A holistic approach of process variation reduction: a case of UK chocolate manufacturing

Sibanda, N and Ramanathan, U ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7473-4643, 2019. A holistic approach of process variation reduction: a case of UK chocolate manufacturing. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 37 (5), pp. 711-731. ISSN 0265-671X

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Abstract

Purpose: This research is elucidating quality control theories to reduce variation in chocolate manufacturing process in the UK food company that will help maintain the processes stable and predictable. The main objectives of this research are to reduce defects of the output; to identify the root causes of variation; to establish and implement solutions to this variation problem; and establish a control system to monitor and report any variation in the process.

Methodology: We use experimental case study of a chocolate company to achieve our objective. In this paper, we predominantly use established theory DMAIC (definemeasure-analyse-improve-control), customised to the case of the chocolate factory to reduce variations in production processes.

Findings: Our results confirm that customised-traditional theoretical quality models will support manufacturing companies to maintain customer satisfaction while enhancing quality and reliability.

Practical implication: Implementation of customised approach reduced the rate of defect from 8 percent to 3.7 percent. The implications of reduced variation are improved product quality; reprocessing elimination; and a more stable process that support sustainability and reliability in producing chocolates to meet customer needs.

Limitations: We used an experimental based case study approach to test with one company. Testing in multiple case companies may help to generalise results.

Originality: Our research study experimentally tested quality approach with a real case company and hence findings of this study can be applied to other cases working in similar settings.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management
Creators:	Sibanda, N. and Ramanathan, U.
Publisher:	Emerald
Date:	13 August 2019
Volume:	37
Number:	5
ISSN:	0265-671X
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1108/IJQRM-12-2018-0332 DOI 1069255 Other
Divisions:	Schools > Nottingham Business School
Record created by:	Linda Sullivan
Date Added:	17 Jun 2019 08:22
Last Modified:	31 May 2021 15:14
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/36819

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