A First Course in Quality Engineering, 2nd Edition

Quality in Procurement 419

7.6.4 Improvement

The supply chain performance must be continuously reviewed for additional

opportunities to create value� Improvement is expected to occur in a ve-

step progression as follows:

1� Aligning with customer needs

During the rst phase, the joint team, drawn from all links of the

chain, directs its attention toward aligning the goals of each indi-

vidual link with the ultimate goal of satisfying the end-user of the

product� The team then analyzes the business processes of the supply

chain, usually through use of ow charts; collects data on their per-

formances; and identies area of chronic problems, such as excessive

cycle time, scrap, or rework� The team then undertakes to remedy

the problems� I