Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on the cost of quality (CoQ) of food manufacturing companies. The study aims at empirically validating the conceptual structure of the core dimensions of CoQ (prevention, appraisal, internal and external failure cost) and determining their level and relationships. Determining the reasons for not measuring the CoQ as well as the barriers-difficulties and benefits of the CoQ measurement is also an aim of the present study. Design/methodology/approach Greek food manufacturing companies were approached through a structured questionnaire and 91 participated in the study. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, descriptive statistics and correlation analysis are applied for data analysis. Findings The structure of the core dimensions of CoQ is empirically validated, while all of them range within medium levels and are inter-related. The reasons for companies not measuring the CoQ as well as the barriers-difficulties of companies measuring the CoQ are not significant. On the contrary, significant benefits are derived from the CoQ measurement. Research limitations/implications The small sample of the food manufacturing companies operating in one country and the subjective business evidence collected are the main limitations of the present study. Practical implications Food companies can be motivated to establish a robust CoQ measurement system, which would reflect the level of the CoQ dimensions. According to the results of the CoQ measurement, a food company can make decisions to increase the prevention and appraisal costs and decrease the internal- and external-failure costs in order to be more competitive in the market. Originality/value The paper provides deeper insights into the level and inter-relations of empirically validated CoQ dimensions. Very few studies on the CoQ in food manufacturing companies have been carried out in Greece and the present study makes the picture of the CoQ status in this sector more clear.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the future research suggestions which have been made by several authors with regard to cost of quality (CoQ) and to group them into respective themes.Design/methodology/approachThis study was based on a systematic literature review (SLR) of 97 peer-reviewed journal articles in the field of CoQ published in well-known academic databases, such as Emerald, Elsevier, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis, Wiley and Scopus. The time horizon for reviewing the literature was 9 years, particularly in the period between 2010 and 2018. The “Affinity diagram” was applied to group the future research suggestions into logical themes and the “Pareto diagram” to further categorize and prioritize these themes.FindingsA plethora of future research suggestions identified in the literature are analytically presented. Moreover, the analysis showed that the future research suggestions in the field of CoQ can be grouped under eleven meaningful themes, which are further categorized into two broad categories, meaning the vital and the useful.Research limitations/implicationsThis SLR was based on only fully accessed English articles published in international, peer-reviewed journals of the selected publishers. The restricted number of keywords used and the subjectivity in applying the “affinity diagram” are also limitations of this study.Practical implicationsThis paper provides insights into the future research perspectives in the field of CoQ. Thus, this analysis can serve as a resource for both researchers and practitioners to further develop this area according to the future research suggestions and the respective themes revealed.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first SLR presenting and analyzing the future research suggestions of CoQ.

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PurposeThe present study focuses on the cost of quality (CoQ) based on which organizations can evaluate their quality-related activities in economic terms. The purpose of the study is to identify the CoQ practical implications as well as to group them into logical themes.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted based on well-known academic publishers, such as Emerald Insight, Elsevier/ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis, Wiley and Scopus. Sixty-seven peer-reviewed journal articles in the field of CoQ were collected, which were published between 2010 and 2019. The “affinity diagram” was applied to group the practical implications identified into logical themes.FindingsA plethora of CoQ practical implications were identified and grouped into the following meaningful themes: benefits of CoQ measurement, effects of CoQ, business sectors measuring CoQ, factors influencing CoQ measurement, CoQ elements, future research in CoQ and the role of government.Research limitations/implicationsThe limited number of the publishers and keywords used to search for the articles of interest, as well as the subjectivity of grouping the large number of the practical implications into themes are the main limitations of the present study. These limitations constitute the basis upon which future literature review studies can be designed.Practical implicationsThe present study by presenting analytically and in summary (through the themes revealed) the CoQ practical implications, provides all the respective available literature in a single study for the benefit of practitioners and academics. Thus, clear and straightforward guidelines are given to practitioners with regard to CoQ issues and academics with regard to research topics of high interest.Originality/valueNo previous SLR study focusing on analyzing the practical implications of CoQ has been published so far.

PurposeThis study aims at determining the influence of the competitive strategy types and organizational structure dimensions on Cost of Quality (CoQ) in Food and Beverage (F&B) small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachA survey questionnaire was sent to F&B companies in Greece and 307 responded positively and fully completed the questionnaire. The research model developed (consisting of the competitive strategy types, the organizational structure dimensions and CoQ) was tested using the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique.FindingsThe findings indicated that cost leadership, centralization and formalization influence the CoQ positively and significantly. By contrast, differentiation does not influence CoQ.Research limitations/implicationsThe small sample of the responding companies operating in one country, the different F&B sub-sectors, the subjective perceptions of only one representative per company and the cross-sectional nature of the study are the main limitations of the present study.Practical implicationsThis paper provides academicians and practitioners with a better understanding of the factors that influence the quality-cost level.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that examines the effect of competitive strategy and organizational structure on CoQ.