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Case | HBS Case Collection | March 1981 (Revised February 1993)

Hank Kolb, Director, Quality Assurance

by Frank S. Leonard and W. Earl Sasser

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Abstract

Designed to introduce the systemic nature of product quality and the complexity of quality problems. Uses a new director, quality assurance, and the discovery of a quality problem. The new director has to decide if it is a real problem, what to do about it, and how to go about orienting an organization toward a better quality attitude.

Keywords: Leadership; Product; Organizational Culture; Problems and Challenges; Quality; Attitudes; Complexity;

Format: Print 4 pages EducatorsPurchase

Citation:

Leonard, Frank S., and W. Earl Sasser. "Hank Kolb, Director, Quality Assurance." Harvard Business School Case 681-083, March 1981. (Revised February 1993.)

Related Work

  1. Case | HBS Case Collection | July 2006

    Paul Chesler, Director, Quality Assurance

    Introduces the systemic nature of product quality and the complexity of quality problems. A new director of quality assurance discovers an apparent quality problem. The actions of different departments and functions contribute to the problem. The new director must decide how serious the problem is, what to do about it, and how to go about orienting an organization toward a better quality attitude.

    Keywords: Quality; Production;

    Citation:

    Leonard, Frank S. "Paul Chesler, Director, Quality Assurance." Harvard Business School Case 607-002, July 2006.  View Details
    CiteView DetailsEducatorsPurchase Related

About the Author

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W. Earl Sasser
UPS Foundation Professor of Service Management, Emeritus

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More from the Author

  • Case | HBS Case Collection | July 2016

    Cataumet Boats, Inc.

    W. Earl Sasser and Mark Davis

    Jaime Giancola, an MBA student, has recently completed an operations management course in which aggregate production planning (APP) was one of the topics. She believes that her family's business, Cataumet Boats, which her grandparents started and which her mother and uncle now own, might benefit from applying APP concepts to identify the different ways they might schedule workers, which could be especially valuable during the peak demand seasons of fall and spring. The goal of using APP is to reduce labor costs without sacrificing the high level of customer service that Cataumet Boats is known for providing.

    Keywords: Business or Company Management; Family Business; Production; Cost Management; Transportation; Customer Satisfaction;

    Citation:

    Sasser, W. Earl, and Mark Davis. "Cataumet Boats, Inc." Harvard Business School Brief Case 917-509, July 2016.  View Details
    CiteView DetailsEducatorsPurchase Related
  • Teaching Note | HBS Case Collection | July 2016

    Cataumet Boats, Inc. (Brief Case)

    W. Earl Sasser and Mark Davis

    Citation:

    Sasser, W. Earl, and Mark Davis. "Cataumet Boats, Inc. (Brief Case)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 917-510, July 2016.  View Details
    CiteView DetailsPurchase Related
  • Supplement | HBS Case Collection | July 2016

    Cataumet Boats, Inc., Spreadsheet for Instructors (Brief Case)

    W. Earl Sasser

    Citation:

    Sasser, W. Earl. "Cataumet Boats, Inc., Spreadsheet for Instructors (Brief Case)." Harvard Business School Spreadsheet Supplement 917-512, July 2016.  View Details
    CiteView DetailsPurchase Related
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