Assignment Due Date Friday 12/22/17 10:00 PM EST

Assignment Due Date Friday 122217 1000 Pm Estin This Assignment

In this assignment, you will consider the means to manage product/service quality in a lean business environment using a quality control plan for a chosen business opportunity with Amazon. You are required to discuss the overall quality approach, such as TQM, ISO 9000, or Six Sigma, and specify the technologies you intend to use, such as acceptance sampling, statistical process control, and capabilities analysis. Develop a work breakdown structure (WBS) for your business idea, including at least three tasks with at least three subtasks each, along with a narrative justifying each task and subtask. Identify key milestones, deliverables, and resource requirements based on your WBS, explaining their role in meeting scope, time, and cost objectives. Assess potential obstacles and impediments to achieving these objectives, providing rationales, and propose appropriate risk mitigation strategies. Your discussion should project the costs, risks, and benefits of operationalizing your business idea supported by rationale. Ensure your paper adheres to APA formatting, is 8 to 10 pages in length, double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12-point font with one-inch margins, and includes at least two credible references.

Paper For Above instruction

The burgeoning landscape of e-commerce, especially with giants like Amazon, necessitates robust quality management strategies to ensure customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and competitive advantage. This paper explores the integration of quality management principles into a new Amazon-based business venture, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive quality control plan, an effective work breakdown structure, critical milestones, and risk management strategies to operationalize the business successfully.

Quality Approach and Technologies

The foundation for managing quality within the proposed Amazon business is Total Quality Management (TQM). TQM emphasizes continuous improvement, customer focus, and defect prevention, aligning well with Amazon’s customer-centric culture (Oakland, 2014). Incorporating TQM principles enables the business to foster a culture of quality, empowering employees at all levels to contribute to process improvements. This approach helps minimize defects and enhance customer satisfaction, which are vital for online retail success.

Alongside TQM, specific quality tools such as Statistical Process Control (SPC), acceptance sampling, and capabilities analysis are integral. SPC involves using statistical methods to monitor and control production processes, preventing defects before they reach the customer (Montgomery, 2017). Acceptance sampling facilitates quality inspections of incoming inventory and outgoing products, ensuring only quality products are delivered. Capabilities analysis evaluates whether processes meet specified quality standards consistently, allowing for process adjustments to reduce variability (Juran & Godfrey, 1999).

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

The development of a detailed work breakdown structure (WBS) is crucial to organize tasks systematically. For the Amazon business, the WBS includes three primary tasks: Product Development and Sourcing, Process Setup and Quality Control, and Marketing and Customer Service. Each task comprises three subtasks with specific functions:

1. Product Development and Sourcing
   • Identify and evaluate suppliers
   • Develop product specifications
   • Negotiate sourcing contracts
2. Process Setup and Quality Control
   • Establish processing workflows
   • Implement quality control procedures
   • Train staff on quality standards
3. Marketing and Customer Service
   • Develop marketing strategies
   • Set up customer communication channels
   • Implement feedback collection systems

Each task and subtask is justified as follows: the first task ensures reliable supply chains and product quality; the second guarantees operational efficiency and defect minimization; the third focuses on market penetration and customer satisfaction, which are vital for business success (Heizer et al., 2017).

Milestones, Deliverables, and Resources

Key milestones include supplier onboarding (Week 4), completion of process setup (Week 8), and launch of marketing campaigns (Week 12). Critical deliverables encompass supplier contracts, process documentation, and marketing plans, while resources required include personnel (procurement specialists, process engineers, marketing team), technology (quality monitoring systems, enterprise resource planning software), and capital investment (inventory procurement). These elements are essential for ensuring that the project adheres to scope, schedule, and budget constraints, facilitating timely market entry.

Potential Obstacles and Risk Mitigation

Potential obstacles include supplier delays, process inefficiencies, and unforeseen market fluctuations. For example, supplier delays can hinder product availability, impacting customer satisfaction and sales targets. Risks such as equipment failure or quality lapses may lead to increased costs and reputational damage. To mitigate these risks, strategies such as establishing multiple supplier relationships, implementing preventive maintenance schedules, and deploying real-time quality monitoring systems are recommended (Boehm, 1989). Regular risk assessments and contingency planning are necessary to adapt promptly to unexpected challenges.

Cost, Risks, and Benefits of Operationalization

The projected costs encompass procurement, infrastructure setup, personnel training, and marketing; total costs are estimated at $150,000. Risks include supplier failure, process delays, and market entry obstacles, which can be mitigated through diversified sourcing and phased rollouts. The benefits involve increased market share, improved product quality, higher customer satisfaction, and long-term profitability. These are supported by the competitive advantages provided by robust quality management and customer-centric operations, aligning with Amazon’s strategic objectives (Hitt et al., 2017).

Conclusion

Implementing a comprehensive quality management plan aligned with Lean principles and supported by robust WBS, risk mitigation, and milestone planning is essential for successful business operations on Amazon. Continuous improvement, proactive risk management, and strategic resource allocation will be pivotal in meeting scope, schedule, and cost objectives, ensuring sustainable growth and customer satisfaction.

References

• Boehm, B. W. (1989). Software Risk Management. IEEE Software, 6(1), 18-25.
• Heizer, J., Render, B., & Munson, C. (2017). Operations Management (12th ed.). Pearson.
• Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2017). Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases. Cengage Learning.
• Juran, J. M., & Godfrey, A. B. (1999). Juran's Quality Handbook. McGraw-Hill.
• Montgomery, D. C. (2017). Design and Analysis of Experiments (9th ed.). Wiley.
• Oakland, J. S. (2014). Total Quality Management and Operational Excellence: Text with Cases. Routledge.