Abstract

[This abstract is based on the authors' abstract.]
When Skyko Industries, a hypothetical manufacturing company, considered changing suppliers as a cost-cutting measure, capability studies were run on the current supplier and two potential new suppliers. While results at first seem promising, a lack of information about processes used by the suppliers to make standard parts had led to wrong conclusions. Additional questions about the company's acceptance sampling procedures revealed weakness in that area as well. The decision to change suppliers was tabled while a team was able to assess the situation and come up with an eight-point supplier improvement initiative to properly document and evaluate each candidate supplier's process.