OL 324 Final Project Guidelines And Rubric Overview

OL 324 Final Project Guidelines And Rubricoverview The Final Project

The final project for this course is to create an organizational quality plan focused on a quality issue experienced by a chosen company. The project involves selecting a company with known quality problems, analyzing the issue, and developing a comprehensive plan to address and improve organizational quality. The project is divided into two milestones: a proposal and an outline, culminating in a final paper that includes a company background, description of the quality issue, culture, customer impact, change management plan, expected outcomes, supporting scholarly research, and proper APA formatting.

Paper For Above instruction

Organizational quality management plays a critical role in maintaining a company's reputation, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency. Addressing quality issues requires a systematic approach that starts with understanding the company's background, identifying the specific problem, analyzing the company's culture, understanding customer perspectives, and developing an effective change management plan. This paper will examine Samsung Electronics, a globally renowned technology company, focusing on the 2016 Galaxy Note 7 battery defect incident, analyzing its root causes, organizational culture, customer impact, and proposing a strategic plan to prevent future occurrences and enhance overall quality management.

Introduction

Samsung Electronics, founded in 1969 and headquartered in South Korea, has grown into one of the world's leading producers of consumer electronics, semiconductors, and telecommunications equipment. The company's origins trace back to post-war South Korea, initially as a trading company before expanding into various industries including food processing, textiles, construction, and eventually electronics (Kaplan, 2011). Samsung's commitment to innovation and quality has driven its global success, but the 2016 Galaxy Note 7 crisis highlighted vulnerabilities in its quality assurance processes and organizational culture. Analyzing this incident offers insights into how large corporations can better manage quality and prevent such damaging issues.

Company Background and History

Samsung was established in 1938 by Lee Byung-chul as a trading enterprise. Over the subsequent decades, it diversified into food processing, textiles, insurance, securities, construction, shipping, and electronics, the latter becoming its primary focus by the late 1960s (O’Regan, 2015). In the 1990s, Samsung solidified its reputation in electronics, becoming a global leader in mobile devices, televisions, and semiconductors. By 2015, Samsung was the second-largest information technology company worldwide, with a market value among the top firms globally (Kaplan, 2011). Despite its success, the company faced a significant quality crisis with the Galaxy Note 7, which severely impacted its brand and profitability.

Description of the Quality Issue

The Galaxy Note 7 was released in August 2016 and was highly anticipated due to its innovative features. However, shortly after launch, reports emerged that some devices were catching fire or exploding while charging, posing safety risks to consumers and property (Kte'pi, 2016). The defect was traced to battery malfunctions caused by manufacturing defects and inadequate quality control processes. This safety issue led to a worldwide recall of approximately 2.5 million units, costing Samsung billions in damages and damaging consumer trust. The incident underscored the importance of rigorous testing, quality assurance, and risk management in product development.

The Company's Quality Culture

Samsung's corporate culture emphasizes hierarchical structures, top-down decision-making, and rigorous quality controls, often described as a militaristic or authoritarian environment (O’Regan, 2016). While such a culture can promote discipline and consistency, it may also inhibit open communication and hinder rapid identification and resolution of quality issues. The Galaxy Note 7 incident suggests that a rigid culture may have contributed to inadequate early detection of battery defects, as frontline employees might have lacked the authority or freedom to escalate concerns promptly. Cultivating a culture that encourages transparency, continuous improvement, and employee empowerment is critical to embedding quality into organizational DNA.

Voice of the Customer

The defect significantly damaged Samsung's reputation and eroded consumer confidence. Customers reported safety hazards, leading to emotional distress, inconvenience, and distrust in Samsung products. The incident generated negative media coverage, customer complaints, and a decline in sales not only for the Galaxy Note 7 but across Samsung's product lines (Kte'pi, 2016). The voice of the customer reflects a need for Samsung to prioritize safety, improve communication channels, and involve customer feedback early in the product development process to prevent recurrence of such crises.

Change Management Plan

Quality Theories

To facilitate effective change, Samsung should adopt Crosby’s Zero Defects theory and Juran’s Quality Trilogy. Crosby’s emphasis on prevention and meeting standards aligns with the goal of eliminating defects in the manufacturing process, fostering a culture of quality consciousness (Crosby, 1979). Juran’s approach emphasizes quality planning, control, and improvement, which can help integrate quality into every stage of product development and manufacturing (Juran, 1988). These theories provide a structured framework for instituting systemic changes to prevent future failures.

Quality Tools and Techniques

Implementing cause-and-effect diagrams (fishbone analysis) will help identify root causes of battery defects. Flowcharting processes can visualize production workflows to identify potential failure points, while Pareto charts will assist in prioritizing issues based on frequency or impact. These tools facilitate data-driven decision-making and continuous quality improvement (Sahay, 2016).

Implementing Change

The change process begins with assessing current quality controls and identifying gaps. Developing a comprehensive plan that includes training staff on quality standards, enforcing stricter supplier quality audits, and integrating advanced testing procedures is crucial. Pilot testing new controls, followed by organization-wide implementation, ensures pragmatic adaptation. Continuous monitoring and feedback mechanisms should be established to evaluate effectiveness and make iterative improvements (Hashim, 2013).

Resistance to Change

Potential resistance may stem from employees accustomed to existing procedures, cost implications of new quality measures, and supplier pushback. Addressing resistance involves leadership commitment, transparent communication, and demonstrating the benefits of improved quality to gain stakeholder buy-in.

Expected Outcomes

Successful implementation of the proposed quality initiatives will lead to enhanced product reliability, safety, and customer satisfaction. The company’s brand reputation will recover as consumer trust is rebuilt through transparent quality assurance processes. Reducing defect rates will lower costs associated with recalls, warranty claims, and legal liabilities. Over time, a proactive quality culture will emerge, fostering innovation and continuous improvement, thereby ensuring competitive advantage and stakeholder value (Kenyon & Sen, 2014).

Conclusion

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 incident underscores the vital importance of integrating robust quality management practices and fostering a culture of quality that empowers employees and values customer feedback. Applying established quality theories and tools, coupled with strategic change management, can help Samsung prevent future crises, protect its brand, and sustain its market leadership in the electronics industry.

References

• Crosby, P. B. (1979). Quality is Free: The Art of Making Quality Certain. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Hashim, M. (2013). Change Management. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 3(7).
• Juran, J. M. (1988). Juran on Planning for Quality. New York: Free Press.
• Kaplan, D. (2011). Samsung Galaxy Tab Application Sketch Book. Samsung Galaxy Tab Application Sketch Book, 1(1), 7-160. doi:10.1007/_1
• Kte'pi, B. (2016). Samsung. Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Society, 3(5). doi:10.4135/.n403
• O’Regan, G. (2015). Samsung. Pillars of Computing, 3(11). doi:10.1007/_28
• Sahay, A. (2016). Managing and Improving Quality: Integrating Quality, Statistical Methods and Process Control. New York: Business Expert Press.