Problem-Solving Case “Conflict Over Quality” This morning, your department compl

Question

Problem-Solving Case

“Conflict Over Quality”

This morning, your department completed a large order and turned it over to quality control. The quality control supervisor has just come to tell you that she must tighten up on inspection standards because a number of complaints have been received from the field. She feels that the order must be reworked by your department to pass inspection. You try, but fail, to persuade her to impose the stricter standards only on future orders.

Reworking will set you back a couple of days in your production schedule. You can explain this to your superiors. However, the costs, which will be charged to your budget, will be much more difficult to explain. As you reflect on what has happened, you are clearly annoyed. You decide that something must be done, and you see your alternatives as follows:

1.         You can calm down, issue instructions to rework the units, and do the best you can with the budgeting and scheduling problems.

2.         You can send the quality control supervisor an email clearly outlining the cost      considerations and ask her to help you find a solution.

3.         You can call the quality control supervisor and ask her to meet with you to discuss the     situation further at her earliest convenience.

4.         You can go to the plant manager (to whom both you and the quality control supervisor    report), point out the budget and scheduling difficulties, and request that the old standards be applied this one last time.

5.         You can tell the quality control supervisor that if she does not go along with your suggestion to impose the stricter standards only on future production orders, you will    no longer be able to lend her one of your operators for inspection work.

6.         Do nothing.

Using the rational decision making model and the above alternatives, evaluate the case using the problem-solving case format.

This case format follows what is in Chapter 9 on Problem Solving and Decision Making. Please follow this format for your case study. Type the Roman numeral and title that is listed in bold below then discuss the bulleted points.

You MUST have a total of FOUR alternatives, with one of them being “Do Nothing”. The “Do Nothing” alternative needs to be analyzed, too. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative, including “Doing Nothing”?

Problem Statement (5 pts.)

Identify and discuss the problem.

Make sure you have identified the problem—not symptoms!

Situation Analysis (5 pts.)

Summarize the main points of the case.

Retell what has happened in the case, discuss the main points of the case. (This will probably be less than 1 page.)

Alternative Solutions (10 pts.)

You must have a minimum of 3 possible alternatives for solving the problem. You may have more alternatives than 3, but the minimum is 3.

The last alternative is always "Do Nothing."

Note: Therefore, you must have 4 total alternatives with “Do Nothing.”

Use complete thoughts and sentences when discussing your alternatives!

Alternative Evaluation (10 pts.)

Restate first alternative (May condense if necessary)

Advantages: (List as many as you can, but you must have more than 1)

1.

2.

3.

Disadvantages: (List as many as you can, but you must have more than 1)

1.

2.

3.

4.

Do NOT have an equal number of advantages & disadvantages for each alternative or you won't know if it's a good solution or not.

Use this format for each remaining alternative.

Use complete thoughts and sentences when discussing your advantages and disadvantages! Make sure you discuss the “why” or “because” of each.

Recommendation (10 pts.)

Discuss the best solution and why you chose it.

You may use a combination of alternatives if necessary.

Do NOT list the number of the alternative from the previous pages—just discuss your recommendation without mentioning the number of the alternative.

Once again, use complete thoughts and sentences when making your recommendation and why you feel this will solve the problem.

    VI.        Writing Requirement (10 pts.)

                 a.    Standard English grammar, including proper spelling,                                                                        punctuation, and correct word choice. Followed proper case format.

                 b.    Paper must be typed and turned in on the date it is due. Cases turned in late                   will result in a reduction of one-half of the points for the case.

                c.    Failure to complete the assignment will result in an “incomplete” grade                              for the course, and a new case will be assigned to the student to complete.

Explanation / Answer

Problem: Reworking of large order on account of failure to pass quality check. The problem is about adherence to quality inspection checks. It appears there are complaints about the quality that needs immediate corrective actions.

However production in charge is of the view that strict norms of quality may be relaxed for the order already completed and can be applicable in future. This view is linked to the overflow of budgetary cost for production.

Thus problem is related to conflict between Production and Quality departments with respect to timing for adherence of strict quality norms.

Situation Analysis

The quality control supervisor has asked for reworking of a large size completed order on the basis of its failure to pass the quality check inspection test. The QC supervisor is very much concerned about the number of field complaints received and to apply stricker inspection standards without any further delay.

On the other hand, the production supervisor is of the view that completed large order may not be reworked as reworking will upset the production schedules and also there will be huge cost overrun.

Alternate Solutions

1.      Rework the order

2.     Ask for co-operation from quality control supervisor

3.    Involve Plant manager for finalising the future course of action

4. Do nothing

Alternate Evaluation

1. Decision for reworking the order, will have advantages of good relationship with quality check supervisor and good quality product always results in good market response. Disadvantages are in terms of change in production schedules and higher costs of production.

2. Co-operation from quality check supervisor may have the advantage in partly reworking the order partially by keeping the good ones and reworking the failures but of course have the disadvantages as mentioned in the first alternative but at a lower scale.

3. Involvement of superior, Plant Manager will add to the value of evaluation process and or situation analysis. He is supposed to be impartial to the views (may be biased) of production in-charge and that of quality check supervisor. He is supposed to make a balance between strict inspection standards and cost of reworking and objectively evaluate the options in line with the objectives/ targets set for the organization as a whole rather than looking performance department wise.

4. Do nothing, means ignoring quality check inspection may have the short term advantages of no changes in production schedules and budgeted costs but may lead to loss of markets/ customers who are conscious about the quality of what they get.

Recommendation: I would like to prefer involvement of Plant Manager and it is always better to have sanction of superiors for making changes and that too when such changes are likely to have repercussions on a larger scale.

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