DOI: 10.11648/j.jwer.20261502.12 ISSN: 2328-7748

From Compliance to Competitive Performance: Business Assurance as a Strategic Driver of Profitability and Sustainable Growth in Developing Economies

Anar Karim
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Despite the widespread adoption of Quality Management (QM) frameworks, many organizations in developing economies continue to implement them primarily as compliance mechanisms rather than strategic drivers of competitive performance, profitability, and sustainable growth. This study examines the underlying reasons for this persistent gap and argues that the problem lies not in the existing frameworks themselves, but in the way quality is perceived, positioned, and governed within organizations. Using a qualitative multi-method approach, the research combines an extensive literature review, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), semi-structured interviews with senior managers, comparative case analysis, and a pilot survey involving organizations from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Turkey. The findings reveal three interrelated root causes: the widespread perception of quality as a standalone support function rather than an inherent characteristic of every business process, the rigid implementation of quality frameworks without considering organizational context, and limited executive-level understanding of quality as a strategic business capability. These factors weaken process ownership, reduce integration with financial and strategic decision-making, and limit the contribution of quality systems to operational effectiveness and business performance. To address these challenges, the study introduces the concept of Business Assurance (BA) and proposes the Business Assurance Model of Excellence (BAME), which redefines quality as the measurable degree to which each process achieves its intended business objectives and embeds assurance within the responsibility of process owners rather than centralized quality functions. By integrating quality into governance, financial management, operational performance, and leadership accountability, BAME provides a scalable framework that enables organizations to move beyond certification-focused systems towards measurable business value, improved profitability, greater organizational resilience, and sustainable competitive advantage. The study contributes to Quality Management theory by repositioning quality as a strategic business capability and offers a practical framework for organizations seeking to transform compliance-oriented management systems into drivers of long-term economic performance and sustainable growth.

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