Quality Control and Improvement

A Pioneer of Online Journalism Falls off the Digital Platform

Another news organization is succumbing to the brutal demands of digital publishing.

BuzzFeed quickly went from an original and somewhat eccentric media outlet to a well-known publication with a respected news division. It pioneered ways of engaging younger readers, included serious articles as well as celebrity news, and exploited the potential for stories to go viral on social media with click-driven headlines.

As it expanded its news division, BuzzFeed failed to generate the revenues necessary to sustain a world class news operation. […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2023-05-05T00:46:08+00:00May 5, 2023|Tags: competitivness, House of Quality, job design, lead time, service quality, strategy, virtual service|

The Race to Complete the KCI Airport on Time and on Budget

KCI’s new terminal is about to open.

Phasing out the old airport while completing the work at the new one is well under way. All major systems have been tested, hiring has started, and plans for the final integration are ready. To date, the project implementation has been successful. However, the project team does not take this success for granted and remains laser-focused on getting the airport 100% ready for opening day.

Video Spotlight: When Will KCI Airport […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2023-01-30T20:40:08+00:00February 1, 2023|Tags: capacity requirement planning, inspection, project management, project scheduling, project team, waiting lines|

Contaminated Baby Formula: The High Costs of Poor Quality

At the Sturgis plant, contaminated baby formula led to serious illnesses and a crippling shortage (see earlier post).

Sloppy procedures, deficient product testing, and a company culture prioritizing output quantity over quality were the precursors to a widespread crisis that could have been prevented. The FDA’s nonchalance and a lack of swift, corrective action have imperiled the lives of many and cast doubt that all root causes of the problems have been eradicated.

Video Spotlight:

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2022-09-08T21:37:51+00:00September 10, 2022|Tags: costs of quality, product quality, product recall, quality control, six sigma|

Recalls, Material Shortages and More Lead to Baby Formula Shortages

Nationwide shortages of baby formula have had panicked parents desperately searching to find enough.

The problem has been worsening and is expected to last at least through 2022. Parents are taking to social media to assist each other in finding alternatives and to help raise awareness about this crisis.

Video Spotlight:

Baby formula shortage across US l GMA (May 6, 2022, ABC News)
Baby formula shortage: factory linked to contamination reopens (June 4, 2022, […]

By Lisa M. Spencer|2022-06-06T06:15:02+00:00June 10, 2022|Tags: food safety, food supply chain, inventory management, quality control, recalls, shortage, statistical process control|