Manufacturing strategy, manufacturing seniority and plant performance in quality
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
ISSN: 0144-3577
Article publication date: 1 June 1998
Abstract
This paper examines three key factors that help to explain the differences between high and low performing plants in process quality. The three factors are: first, the seniority of manufacturing personnel within the plants; second, the involvement of these senior managers in the business, rather than being confined to the role of a production/technology functional specialist; third, the contribution of a manufacturing strategy which includes quality as part of its content and which feeds into, and forms part of, the overall business plan within the plant. The paper argues that these three factors help to maintain the strategic importance of quality and, consequently, help to explain the subsequent quality performance within the manufacturing plant. The conclusions are that two distinct groups emerge ‐ one, Traditional, and the other, Enlightened ‐ which are different in terms of attitudes, commitment to, and capabilities in, quality.
Keywords
Citation
Brown, S. (1998), "Manufacturing strategy, manufacturing seniority and plant performance in quality", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 18 No. 6, pp. 565-587. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443579810209548
Publisher
:MCB UP Ltd
Copyright © 1998, MCB UP Limited