Hank Kolb, Director of Quality Assurance
Case Study 1
Prepared By
Steven Weidner
Gregory W. Judge
MC 550 Operational Management
City University
Renton, WA
October 15, 1996
Problem Definition
The fundamental problem is management. Senior management lacks the policies and visible support of a quality philosophy such as following a ISO 9000 Quality System. Even though they have recently appointed Hank Kolb to oversee their quality program, which is a move in the right direction, there is still a lack of visible senior management support for quality.
The fundamental problem shows up in a number of symptoms such as putting schedule and market share above quality and safety. It also shows up as a poor attitude about quality. Quality is viewed as an add on, inspected in, and is an impedance to doing their job. Proper training is not viewed as a prerequisite to start a job which leads to unqualified people performing processes.
This fundamental problem also creates an entire host of other problems. These problems, as stated in the case study, include: lack of purchasing, design, and testing processes, inspections that are after the fact with out in-process controls or feed back loops. It also leads to a lack of product tractability, quality maintenance records of the equipment so improvement or stabilization data is not available. Designs are made on hunches - there is no decisions based on facts and data.
Problem Justification
Personnel had stated that the operator had just be transferred in without any formal training and the on-the-job training was by an unqualified person shows proper training is not viewed as a prerequisite to start a job which leads to unqualified people performing processes.
The operator was not around when the QC manager did the testing demonstrates inspections that are after the fact with out in-process controls or feed back loops.
The case states that there was no scheduled...