Boeing 787 Dreamliner; Quality Management Problems Research Paper

Boeing 787 Dreamliner; Quality Management Problems - Research Paper Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that Boeing company has grown tremendously and merged with other companies such as McDonnell Douglas among others to become the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer. In the 1950s, Boeing put its first jet aircraft to start exerting its control in the commercial airline market. Boeing is a global example of state of the art technology business dealing with aircraft manufacturing and it is the largest product exporter in U.S. Boeing has produced more than a hundred aircraft model since its inception and has currently launched the most recent model called Boeing 787 Dreamliner. In the midst of the overwhelming competition for efficiency and productivity in the airline industry, Boeing decided to produce one of the most fuel-efficient planes ever made. Whereas this was a courageous move for Boeing, the same has been faced with a myriad of problems in the production process. This is quite understandable considering tha t Boeing opted to use some of the best technologies and expertise in the world. Additionally, Boeing had to take a gamble with technologies that have never been used before, especially with such a large commercial aircraft. The outsourcing strategy and the leading edge technology of the relatively new plastic composite: carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic are the leading causes of high-cost quality and design problems. This was a change from the typical use of steel or aluminum in the manufacture of aircraft. The use of the composite material would guarantee durability, fewer repairs and maintenance cost, and long-distance flights. For a fact, only the manufacture of the tail of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner takes place in the Everest facility that is the home factory. However, it is worth noting that the risk of outsourcing in the production of Boeing 787 Dreamliner hails from the management’s decision to relinquish the design and engineering of the plane, the use of untried sources and stiffness of loyal vendors, and the use of many technological approaches at once. The outsourcing was preferred for various reasons like the commonality in outsourcing in the Boeing Company, the cost savings from the fewer employees’ in-house, lower labor rates in other countries, and the time factor necessary to manufacture the Dreamliners. Additionally, the outsourcing was an opportunity to do business in the different countries, a show of ability to compete with other aircraft manufacturers legally, response to the vulnerability of Boeing engineer strikes, the shrinking employment pool and the increasing demand of engineers at Boeing. Outsourcing is one of the management strategies widely used in the corporate scene However, many problems result from the adoption of the outsourcing strategy leading to the company’s eminent inability to reach its target of producing 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliners every year. While the management thought that the new airframe composit e warranted an all-new production approach, this was a strategic mistake since they should have accommodated the good old aspects hence keep the loyal and most proficient vendors in check.