Factors Affecting Quality in a Manufacturing Organization for a Non-Repairable Product

Authors: Jay Vee L. Lacostales, Alexis G. Robledo, and Willie C. Buclatin

Abstract: The study was conducted in J.F. Rubber Philippines Incorporated located at Block 2, Lot 6, People’s Technology Complex Special Economic Zone, Carmona, Cavite. A total of one hundred twenty one (121) participants were selected which included the management and the employees of JF Rubber Philippines Incorporated. The researchers used some quality control tools to know the significance of sustaining product quality in JF Rubber Philippines Incorporated producing a non-repairable product. The statistical treatment used in this study were the factor analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis.The study revealed that through the use of some quality control tools help to determine importance of  quality in every manufacturing industry, especially in an industry which produces a non-repairable product. Among all part numbers or products that JF rubber Philippines Incorporated produces, the researchers only selected top ten part numbers with the highest rejection cost which are compression machine, vacuum machine, curing, part measurement and functional test, respectively, with a total rejection cost of Php 332, 681.24 pesos during the operation in December 1 to 28, 2016. The result of the study showed that in soft factors such as leadership, customer leadership, customer focus, education and training, strategic planning and teamwork and cooperation are highly significant to all product quality measurements. Five hard factors elements such as technology utilization, cost savings, inspection and testing and continual improvement had highly significant effect to all product quality measurements. For the relationship of the hard factors to soft factors, three hard factors such as technology utilization, inspection and testing and continual improvement were highly significant to all six soft factors. In addition, the only soft factor that had a highly significant direct impact on all product quality measurement through effect on hard factor was customer focus. On the other hand, the hard factor that was found to have highly significant direct impact on all product quality measurement through effect on soft factor were inspection and test equipment factor. The regression result showed the ranking of all factors and it revealed that the most important factor which affects product quality as a whole was customer focus (soft factor), followed by inspection and testing (hard factor) and continual improvement (hard factor) which had a directly proportional relationship to product quality. Product and process innovation (hard factor), on the other hand, had an inversely proportional relationship to product quality. All other factors were considered not significant but all were essential factors which must be improved to achieve the best product quality.

Keywords: Product quality, Total Quality Management (TQM), Hard factors, Soft factor