Survey of Quality in Western Michigan Firms

Looks into the quality practices of a cross‐section of firms in the western Michigan area. Large and small firms were studied. Using a survey questionnaire, the study explores the relationship of a number of variables to the implementation process. Studies the relationship between firm size, competition and the implementation process by studying the degree of implementation. In the area of statistical process control (SPC) the respondents were asked to provide the percentage of production lines utilizing SPC. Similarly, in the area of vendor management the degree of implementation is related to the percentage of incoming material which no longer goes through inspection. In the area of quality costs the types of quality cost systems were documented. The major conclusions are that degree of implementation of quality programmes is not uneven. Larger firms and those firms facing strong import competition are more likely to have a higher degree of implementation. The usefulness of quality costs is questionable as most firms are proceeding with quality improvement programmes without a well defined quality costs system.