The mediating effects of Quality 4.0 on public sector engineering-based projects

Goal: The distress experienced within the capital projects, with delays at the forefront, raises the question of the effect quality has on the progression of these endeavours. It is vital to assess the effect of the quality approach employed currently in conjunction with the imminent fourth industrial revolution (4IR).  Design/Methodology/Approach: The research adopted a positivist philosophy and was deductive in nature, employing a quantitative method with a non-probability survey of public-sector engineering-based SOEs. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) path modelling was used to analyse complex interrelationships among observed and latent variables. Results: The results confirmed the hypotheses with customer focus (CF), staff training (ST), quality process (QP) management, and supplier quality (SQ) management, between project performance (PF) and successful completion (SC), while they were not supported with leadership commitment (LC), employee focus (EF), and quality culture (QC). Highlighting a customer-centric and enabling environment for the adoption of Quality 4.0, and making it conducive to leveraging the advantages of Industry 4.0 technologies. Practical implication: The contribution of contingency theory to industry, policy makers, and the sector is to guide organisations towards a quality-centric policy to align efforts to leverage the advantages of Quality 4.0 principles and 4IR technologies. Originality/value: This approach diminishes the silver bullet concept of executing capital projects towards customer satisfaction, as there can be more than one solution to enhance performance and the progress of capital acquisition projects.