Current Event on Supply Chain Management

Boeing, one of the leading aircraft manufacturers, has been in the spotlight for quality issues in the recent past. An Ethiopian Airlines plane crash and another emergency landing of the same exact aircraft model raised issues on the quality of the company’s product, possibly compromising users’ safety. In the article “Boeing’s 5S Problem”, Sliff (2019) evaluates the potential of inefficient lean production being a major cause of Boeing’s safety issues. The article quotes the president of the Management and Strategy Institute, saying that Boeing has insufficient process control strategies to maximize its products’ quality. For instance, a recently delivered U.S. army aircraft, KC-46, was found to have tools, litter, and other work materials. Such debris could be a sign of poor quality management and safety issues.

The article compares the Boeing manufacturing process to that of Toyota, the inventor of the lean manufacturing philosophy, to show the changes that Boeing can make to enhance its quality management. The process is made up of 5S, representing actions that must be taken in the lean manufacturing process. The 5S includes sort-taking stock of all items, setting in order-ensure everything is arranged for ease of use, shine-cleaning the workplace setting regularly, standardize-create a uniform process, and sustain-making the lean manufacturing process regularly.

Connection to Zara’s Manufacturing Process

The ideas presented to Boeing in the article are slightly related to the processes used by Zara in its JIT production, but there are also some elements that the company can improve. For instance, Zara begins its processes by sorting in that it investigates the design and inventory requirements before beginning the production process. Additionally, the company has a standardized production process that ensures the consistent production of the same quality of products. Zara has also sustained its supply chain management strategies, as recommended in the article. It ensures that all employees understand the production process and use it consistently for consistent production of quality. What Zara can learn from this is the idea of cleaning up the workplace to prevent any mistakes that might compromise its quality. In any new production period, the company should ensure that the production plants are cleared of the previous production issues, which can affect current quality. Other than that, Zara is performing a great job in maintaining a lean production system.

References

Sliff, M. (2019). Boeing’s 5S Problem. Quality Digest. Retrieved from: https://www.qualitydigest.com/inside/lean-article/boeing-s-5s-problem-042519.html

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[u05d1] Unit 5 Discussion 1 Current Event

Find a current article (something within the last 3 months) on Just in Time (JIT), Lean Manufacturing or Supply Chain Management. Focus on a topic for which you can make some comparisons to your selected company for your project (in other words a process they are currently using).

Current Event on Supply Chain Management

How are the processes similar? How are they different? What could your company incorporate from the article that would help them improve their process? Your initial posting should be approximately 300 to 400 words. Please revisit the Courseroom after your initial posting and respond to at least two other learners postings.

Resources

UNDERGRADUATE DISCUSSION PARTICIPATION SCORING GUIDE

Due Date: weekly
Percentage of Course Grade: 24%.