Quality improvement
Improving product and service quality is a challenging task that requires significant changes in not only the design of the essential operations but also the mindset of the staff members as well as the leadership strategy and the management processes. The case of the Cambridge plant is a graphic representation of the complexity of the identified process. While, on the surface, the alterations made to the organization might seem minor, a closer look at the changes through which the company had to go will reveal that a shift toward a different model of operations was required (Evans & Lindsay 2016).
For instance, by placing a very heavy emphasis on the significance of teamwork, the company leaders created the environment in which fast and efficient information management became a possibility. Indeed, once the principles of cooperation are introduced into the routine of every department, a more cohesive data management process is expected. As a result, the instances of misunderstandings, mismanagement of tasks, delays, etc., were minimized. Therefore, the quality of the output grew consistently.
Furthermore, by installing the tools for monitoring the progress, the company managers gained an opportunity to establish a rigid control system, i.e., identify the emerging problems and address them in a manner as efficient and expeditious as possible. Therefore, the prerequisites for significant failures were removed successfully. More importantly, the foundation for making assumptions concerning the areas which require improvements was created.
Finally, the change in the mindset of the participants as the element of the company design should be listed among the key changes contributing to the rise in quality levels. By altering employees’ values and promoting the corporate philosophy, the organization built a profound system for decision-making. As a result, the solutions chosen by the staff were bound to be ethical and company-oriented.
Analysis
The approach adopted at Cambridge while serving very specific goals, can, in fact, be used to address the needs of other organizations. Among the essential lessons that the identified case study has to offer, the importance of quality management deserves to be mentioned first. Even for the organizations that have reached impressive success, further growth is imperative; otherwise, the company will not be able to respond to the changes in the demands of the target audiences. Therefore, the propensity to change and improve should be viewed as a crucial element of any organization (Pyzdek & Keller 2014).
The results of the case under analysis also indicate that the promotion of collaboration and cooperation, as well as the enhancement of communication, must be viewed as the primary goals of any company. It is imperative to make sure that every single staff member should be able to cooperate and engage in teamwork. Therefore, the focus on the promotion of cooperation is crucial. As the case study shows, the collaboration between the staff members contributes to successful information management extensively. Furthermore, the enhancement of teamwork allows the leaders of an organization to plant the ideas and values associated with loyalty, responsibility, and the associated qualities into the minds of the employees. As a result, the performance thereof can be improved significantly.
Thus, the case under analysis offers a lot of valuable lessons to learn. Most of these lessons concern leadership and management, which is rather understandable. As long as the employees have a model that they can follow, a rapid improvement in quality can be expected.
Reference List
Evans, JR, & Lindsay, WM 2016, Managing for quality and performance excellence, Cengage Learning, Stamford, CT.
Pyzdek, T, & Keller, P 2014, The Six Sigma handbook: a complete guide for green belts, black belts, and managers at all levels, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.