Hank Kolb – Director of quality assurance

 What are the causes of the quality problems on the Greasex line?

The primary problem is the lack of commitment to achieve an excellent quality product. The

management lacks policies and visible support for quality standards. Although they have recently

hired Hank Kolb to oversee their quality program, which is a good decision, the lack of support

from senior management for quality is very apparent. It was evident in launching the Greasex

line to gain market share without testing the processes involved in making the product as well as

ensuring safety requirements are achieved. They saw quality as only a secondary added value.

 What general steps should Hank follow in setting up a continuous

improvement program for the company? What problems will he have to

overcome to make it work?

Hank Kolb needs to study meticulously the fundamental problems relating to the process in

making Greasex line—from equipment, input goods, and safety requirements. He should advise

the senior management to be involved in developing quality standards and seek full support in

the implementation of said standards to change the attitude across the company. Mr. Kolb can

then start an awareness campaign to empower workers/employees and give them clear

understanding regarding the cost of poor quality products against the value of good quality

processes.
Series of Actions Hank Kolb can recommend to the Management

• Define clearly quality standards and align it with the company’s vision mission as a whole

• Extensive research and testing of new products should be done first before launching them in
the market. Processes involved should also be reviewed to ensure compliance with product
specifications and readiness of the operations

• Analyze if Greasex product fits strategically with their company’s goals and objectives.
Perform cost/benefit analysis if better machines are needed or should discontinue the product.

• They could perform a make/buy analysis to determine if they should off-load the production
into other companies. This could be advantageous because it could provide an opportunity to
remove the problem and provide a quality product in the quantities needed.