Operations Management: An Integrated Approach, 5th Edition

STATISTICAL QUALITY CONTROL (SQC) WITHIN OM: HOW IT ALL FITS TOGETHER

The decision to increase the level of quality and reduce the number of product defects requires support from every function within operations management. Two areas of operations management that are particularly affected are product and process design (Chapter 3). Process design needs to be modified to incorporate customer-defined quality and simplification of design. Processes need to be continuously monitored and changed to build quality into the process and reduce variation. Other areas that are affected are job design (Chapter 11), as the role of employees is expanded to become responsible for monitoring quality levels and to use statistical quality control tools. Supply chain management and inventory control (Chapter 12) are also affected as quality standard requirements from suppliers are increased and changes are made on the materials used. All areas of operations management are involved when increasing the quality standard of a firm.