A Product Quality — Supply Chain Integration Framework

Abstract

Product quality is one of the key competitive factors that will enable firms to survive and succeed in the global market place. Product quality is an important dimension of operational performance in supply chain management that has not received sufficient attention from the research community. Previous researches in this field have neglected to consider the relationship between supply chain integration and dimensions of product quality. Hence, the effect of supply chain integration on quality performance has received less attention. Therefore consideration must be given to the development of collaborative activities between manufacturer, supplier and costumer which enables firms to work together and improve product quality. Accordingly, the primary focus of this study is to investigate the relationship between dimensions of product quality and supply chain integration. The dimensions considered for product quality are design quality and conformance quality, whereas the dimensions for supply chain integration are customer integration, supplier integration, and internal integration. The relationships between these dimensions are then embodied in a framework which will be validated. This research adopts both a qualitative conceptual approach and a quantitative approach in the development of the framework. The literature is consulted in identifying the dimensions of supply chain integration and product quality. These dimensions are then modeled into a questionnaire survey, and are administered to identify manufacturing companies. Validity and reliability of the scales for the construct of interest were assessed through a factor analysis and Cronbach-alpha test. The results provide considerable support for our product quality-supply chain integration framework that can be used in the manufacturing sector.