The evolution of the concept of quality: a review of the state of the art
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37883/GID.11.1.2026.01Keywords:
Quality, total quality management, quality control, history of qualityAbstract
Referring to the definition of quality involves understanding a multidimensional concept that includes ideas and facts that span from the Middle Ages to postmodern times. Societies have sought to ensure that goods and services meet specific standards by adapting to diverse social and technological contexts, thereby creating a comprehensive view of quality. This article presents a set of definitions and approaches to the term “quality”, based on a state-of-the-art review of the literature. Its goal is to describe how the concept of quality has evolved, tracing a chronological path from its origins in craftsmanship to more complex and recent approaches linked to digital transformation and Industry 4.0. The methodology followed guidelines for systematic reviews of the literature in applied sciences. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, selected documents were analyzed thoroughly to identify key trends, paradigm shifts, and dominant quality models. The results show that the idea of quality has changed significantly over time. Initially, quality was focused on compliance with trade regulations and craftsmanship. During the Industrial Revolution, quality control through inspections and statistical tools was introduced in mass production
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Copyright (c) 2026 Santiago Arturo Moscoso Bernal, Johmara Dayanna Jara Castro, David Santiago Ayabaca Landi, Doris Priscila Castro López
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