Strategic Enablers (Quality 4.0, Green Strategies) and Its Impact on Performance (Sustainable Competitive Advantage, Business Performance and Sustainability) رسالة دكتوراة

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the combined effects of Quality 4.0, Industry 4.0, and Circular Economy (CE) practices on organizational performance, sustainability, and competitive advantage within the Palestinian industrial sector. The study analyzes the mediating roles of organizational resilience and volatile business environments in these relationships. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were gathered through surveys from 217 industrial firms in Palestine and subsequently analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that while Industry 4.0 and Quality 4.0 readiness positively influence organizational resilience, their direct impact on sustainability and sustainable competitive advantage is limited. Similarly, Circular Economy and Green Strategies significantly enhance sustainability and organizational resilience but do not directly improve organizational performance or competitive advantage in the short term. Organizational resilience emerges as a crucial mediator, positively affecting organizational performance and sustainability, although its impact on sustainable competitive advantage is less pronounced. Though the study is anchored in Industry 4.0 and Quality 4.0 technologies, the integrated framework conceptually advances beyond these paradigms by implicitly aligning with the emerging principles of Industry 5.0 and Quality 5.0, embedding sustainability and organizational resilience at the center of technological transformation. The study emphasizes the importance of an integrated model that combines Industry 4.0, the Circular Economy, and organizational resilience to address the complex challenges industrial firms face in turbulent environments. It provides practical recommendations for policymakers, industry leaders, and academic researchers to promote sustainable development and resilience within the Palestinian industrial sector. Theoretically, this study builds on the Resource-Based View (RBV), Dynamic Capabilities Theory, the Triple Bottom Line, Technology, Organization, and Environment (TOE), and Institutional Theory to better align with the integration of Industry 4.0 and Circular Economy practices. This research contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence from a developing economy context and offering actionable insights for improving industrial performance and sustainability through advanced Quality 4.0, Circular Economy, and sustainable practices to achieve sustainability, sustainable competitive advantages, and organizational Performance. Finally, the research model