Week 1: Quality
Article 1: Defining the concept of supply chain quality management and
its relevance to academic and industrial practice
1. Abstract
Consequently, in this study we define the concept of supply chain quality management (SCQM),
and evaluate its relevance in academic and industrial practice by comprehensively reviewing
prior quality and SCM literature in major journals and inductively identifying the themes that
emerge within it.
Quality practices must advance from traditional firm centric and product-based mindsets to an
inter-organizational supply chain orientation involving customers, suppliers, and other partners.
We propose a Quality-SCM framework that can be used to place prior work in perspective, as
well as identify three specific opportunities for future SCQM research.
2. Quality management and supply chain research
Definition of “SCMQ” which builds upon the related definition by Ross (1997) and extends it
further into the process centric view of SCQM that we examine throughout this study:
“SCQM is the formal coordination and integration of business processes involving all partner
organizations in the supply channel to measure, analyze and continually improve products,
services, and processes in order to create value and achieve satisfaction of intermediate and
final customers in the marketplace”
Figure 1: Principle components of quality management and supply chain research
, 3. Case study of ABC Technologies
Although Honda is the primary customer, ABC Technology does business with approximately
100 suppliers on the inbound side, all of which are also Honda-approved sources.
ABC Technology managers are actively involved in product quality by promoting and
highlighting the importance of customer requirements and the critical nature of manufactured
components to all employees
ABC actively utilizes the ‘‘five principles of problem solving’’ method to resolve quality
concerns. The steps of this process include
(1) problem discovery information and problem statement
(2) identification and selection of root cause(s)
(3) countermeasure(s) defined and implemented
(4) countermeasure(s) confirmation and evidence of effects
(5) feedback and feed forward
Cross-functional teams composed of managers and associates conduct this problem-solving
activity that is focused on improving processes that span departments and supply chain
partners.
ABC Technologies was selected as an ideal case firm for this article due to its demonstrated
quality-oriented culture and inter-organizational activities that span the customer and supply
base.
4. Supply chain and quality themes: breaks out the
thematic linkages related to the SCQM definition
Literature can be logically categorized into 5 themes
(1) communication and partnership activities
(2) process integration and management
(3) management and leadership
(4) strategy
(5) best practices
4.1 Communication & partnership activities
In essence, the main theses of this work involved organizations working closely together and
nurturing relationships with other members of the supply channel in order to share goals,
coordinate activities, and improve performance.
Article 1: Defining the concept of supply chain quality management and
its relevance to academic and industrial practice
1. Abstract
Consequently, in this study we define the concept of supply chain quality management (SCQM),
and evaluate its relevance in academic and industrial practice by comprehensively reviewing
prior quality and SCM literature in major journals and inductively identifying the themes that
emerge within it.
Quality practices must advance from traditional firm centric and product-based mindsets to an
inter-organizational supply chain orientation involving customers, suppliers, and other partners.
We propose a Quality-SCM framework that can be used to place prior work in perspective, as
well as identify three specific opportunities for future SCQM research.
2. Quality management and supply chain research
Definition of “SCMQ” which builds upon the related definition by Ross (1997) and extends it
further into the process centric view of SCQM that we examine throughout this study:
“SCQM is the formal coordination and integration of business processes involving all partner
organizations in the supply channel to measure, analyze and continually improve products,
services, and processes in order to create value and achieve satisfaction of intermediate and
final customers in the marketplace”
Figure 1: Principle components of quality management and supply chain research
, 3. Case study of ABC Technologies
Although Honda is the primary customer, ABC Technology does business with approximately
100 suppliers on the inbound side, all of which are also Honda-approved sources.
ABC Technology managers are actively involved in product quality by promoting and
highlighting the importance of customer requirements and the critical nature of manufactured
components to all employees
ABC actively utilizes the ‘‘five principles of problem solving’’ method to resolve quality
concerns. The steps of this process include
(1) problem discovery information and problem statement
(2) identification and selection of root cause(s)
(3) countermeasure(s) defined and implemented
(4) countermeasure(s) confirmation and evidence of effects
(5) feedback and feed forward
Cross-functional teams composed of managers and associates conduct this problem-solving
activity that is focused on improving processes that span departments and supply chain
partners.
ABC Technologies was selected as an ideal case firm for this article due to its demonstrated
quality-oriented culture and inter-organizational activities that span the customer and supply
base.
4. Supply chain and quality themes: breaks out the
thematic linkages related to the SCQM definition
Literature can be logically categorized into 5 themes
(1) communication and partnership activities
(2) process integration and management
(3) management and leadership
(4) strategy
(5) best practices
4.1 Communication & partnership activities
In essence, the main theses of this work involved organizations working closely together and
nurturing relationships with other members of the supply channel in order to share goals,
coordinate activities, and improve performance.
