Discussion 3: Quality Management

Read this article

and then respond to the following:

• What are the quality management issues at play?
• What quality management issues impacted boeing previously and how are they affecting the rollout of this aircraft?
• What do you suggest they do moving forward?
• Respond to comment below

Garvely’s Comment to respond to:

The SupplyChainBrain article on Boeings plan to increase 737 production highlights how quality management issues directly affect operations and supply chain decisions. Although demand for the 737 remains strong, Boeings ability to raise output is constrained by ongoing quality and regulatory concerns, demonstrating the close relationship between quality management and operational effectiveness.

A key quality management issue at play is process compliance under heightened FAA oversight. Due to prior manufacturing lapses, Boeing must now demonstrate consistent adherence to standardized production and inspection processes before production rates can increase. This reflects a shift from output-driven decision making toward a quality-first operating approach, consistent with total quality management principles discussed in the course.

Historically, Boeing experienced serious quality failures related to manufacturing execution, documentation, and supplier oversight. Assembly defects and inconsistent process controls exposed weaknesses in Boeings quality system and supplier integration. These earlier issues continue to affect the current rollout of the 737 by limiting production rates, increasing inspection requirements, and reducing operational flexibility. From an operations perspective, these failures illustrate how poor quality management increases costs, delays output, and erodes regulatory and customer trust.

To move forward, Boeing should strengthen process-based quality systems by embedding quality checks directly into production rather than relying on final inspections. Improved supplier quality integration is also critical, including clearer performance metrics and closer collaboration across the supply chain. Additionally, leadership should reinforce a strong quality culture by empowering employees to report issues and aligning incentives with quality outcomes instead of production speed.

Overall, Boeings situation demonstrates that sustainable capacity expansion depends on stable, well-controlled quality systems. Treating quality as a strategic priority rather than a constraint is essential for long-term operational success.