Toyota and Quality Issues Paper
Toyota and Quality Issues Paper
Howard Gripp, Melissa Hatfield, Leslie Stewart, Melinda Hoye
Applied Business Research & Statistics (QNT/561)
Professor Gerald Heidt
University of Phoenix
August 2, 2010
Toyota and Quality Issues Paper The quality of the Toyota products has not been up to company standards lately as there have been more customer complaints and serious lawsuits from customers. In 2010 alone, Toyota has had recalls on 400,000 Avalons, 600,000 Minivans, and over 400,000 Prius vehicles as well as certain Lexus HS 250h models (Automotive Advertising Network, 2010). The Toyota quality process consist of Lean Six Sigma made popular by Motorola, Toyota, and General Electric. The iSixSIgma (2010) website, Six Sigma is a rigorous and disciplined method that uses data and statistical analysis to measure and improve a company 's operational performance by identifying and eliminating "defects”. With all of the current recalls, Toyota must find a way to improve the testing process and sampling of products that go in to the production of Toyota vehicles.
Develop a Research Question Because of the number of complaints within the past year, it is imperative for management to determine the cause of the defects. Therefore, management must research the current quality control system to determine the flaws that exist and the potential solution for these flaws. The current quality control process involves human error. Therefore, implementing a computerized system based on Six Sigma that will do automatic checks, check multiple samples, and create graphs, charts and reports that will improve quality, reduce customer complaints, reduce the high number of recalls, and regain the confidence of the consumer market.
Determine the Appropriate Research Design In determining how to implement the computerized quality control system, Toyota has to make sure they are doing all the research necessary to ensure the system will properly detect defects in the parts that go
Howard Gripp, Melissa Hatfield, Leslie Stewart, Melinda Hoye
Applied Business Research & Statistics (QNT/561)
Professor Gerald Heidt
University of Phoenix
August 2, 2010
Toyota and Quality Issues Paper The quality of the Toyota products has not been up to company standards lately as there have been more customer complaints and serious lawsuits from customers. In 2010 alone, Toyota has had recalls on 400,000 Avalons, 600,000 Minivans, and over 400,000 Prius vehicles as well as certain Lexus HS 250h models (Automotive Advertising Network, 2010). The Toyota quality process consist of Lean Six Sigma made popular by Motorola, Toyota, and General Electric. The iSixSIgma (2010) website, Six Sigma is a rigorous and disciplined method that uses data and statistical analysis to measure and improve a company 's operational performance by identifying and eliminating "defects”. With all of the current recalls, Toyota must find a way to improve the testing process and sampling of products that go in to the production of Toyota vehicles.
Develop a Research Question Because of the number of complaints within the past year, it is imperative for management to determine the cause of the defects. Therefore, management must research the current quality control system to determine the flaws that exist and the potential solution for these flaws. The current quality control process involves human error. Therefore, implementing a computerized system based on Six Sigma that will do automatic checks, check multiple samples, and create graphs, charts and reports that will improve quality, reduce customer complaints, reduce the high number of recalls, and regain the confidence of the consumer market.
Determine the Appropriate Research Design In determining how to implement the computerized quality control system, Toyota has to make sure they are doing all the research necessary to ensure the system will properly detect defects in the parts that go
References: Automotive Advertising Network. (2010). Toyota Recall. Retrieved from http://www.toyotarecall.org/ Cooper, D.R. & Schindler, P.S. (2006). Business research methods (9th ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill/Irwin. iSixSIgma. (2010). Six Sigma. Retrieved from http://www.isixsigma.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=201&Itemid=27