Quality Improvement Strategies at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation: A Comprehensive Overview

Topic: Corporation Words: 569 Pages: 3

Introduction

The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation has been in need of an update of its quality policies for a while. Although the percentage of the current defects is passable, there are means of reducing it (Kubiak & Benbow, 2014b). A set of tools for addressing the issue, including the provision of an iSix-Sigma-based framework (DMAIC) have been designed.

However, to mitigate the possible risks, one will have to consider the following tools: application of the transformational leadership strategy, redesign of the corporate values, provision of incentives, appraisals, and training, as well as career and personal growth opportunities to the employees, information management improvement, etc (Kubiak & Benbow, 2014c). The application of the FMEA tool shows quite clearly that the change in the corporate values clearly is the company’s priority at present as opposed to other solutions such as creating a set of more rigid standards and providing the training immediately.

Analysis

Table 1. Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA).

Failure mode	Severity (1 = Lowest, 10 = Highest)	Probability of occurrence (1 = Lowest, 10 = Highest)	Probability of detection (1 = Lowest, 10 = Highest)	RPN
(A) Staff’s refusal to follow the suggested organizational behavior patterns	7	4	9	252
(B) Staff’s lack of enthusiasm in acquiring new skills and knowledge	5	4	10	200
(C) Inconsistency of the training program	8	2	10	160
(D) Inconsistency of the information management approach	8	2	9	144
(E) Failure to measure the effects of the training successfully	7	1	8	56
(F) Failure to execute control over the further performance of the staff	6	3	9	162

As the table above shows, the issue concerning the staff’s enthusiasm is of the highest priority at present. Thus, it is desirable to address the management issues, as well as the reconsideration of the corporate values and ethics. Thus, prerequisites for a successful change can be created (Kubiak & Benbow, 2014g).

In light of the outcomes listed above, it will be necessary to reconsider the current concept of the process map. Particularly, a very strong emphasis must lie on the enhancement of corporate values and the redesign of corporate ethics (Kubiak & Benbow, 2014f). Moreover, seeing that the lack of motivation among the employees remains the primary concern, it will be reasonable to modify the process so that detailed feedback from the staff could be collected more often and analyzed in a more scrupulous fashion (Kubiak & Benbow, 2014e).

Similarly, the managers of the project should also provide their evaluation along with recommendations and encouragement to the employees. In other words, the feedback process must be mutual and uninterrupted (Kubiak & Benbow, 2014a). The changes listed above are likely to help address the existing risks. While mitigating every threat does not seem a possibility, it is necessary to devise the approach that will allow managing the emergent issues correspondingly (Kubiak & Benbow, 2014d).

Although the process of promoting change by altering the current leadership approach and focusing on the satisfaction of the key stakeholders, the employees being the target audience, is likely to be rather timely, it must be preferred to the rest of the tools as it will create prerequisites for continuous quality improvement. Setting the stage for the unceasing learning process and inspiring the staff to be more independent and at the same time more responsible in their company-related decision-making the identified tools are likely to help the company avoid the failure.

Reference List

Kubiak, T. M., & Benbow, D. W. (2014a). Chapter 28: Design of experiments. In The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt handbook (2nd ed.) (pp. ). Milwaukee, WI: ASQ Press.

Kubiak, T. M., & Benbow, D. W. (2014b). Chapter 29: Waste elimination. In The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt handbook (2nd ed.) (pp. ). Milwaukee, WI: ASQ Press.

Kubiak, T. M., & Benbow, D. W. (2014c). Chapter 30: Cycle-time reduction. In The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt handbook (2nd ed.) (pp. ). Milwaukee, WI: ASQ Press.

Kubiak, T. M., & Benbow, D. W. (2014d). Chapter 31: Kaizen and Kaizen Blitz. In The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt handbook (2nd ed.) (pp. ). Milwaukee, WI: ASQ Press.

Kubiak, T. M., & Benbow, D. W. (2014e). Chapter 32: Theory of constraints. In The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt handbook (2nd ed.) (pp. ). Milwaukee, WI: ASQ Press.

Kubiak, T. M., & Benbow, D. W. (2014f). Chapter 33: Implementation. In The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt handbook (2nd ed.) (pp. ). Milwaukee, WI: ASQ Press.

Kubiak, T. M., & Benbow, D. W. (2014g). Chapter 34: Risk analysis and mitigation. In The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt handbook (2nd ed.) (pp. ). Milwaukee, WI: ASQ Press.