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Unleashing the Importance of TQM and Knowledge Management for Organizational Sustainability in the Age of Circular Economy

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  • Boyao Zhang

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK)

  • Ubaldo Comite

    (Department of Business Sciences, University Giustino Fortunato, 82100 Benevento, Italy)

  • Ali Gokhan Yucel

    (Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38039, Turkey
    Department of Economics, Finance and Legal Studies, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA)

  • Xintao Liu

    (Economics and Management School, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan 430079, China)

  • Mohammed Arshad Khan

    (Department of Accountancy, College of Administrative and Financial Sciences, Saudi Electronic University, Riyadh 11673, Saudi Arabia)

  • Shahid Husain

    (Department of Accountancy, College of Administrative and Financial Sciences, Saudi Electronic University, Riyadh 11673, Saudi Arabia)

  • Muhammad Safdar Sial

    (Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan)

  • József Popp

    (Research Center, John von Neumann University, Izsáki út 10., 6000 Kecskemét, Hungary
    College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa)

  • Judit Oláh

    (College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
    Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary)

Abstract

Despite the growing importance of the concept of circular economy, the case of developing countries remains under-explored. Against this backdrop, the present research aims to examine the association between the constructs of total quality management (TQM) and organizational sustainability (OS) with the mediating effect of knowledge management (KM) from the perspective of a circular economy. The data were collected from the manufacturing sector of a developing economy ( n = 510) to serve the purpose of the current research through a self-administered questionnaire (paper-pencil technique). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed for hypothesis testing of the current survey. Six TQM dimensions were drawn from the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award (MBNQA) model. OS is composed of economic, social, and environmental sustainability, and KM is composed of four dimensions including acquisition, creation, sharing, and application of knowledge. The empirical examination suggests that TQM positively relates to OS, with KM playing a partial mediation role between this association. This study provides important insights for the management of the manufacturing industry of Pakistan on how to ensure organizational sustainability in the age of a circular economy by using the constructs of TQM and KM.

Suggested Citation

  • Boyao Zhang & Ubaldo Comite & Ali Gokhan Yucel & Xintao Liu & Mohammed Arshad Khan & Shahid Husain & Muhammad Safdar Sial & József Popp & Judit Oláh, 2021. "Unleashing the Importance of TQM and Knowledge Management for Organizational Sustainability in the Age of Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-18, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:20:p:11514-:d:659103
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