Integrating Lean Six Sigma and Industry 4.0 for advancing the circular economy: A holistic research study

The value of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) production is often assessed without considering sustainability, leading to incomplete evaluations. The disconnect between quality management and circular economy principles hinders efforts to enhance resource efficiency. Additionally, the absence of holistic methodologies constrains the exploration of complex connections between quality elements and sustainability factors. This research proposes an integrated approach to measure the value of I4.0 production, emphasizing sustainability. It integrates circular economy principles into quality management to boost resource efficiency and reduce waste. The study uses Lean Six Sigma and the Delphi technique to identify and refine quality elements, which are then mapped alongside sustainability factors and indices using adapted interpretive structural modeling (AISM). The approach provides cluster managers with insights to enhance quality, resource efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable practices, fostering a paradigm shift toward sustainability in manufacturing ecosystems.