic deans from all major disciplines were interviewed to gather their perceptions of quality. Theme analysis revealed commonalities that inspired a set of testable propositions for theory development and further research.”

The third article, “Managing Product Recalls: The Non-linear Effects of Innovation Capability and Industry Competitiveness on the Likelihood of Product Recalls by Marwan Al-Shammari, Department of Management and Marketing, University of Texas at Tyler, Kilho Shin, Holzschuh College of Business, Niagara University, and Kyung-Ah (Kay) Byun, Department of Management and Marketing, the University of Texas at Tyler. “This study explores the complex interplay of internal and external factors driving the likelihood of product recalls for an organization. Initially, it examines the impact of innovation capability on product recall likelihood. Contrary to the prevailing wisdom, it posits a U-shaped relationship, suggesting that while heightened innovation capability generally benefits firms, it can lead to detrimental management challenges beyond a certain threshold. Furthermore, this research examines how firms handle product recalls in fiercely competitive industries. Recognizing the significance of external factors, this study asserts that industry competition amplifies the likelihood of product recalls. However, an intriguing twist emerges when the competition reaches an extreme level; the likelihood of product recalls diminishes, forming an inverted U-shaped pattern. In essence, this study empirically tests these theoretical constructs, shedding light on the complex dynamics governing the likelihood of product recalls for an organization, considering both an internal force and an external one.”

Finally, the article “ISO 9001 Research Mapping: Trends, Findings, and Future Issues” by Tri Rakhmawati, ^aResearch Center for Testing Technology and Standards, National Research and Innovation Agency, South Tangerang, Indonesia, Tri Widianti^, Research Center for Testing Technology and Standards, National Research and Innovation Agency, South Tangerang, Indonesia, Sih Damayanti^{, a}Research Center for Testing Technology and Standards, National Research and Innovation Agency, South Tangerang, Indonesia, Nidya J. Astrini, Research Center for Behavioral and Circular Economy, National Research and Innovation Agency, South Jakarta, Indonesia, Sik Sumaedi, Research Center for Testing Technology and Standards, National Research and Innovation Agency, South Tangerang, Indonesia Aris Yaman, Research Center for Computing, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, Indonesia, and I Gede Mahatma Yuda Bakti, Research Center for Behavioral and Circular Economy, National Research and Innovation Agency, South Jakarta, Indonesia. “This study analyzes the existing literature on ISO 9001 to identify trends, key scholars, influential journals, significant papers, and this body of work’s overall intellectual, social, and conceptual landscape. The study also proposes potential avenues for further research based on its findings. Bibliometric and content analysis were used to examine 929 relevant journal articles published between 1987 and 2023 and indexed by Scopus or Web of Science (WOS). Bibliometric analysis and visualization of results were conducted using the Bibliometrix R package and Biblioshiny application. This investigation unveils the intellectual, social, and conceptual structures within the literature concerning ISO 9001, shedding light on bibliographic features such as prominent scholars, leading journals, and noteworthy papers. Nine distinct research clusters were identified: integrated management systems, the effects of ISO 9001 implementation and certification, the diffusion of management system standards, ISO 9001:2015, strategies for effective ISO 9001 implementation, challenges and levels of management system integration, internalization of ISO 9001, withdrawal of ISO 9001 certification, critical success factors in ISO 9001 implementation, lessons learned from ISO 9001 implementation, and the dissemination of ISO 9001-based quality management systems. Key findings from each cluster were synthesized. This research is a valuable resource for scholars and practitioners seeking insights into the current state of ISO 9001 research and areas that warrant further exploration.”

Tom Foster
Editor-in-Chief
Quality Management Journal