Title: Supplier quality: the Ford Motor Company Regional Training Centre initiative

Authors: B.G. Dale, M. Owen, P. Shaw

Addresses: Manchester School of Management, UMIST, Manchester, UK. ' Training for Quality Unit, Bristol Polytechnic, Bristol, UK. ' The Management Centre, Wigan College of Technology, Wigan, UK

Abstract: The Ford Motor Company has established a number of Regional Training Centres within Europe to assist in the training of its suppliers in the implementation and use of statistical process control and in the concept of total quality excellence. This paper describes how the UK Regional Training Centres were established and how they operate. It also examines the experiences of two Centres in carrying out this type of training. Amongst the main findings are that most suppliers fail to develop a strategy for the implementation of statistical process control and give insufficient thought to the type of personnel who should be receiving this training; there is now also much greater awareness amongst supplier managements of total quality excellence and its importance to corporate health. It is also pointed out that the initiative of the Ford Motor Company in setting up Regional Training Centres is unique, certainly in the UK, and is an approach which could be replicated by other blue-chip organisations.

Keywords: quality control; statistical process control; SPC; total quality excellence; Regional Training Centre; Ford Motor Company; supplier quality; supplier management; automotive suppliers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.1989.061533

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 1989 Vol.10 No.2, pp.125 - 135

Published online: 26 May 2014 *

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