Developing a two-phase QFD for improving FMEA: an integrative approach

Prioritising the determinants of Industry-4.0 for implementation in MSME in the post-pandemic period – a quality function deployment analysis

Purpose

Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are witnessing an accelerated transformation by the advent of Industry-4.0 (I4.0) in the post-pandemic period. It is offering promising customer responsiveness, competitiveness, business growth and sustainability and thereby, compelling its integration to MSMEs. Therefore, it is imperative for researchers to explore Industry 4.0 challenges and their specific implementation requirements and also provide useful insights to the stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

This research paper has identified, explained and analysed various determinants of the I4.0 implementation, in MSME context. Focus group approach has been applied for taking inputs from experts for developing the House of Quality (HOQ) tool of the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology from the Total Quality Management (TQM) tool-box.

Findings

Based on the responses and after applying QFD, a conceptual model suggesting relevant strategies to execute I4.0 by Indian MSMEs has been developed. The model highlights three key challenges being faced by the Indian MSMEs –Top management support, Incompatible resources and Transition cost. The model also reveals vital few designer's descriptors – Cultural reorientation, IT enabled digitization, Process automation and knowledge and skill in I4.0 implementation (Knowhow) for a structured implementation of I4.0.

Practical implications

The evolved HOQ framework has provided some useful insights - priority areas in the MSME challenges and the designer's descriptors for I4.0 implementation in MSME. The research has also provided the understanding of the dynamics between the I4.0 components through the 10 × 10 interrelationship matrix of the HOQ. Farsighted MSME leaders, practising consultants, sourcing managers and policy makers can use the developed framework as a reference in formulating tactics to mitigate the I4.0 implementation barriers.

Originality/value

The non-conventional application of HOQ in the QFD approach from the TQM tool-box is a useful value addition to the TQM practitioners. The useful insights to the MSME leaders, policy makers, sourcing managers of OEM, consultants engaged in I4.0 transformation and academic researchers are the other contribution.

Fusion of expert uncertain assessment in FMEA based on the negation of basic probability assignment and evidence distance

Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) has been widely used for potential risk modeling and management. Expert evaluation is used to model the risk priority number to determine the risk level of different failure modes. Dempster–Shafer (D–S) evidence theory is an effective method for uncertain information modeling and has been adopted to address the uncertainty in FMEA. How to deal with conflicting evidence from different experts is an open issue. At the same time, different professional backgrounds of experts may lead to different weights in modeling the evaluation. How to model the relative weight of an expert is an important problem. We propose an improved risk analysis method based on triangular fuzzy numbers, the negation of basic probability assignment (BPA) and the evidence distance in the frame of D–S evidence theory. First, we summarize and organize the expert’s risk analysis results. Then, we model the expert’s assessments based on the triangular fuzzy numbers as BPAs and calculate the negation of BPAs. Third, we model the weight of expert based on the evidence distance in the evidence theory. Finally, the Murphy’s combination rule is used to fuse the risk assessment results of different experts and calculate the new risk priority number (RPN). At the end of this paper, we apply the proposed method to analyze seventeen failure modes of aircraft turbine blades. The experimental results verify the rationality and effectiveness of this method.

Application of Quality Function Deployment as an Integrative Method to Knowledge Management Implementation

Knowledge Management Implementation (KMI) can be analysed from three perspectives: Knowledge Management System (KMS) implementation, Knowledge Management Processes (KMPs) implementation and Organisational Outcomes (OO). Quality Function Deployment (QFD), conceived within the scope of quality, represents a method capable of bringing significant contributions to the knowledge field of KMI. The QFD method stands out as a comprehensive approach to improve the quality of products and services, focussing on customer requirements. The literature presents a scarcity of studies that discuss the KMI implementation process, addressing these three perspectives. Furthermore, studies that address QFD in the context of KM are more focussed on the KMS implementation perspective. In this context, this research proposes an innovative approach adopting QFD in order to structure the KMI, encompassing the three perspectives presented (KMS implementation, KMP implementation and OO). In this context, QFD is seen as a method of integrating and operationalising KMI activities. To validate this approach, we applied the case study in an academic support department at a Brazilian public university. As a result, it was possible to verify that the QFD helps in the operationalisation of the KMS and KMP and also improves OO. Still, it was observed that the approach to knowledge management seems to be easy to apply in the academic setting and has produced good results in the service offered in the department where it was applied.

The Challenge of Deploying Failure Modes and Effects Analysis in Complex System Applications—Quantification and Analysis

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is a systematic approach for evaluating failure modes in a system. However, its current implementation in complex systems is marred by high resource requirements, a lack of available data and difficulty of deployment. Consequently, attempts to integrate FMEA with other systematic methodologies have yielded unclear outcomes. Therefore, this paper used a score-based metric and applied the ordered probit model to empirically identify challenges associated with deploying FMEA and these attempts’ impact on FMEA applications as well as the influence of other organisational parameters. Our findings reveal that Fault Tree Analysis and Axiomatic Design methodologies reduced the perceived level of challenge significantly in the investigated sample. Our research outcome is of value to the practitioner community by showing that the level of challenge associated with FMEA deployment appears independent of organisational parameters, and that such a co-adoption of complementary methodologies in complex systems can reduce this challenge.

Developing a QFD model for prioritizing the CSFs of ERP based on the enablers of organizational agility

Purpose

The main purpose of this study is to develop a model for prioritizing the critical success factors (CSF) of enterprise resources planning (ERP) based on the enablers of organizational agility (OA).

Design/methodology/approach

First, the CSFs of ERP and the enablers of OA have been identified and classified using Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL), and then a three-phase quality function deployment (QFD) model has been designed to prioritize the influencing and influenced criteria. The proposed approach has been examined in the banking sector.

Findings

Major findings indicated that organizational structure, IT technology infrastructure, and commitment and support by top managers were selected as indicators with top priority.

Research limitations/implications

Research variables were limited to the enablers of OA and the CSFs of ERP; analysis was time-consuming due to the interconnected multiple QFD phases, and findings were limited to the selected branches of a bank. The bank managers were suggested to enhance their commitment and support toward ERP. Also, it was recommended to the managers to evaluate their organizational structure and empower it as much as possible toward the fulfillment of customers' requirements and customers' expected agility.

Originality/value

The development of the QFD matrices and dividing the factors of each research variables into influencing and influenced factors distinguished this study from the literature.

A case study on FMEA-based improvement for managing new product development risk

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the applicability of the failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) as an effective tool for decreasing failure risk in the early phase of the new product development (NPD), which adds to existing literature on the application of FMEA in NPD.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the application of action research (AR) methodology, it was possible to develop a case study examining the use of FMEA to decrease NPD risk in an early phase of NPD execution.

Findings

The importance and immediate gains of identifying NPD failures support FMEA's usefulness for NPD risk decrease. Moreover, its user-friendliness, timeliness and cost advantages facilitate the introduction of FMEA in the early phase of NPD execution.

Originality/value

FMEA is a well-known method used in manufacturing companies to identify and correct failures in products, processes and systems. This article explores the lack of practice-oriented evidence on the use of FMEA in the early phase of NPD execution and provides support to its applicability and effectiveness.

Revising the interrelationship matrix of house of quality by the Kano model

Purpose

This study aims to revise the weights in the interrelationship matrix of the house of quality.

Desqign/methodology/approach

After determining customer requirements (CRs) and product design characteristics (PDCs), a house of quality (HoQ) has been developed and the interrelationships between CRs and PDCs have been determined and classified using the Kano model. The PDCs have been prioritized based on the classic HoQ and the revised HoQ. Finally the results have been compared and discussed. The television design of Entekhab Industrial Group, the largest producer of home appliance products in Iran has been selected as a case study.

Findings

Results indicated different sets of priorities derived from the two approaches. Particularly, the difference between the revised HoQ and the classic approach was due to the nonlinear relationship between CRs and PDCs.

Research limitations/implications

This study was performed merely on a single product of a company, and the case study results cannot be generalized to all of the home appliance industries.

Originality/value

Developing the application of the Kano model in computing and revising the weights of the cells in the interrelationship matrix of HoQ is the main contribution of this paper.

An integrated fuzzy framework for analyzing barriers to the implementation of continuous improvement in manufacturing

Purpose

Delivering premium services and quality products are critical strategies for success in manufacturing. Continuous improvement (CI), as an underlying foundation for quality management, is an ongoing effort allowing manufacturing companies to see beyond the present to create a bright future. We propose a novel integrated fuzzy framework for analyzing the barriers to the implementation of CI in manufacturing companies.

Design/methodology/approach

We use the fuzzy failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) and a fuzzy Shannon's entropy to identify and weigh the most significant barriers. We then use fuzzy multi-objective optimization based on ratio analysis (MOORA), the fuzzy technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) and fuzzy simple additive weighting (SAW) methods for prioritizing and ranking the barriers with each method. Finally, we aggregate these results with Copeland's method and extract the main CI implementation barriers in manufacturing.

Findings

We show “low cooperation and integration of the team in CI activities” is the most important barrier in CI implementation. Other important barriers are “limited management support in CI activities,” “low employee involvement in CI activities,” “weak communication system in the organization,” and “lack of knowledge in the organization to implement CI projects.”

Originality/value

We initially identify the barriers to the implementation of CI through rigorous literature review and then apply a unique integrated fuzzy approach to identify the most important barriers based on the opinions of industry experts and academics.