Abstract Six main stages can be distinguished in the evolution of quality management concepts. Initially, attention focused on quality inspection and quality control, aimed at detecting errors and nonconformities in finished products. The next stage was quality assurance, which introduced preventive actions designed to eliminate defects during production processes. A major breakthrough occurred with the development of Total Quality Management (TQM), which expanded quality management to the entire organization and emphasized continuous improvement, employee involvement and customer orientation. More recently, the concept of Quality 4.0 has emerged, driven by digitalization, automation and the application of advanced technologies in quality management systems. The latest stage, Quality 5.0, integrates technological innovation with human-centric values such as ethics, sustainability and social responsibility. The aim of this study is to analyse the evolution of quality management concepts and to identify the relationships between successive approaches. The study is based on a structured literature review of scientific publications related to quality management development. As a result of the analysis, an Integrated Evolutionary Quality Management Model (IEQMM) is proposed, which conceptually links traditional quality management practices with digital transformation and human-centred sustainability principles. The findings highlight the complementary nature of successive quality paradigms and emphasize the importance of integrating technological capabilities with social and sustainability-oriented perspectives in modern quality management.
Agnieszka Czajkowska (2026) studied this question.