1. MGT 420 AllDiscussionQuestions
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Week One Discussion Questions
· What is the most important foundational element in the quality process? Why is
it the foundation of success in this process?
· What are some approaches taken by leadership in planning, developing, and
implementing a quality process? What type of leadership is necessary to
implement the plan and keep it focused until completion?
· In the manufacturing industry, who are the various stakeholders in
implementing a quality process? How is each stakeholder impacted? Are all
stakeholders impacted equally in implementing the quality process? Explain.
· In a global market, source venders – or stakeholders – may or may not have
quality control enforcement that meets the standards of the country producing the
product. What are some approaches to control quality across the global supply
chain? What are some implications or consequences of not properly controlling
the quality of raw materials and components in the supply chain? Provide
examples to support your answer.
· What are the different elements within a supply chain? What are some quality
management approaches available for a supply chain? How does each quality
management approach impact elements of the supply chain?
· Why is quality management so important in the supply chain? What may
happen to the supply chain if the quality management approach is not
implemented correctly? What are the consequences of the faulty implementation
of a quality management approach?
Week Two Discussion Questions
· Why was Deming’s theory on quality embraced by the Japanese auto industry
and rejected by the American auto industry? What impact did the rejection of
Deming’s quality theory by the American auto industry have on the rise of the
Japanese auto industry?
· What is Crosby’s quality theory? In what way is it unique among the various
theorists? What influence does adhering to Crosby’s unique theory have on
production?
· What are the distinguishing elements of a process-driven quality requirement?
What is unique about a process-driven quality requirement? What are some of

2. the unique elements of implementing customer-driven quality requirements as
opposed to process-driven quality requirements?
· What are the distinguishing elements of a customer-driven quality requirement?
What elements are unique to a customer-driven quality requirement? Why is
interfacing between the provider and the customer so critical in the successful
implementation in customer-driven quality requirements?
· How does one evaluate the characteristics of a quality tangible product? How
important would reliability and dependability factor into your evaluation?
· How does one evaluate the characteristics of a quality intangible product? How
important would courtesy and knowledge be of the person representing the
provider in resolving an issue with a quality intangible service?
Week Three Discussion Questions
· What are the two principle activities in strategic planning? Why is it important to
correctly identify and address these two activities to ensure success in the quality
initiative?
· What are some quality management issues? What are some strategies for
addressing quality management issues? How did you determine which ones are
most applicable? Defend your position.
· How do issues involving people enter into the strategy development and
implementation activities? Why is it important to have your key people involved in
all aspects of the total quality process?
· When deploying a quality process, what is the first most important step to be
considered? If you miss this step, does it have systemic implications through out
the process? Explain your answers.
· Would completing a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT)
analysis be advantageous when deploying a quality process? How do
identification and correction of internal weaknesses result in a more successful
deployment of the quality process?
· When measuring results of quality initiatives, which factors should be
considered? How do these factors influence the criteria?
· Is customer input important in developing quality measurement criteria? Does
determining the customers needs create a positive result? Why?
· Do quality initiatives result in an immediate profit improvement? How would an
organization determine if the quality initiative results need to be measured? How
would the organization determine when to measure the improvement?

3. Week Four Discussion Questions
· What are some KPIs that can affect alliances with certain vendors? Which KPIs
are most important? Why?
· Would a manufacturer view the KPIs differently for a commodity-type item
versus a high-end product? If yes, why would the manufacturer view these
products differently? What effect does the manufacturer’s choice have on the
price of the product being purchased and produced for the end product?
· What supplier qualifications would indicate the probability that your supplier
would be a successful strategic partner? In your opinion, how would you prioritize
these qualifications? What long-term effect would these choices have on an
organization?
· After qualification of the vendor, at what point do you initiate a performance
review? Does it make a difference if you measure their performance at the middle
of the cycle or at the end? Why?
· What are some areas of a company adversely affected when switching
suppliers? How would altering suppliers affect the different areas of a
manufacturing company? How would it affect the different areas of a service
company?
· What are some of the major costs in altering an existing supplier relationship or
establishing a new one? What significant costs might be incurred by a
manufacturing business upon modifying a supplier relationship? What are some
of the primary costs you would use in evaluating a service provider?
· Can all costs be determined up-front when altering a supplier relationship?
Explain how altering a supplier relationship would affect each of the following
areas:
o Warehousing
o Delivery
o Billing
o Reliability
o Quality of products or services
o Transportationcosts
· Is cost the most important factor to be considered when changing suppliers?
Why?

4. Week Five Discussion Questions
· What are some external quality management organizations? What value do
these organizations bring to each of their targeted industries? How does their
presence enhance the particular industry they target?
· What value does an external quality management organization bring to a
company that employs their methodology? Does receiving the endorsement from
an external quality management organization bring long-term value to a
company? Why or why not?
· When a company wants to improve its quality performance, should it seek
advice from an external organization? Why would it seek membership in an
external organization?
· Does participation in state or local quality management organizations continue
to add value to an organization? Does this participation affect the line worker? In
what way?