Chapter 15: Managing Operations, Quality, and Productivity

Complete set of links to companies

Explore the web sites of the two largest financial services firms in the US, Citigroup and Bank of America. Then answer the following questions:

1. What references to quality can you locate at each organization’s web site? To productivity?
2. What can you infer about each organization’s approach to and emphasis on managing quality?

Internet Exercise

Access Hewlett Packard’s (HP’s) web site, and look for information about quality programs at the firm. After exploring the company’s web site, answer the following questions:

1. Based on the information at HP’s web site, how would you describe its quality improvement efforts?
2. HP provides both tangible products (goods) such as personal computers, printers, and software, as well as services such as business consulting. What impact will this product mix have on its quality improvement programs?
3. In the summer of 2001, HP announced its first-ever layoffs in the company’s history. In your opinion, is this action likely to have any consequences for the company’s quality or productivity efforts?

Explore Further

Examine the web sites of other personal computer manufacturers and compare their emphasis on quality with that of HP. Good comparisons would include Dell Computers, Compaq, and Gateway. What differences can you discover?