The scientific area concerns preventive quality management in manufacturing companies. It is an issue, from one side, promoted for years by quality promoters, and from the other side, still insufficiently defined by the literature. Preventive actions undoubtedly constitute the most rational form of improving an organization because, due to their proactive rather than reactive character, they are economically the most profitable and justified. An analysis of the literature indicates many arguments in favor of adopting a proactive approach in quality assurance and now quality management. As early as the middle of the previous century, W. Edwards Deming recognized that an effective way to achieve a continuous improvement is to prevent the occurrence of controlled variability, which can be reduced through appropriate preventive actions resulting from the theses he cited. The evolving approaches of preventive quality management are met by instruments which can support decision-makers in taking appropriate preventive measures. Methods that make it possible to detect and remove possible inconsistencies, the effects of which could become apparent later, during production or operation, are called preventive methods.

In recent years, the issue of risk management has become popular in the context of preventing nonconformities. This is because confirmed information about the risk can become the basis for taking preventive actions (eliminating the causes of potential nonconformity). Risk management does not focus on all potential irregularities that may occur but is limited to the significant ones that affect the achievement of objectives. This approach makes it important to properly define objectives, their measurability, and achievability in the given technological and commercial conditions. Following this reasoning, a step further appears the search for so-called opportunities, which may become an opportunity to take action to improve processes or products.

Currently, there is a lack of research in the world literature that defines the state of preventive approaches in manufacturing companies. However, few scientific reports dictate to assume that preventive activities in organizations are marginalized. Many reasons and conditions for this can be established. Thus, there is a need to publish the results of research covering both barriers and incentives of such an approach. Additionally, practical examples of such approaches are also valuable for science and economy.