Quality, Manufacturing Strategy, and Global Competition: An Empirical Analysis
Abstract
Over the past ten years, intense global competition has forced many firms to examine their business practices and to evaluate how to meet the challenges economic globalization has presented. Underlying these efforts has been an examination of strategic priorities and in particular recognition of the need to improve product and process quality. While quality improvement has become a pervasive element of business strategy, allowing some companies to respond to increasing competitive pressures, it has not been universally effective. This study uses a survey of over 300 senior quality personnel to identify the challenges businesses face from globalization and how strategic initiatives, and in particular, quality improvement efforts, are used to respond to them.
