Introduction
Background of the study
Total Quality Management (TQM) is a method of quality improvement that outlines methodologies that are client-friendly and are focused on service delivery. TQM first appeared in Japan and then was adopted worldwide. While TQM refers to a set of client-friendly practices aimed at enhancing the quality and promote process improvement, the theory that will be outlined in this work is Deming’s Theory (Bright, 2010).
Deming’s Theory relies on the Shewart Cycle called the Plan- Do- Check and Act. According to this theory, quality of work in a company determines the outcome of work efforts used as input over the total costs. If a company concentrates on the company costs, then the issue will be that costs grow while quality deteriorates.
PDCA (plan–do–check–act or plan–do–check–adjust) cycle is used as the company’s planning instrument. The tool is used to solve diverse tasks, for example improving the project through establishing an improved design of process or introducing changes in a company. The PDCA may also be used for continuous improvement. PDCA has such steps as do, check and Act. In the planning phase, the company outlines the strategy that is to be for the change. In the do phase, the company carries out a small-scale study. In the check phase, the company assesses the outcome, and outlines what changes are needed for making changes.
This project looks at how Abu Mansoor Plastic company sets out to improve its specifications for its product to meet the clients’ requirements. Customers in UAE have come across items that don’t meet their specifications and have kept complaining to the firm on the quality of materials used in the production of these plastics.
Objectives
- To determine if the company manufacturing process meets customers’ demands.
- To find out what changes the company needs to introduce to meet clients’ specifications.
Scope and Limitation
The main purpose of the study is to determine how Abu Mansoor is able to enhance the processes of manufacturing of these plastic products. The company has to meet the requirements of the clients to continue selling its products. The research looks upon the measurements of the plastics produced. The study is to take like two weeks, and it would use Deming and PDCA theories to find out the changes that are necessary to introduce in the company to resolve this issue.
The Geographical location covered for this analysis is Abu Dhabi company in the United Arab Emirates. The company is based on plot 31, ICAD1 within UAE (LinkedIn, 2020). The company is likely to trouble selling its products if it fails to investigate and come up with the right solution to the problem.
Theoretical background
Description of method used in data analysis
The data was collected from an online database on company evaluation. In this case study, the research design of the company is outlined. The research design refers to a plan or blueprint which the project employs. In this case, both qualitative and quantitative data models will be used. Some data taken directly from the company will be used. The methods employed in data collection are interviews, questionnaires, group interviews as well as direct recording. Excel is used in this case for recording and Minitab used in the analysis.
Problem Identification and Data Collection
Brief Company Overview
Abu Mansoor Plastic Factory is a private company that operates in a chemicals producing sector. The company was established in 1985, and by 2017, it had fifty employees. The firm belong to the chemicals industry because it produces plastics. The company is based on plot 31 in Abu Dhabi. The company is the largest producer of all kinds of polythene sheets and uses one-hundred per cent of the available raw materials. These raw materials fall between 100 gauges and 1200 and also range between ten meters to fifty for every roll. Further, there is the manufacture of the PVC buckets of all weights, light and heavy, and in all colors.
The company is a leader in import of large volumes of quality hardware, construction materials, as well as the plumbing of products (Amp, 2020). More than five hundred items are imported from Thailand, India and other countries. The company’s production is meant for China, Pakistan, Qatar, among other nations.
Problem Description
Abu Mansoor is a company that cares about customer issues. Clients have been complaining that the company has been delivering products that are not up to standards. Some of these products fail to meet the required length. Since the company failed to produce goods of necessary lengths, it was likely to lose multiple clients. This report looks at the problems the company faces and the solutions that can be employed to solve these issues. Some of these solutions include the application of Deming’s Theory and PDCA model to put into life the best options for the firm. The firm applies PDCA model in evaluating and solving the issue above.
Data Description
The data for this analysis came from the company website, where the company outlines the length issue and sets out to find if the lengths fall within the right range. The required range for the data is between 28.40 and 33.10, which are the lower class limit and the upper-class limit. The data encompasses five samples which have thirty-five items in the group (see Appendix). The five samples of the data were recorded during the manufacturing process. The samples are named as the sample one through sample five. The data also represents the type of lengths and circumferences of items that the company keeps producing.
Data Analysis
Result and Discussion
An x-bar chart is a statistical tool utilized in this approach to determine if the company process falls in the range of the limits. The limits shown are for the lower control limit (LCL) and the upper control limit (UCL.) From the results of chart 1 below, the LCL was found to be 27.28, and the UCL was 33.47. The center value is 30.37 as the diagram below shows. The above given values confirm that the process was not in control which led to the production of low-quality products.
From the r-chart, the company’s process is above the upper control limit as can be seen from chart two. The company process UCL for the R-chart is 11.34, and that for the LCL is 0. The center line for the processes lies at 5.36, which is below the values. A process that falls below or above the range shows that the output will not fall in the right dimension. The Deming’s Theory and PDCA model will help the company find out what causes issues with the production that are the main source of complaints from the clients.
Data Analysis
From the x-bar chart it can be seen that the x-bar value falls below the lower control limit indicating that the process and results of the company are not in control and helps to determine what items do not meet customers’ expectations.
The items that fail to hit the right target lead to the loss of value which, in this case, falls below the LCL level. This is the reason why clients of the company complain about products not meeting the quality standards. From the r-chart it can be seen that the company process does not meet the product specifications. The process is out of control when the chart goes beyond the upper control limit. Considering that the processes are out of control, the company needs to find a way to meet the limits.
The conducted analysis allows to see that the research goals are met. First, it has been established that the company fails to meet customer needs due to the loss of control over production processes. Secondly, it has been found that the company has to act instantly to ensure it corrects the issue using such methods as increasing production inputs, changing the staff, and some others.
Conclusion
The research has found that the company processes have been out of control, and that is why the company’s final products, namely plastics, do meet the customers’ requirements. The company is recommended to use the results of their research and improve their processes by taking relevant steps to ensure the processes remain in control.
There are multiple methods through which the company could achieve this aim. Some of them comprise changing some of the process inputs as well replacing some staff. The other recommendation for the company is to learn the exact specifications of the desired objects and work towards meeting these requirements, since, unless the company retakes control over its industrial processes, it would lead to the loss of reputation and its loyal customers.
References
Amp. (2020). Abu Mansoor Trading COLLC. Web.
Bright. (2010). Learn the Theories of Total Quality Management. Web.
LinkedIn. (2020). Abu Mansoor Plastic Factory. Web.