INTEGRATING SALES AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROCESSES WITH THE PDCA CYCLE FOR ENHANCED PERFORMANCE

This review investigates the synergistic application of the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle within mechanical engineering processes, particularly focusing on its interface with sales functions. The PDCA cycle, a foundational methodology for continuous improvement, offers a structured approach to optimize complex engineering and commercial activities. Through a systematic literature review, this study identifies how PDCA principles are leveraged in manufacturing, quality management, and sales engineering. Key findings reveal PDCA's critical role in troubleshooting manufacturing processes, enhancing product quality, and providing a framework for strategic sales development. The review synthesizes existing knowledge, highlighting both the direct application of PDCA in engineering operations and its indirect influence on sales through improved product reliability and process efficiency. It critically analyzes the current state of research, pointing out convergences in quality and process optimization and divergences in the explicit integration of sales within PDCA frameworks. The study concludes by emphasizing the potential for a more holistic application of PDCA to bridge the gap between technical excellence and market success, offering recommendations for future research to explore integrated models that explicitly link engineering process improvements to sales performance metrics.