Assessing the Statistical Process Control Implementation in Palestinian Food Industries: An Empirical Study رسالة ماجستير

Abstract

The study assesses the degree of implementing statistical process control (SPC) in the Palestinian food industry following a descriptive-analytical research work. The food industry occupies a vital position within the Palestinian industrial sector and is considered a pillar for potential economic growth. The benefits of implementing SPC tools are well documented in the literature; however, little is known about implementing SPC among Palestinian manufacturers. To achieve the purpose of this thesis, regarding the extent to which SPC tools are applied in Palestinian food factories, we analyze the collected data from a sample of 65 Palestinian food companies. According to the Palestinian Federation of Food Industries, 75 companies operate formally in the West Bank and represent the research population. Their products are mainly foodstuff and beverages, which number. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method was used to analyze the collected quantitative data. The study reveals several essential results; surprisingly, only 55% of the targeted companies do not implement SPC tools. Several challenges face the Palestinian food companies in deploying and implementing SPC. These obstacles include the poor quality culture as a supreme value in the work environment, the prevalence of old machines, and the lack of training. Driven by the literature, the proposed model suggests four drivers for SPC implementation: managerial actions, audit and review, process approach, and decision making. Results show that audit and review, and decision-making functions are significant drivers for better SPC implementation within the study’s settings. Several recommendations have been reached. The Palestinian Food Industries Federation is recommended to raise awareness of SPC benefits among members. Managers may focus on training technical staff on SPC, continuously calibrating machines, and examining raw materials before receiving them. Improving inputs increase the likelihood of conformity with specifications. Finally, the study clarified the limitations of this research work, the most important of which was that participants perceived SPC as an advanced tool. This thesis employs a quantitative method, better understanding, and VI explores the influencing factors that could be achieved when conducting aqualitative research in future research.