The Role of Flexible Manufacturing in Enhancing Production Quality. The Mediating Role of Continuous Improvement: A Field Study in the Plastic Manufacturing Industry in Iraq

<p>The research investigated how flexible manufacturing systems, together with continuous improvement methods, improve production quality in the Iraqi plastics manufacturing sector. The study used a descriptive-analytical design and implemented a questionnaire that measured employee responses using a five-point Likert scale with 400 participants from this sector. The researchers used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyse the data and assess the relationships between the variables. The analysis proved that flexible manufacturing systems have positive effects on continuous improvement practices. The research results showed that flexible manufacturing influences production quality through continuous improvement strategies. The research recommends Iraq to improve industrial flexible manufacturing capabilities while implementing continuous improvement methods to improve production quality and reduce product defects.<span> </span></p>