DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND BRAND EQUITY FORMATION: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN UZBEKISTAN

This study investigates the relationship between digital transformation of Quality Management Systems (QMS) and brand equity formation in the textile industry of Uzbekistan. While prior research has extensively examined quality management and branding independently, limited empirical attention has been given to the role of digitalized QMS in shaping brand equity within emerging industrial economies. Drawing on the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, this study develops a conceptual model linking digital QMS adoption to operational efficiency, perceived quality, and brand equity. Using survey data collected from textile manufacturing firms and applying structural equation modeling (SEM), the study tests the direct and indirect effects of digital quality transformation on brand development outcomes.The findings indicate that digital integration of quality management significantly enhances perceived product quality, operational transparency, and customer trust, which in turn positively influence brand equity formation. The results contribute to the literature on digital operations management and strategic branding in emerging markets.The study offers managerial implications for textile firms seeking competitive advantage through digital quality transformation and provides policy insights for industrial modernization strategies in Uzbekistan.