1.0 Overview
1.1 Background of the Study
There appears to be evidence more convincing above the poor quality goods produced by most manufacturing industries then pubic out. However, most manufacturing industries realizing the contributions of quality control to profit now undertake the controlling of quality materials purchased.
A reduction in the cost of materials already offers an unusual opportunity for profit improvement.
Therefore, it is essential controlling the quality of materials supplies since it helps largely in increasing the profitability of the firm.
This is so because if materials supplied to the firm do not measure up to the specification wanted and it faults are not detected before feeding them into the production plant, thus will affect the quality of materials manufactured by the firm.
Therefore, the purchasing and inspection departments ensure that right quality products are manufactured by the firm by ensuring that right material are purchased and supplied, right specification and standardization are followed and right suppliers are selected.
The need for quality control of materials is becoming important in every manufacturing industry today because of the huge sum of money involved in the procurement of materials and increase in the profitability of the firm.
Therefore, this research work is concerned with identifying how Pabod Breweries Ltd. Controls its quality of materials purchased and as well ensure that quality products are manufactured at the end of the day.
Thus, the research work is also concerned with the system for regulating a supply, process or product in order to maintain the required quality. Again, it is concerned with defect detection and correction, the application of inspection techniques to the products purchased and during the course of manufacture assembly or conversions.
1.2 Statement of Problem
The improvement of the quality of purchased materials and component are of vital important to every manufacturing industry whether large or small.
Here, the research work is therefore concerned with how manufacturing industries like Pabod Breweries Ltd. Indentifies the main faults in specifying and controlling the quality problems often occur in drawing up the specification and controlling the quality of supplier and purchased material.
Thus, the researcher is therefore concerned with ensuring that good quality materials are purchased in line with specification and that the number of rejections reduced through better inspection, better training, through greater awareness and a greater sense of involvement among management and staff.
1.3 The Objective of the Study
There are many reasons for the control of quality of purchased items-all of which will add up to profit for the buyer that it avoids confusion between purchasers and suppliers in determining what is required. It as well results in improved relationship between the firm and their suppliers.
Quality control and inspection programme are also important in that it ensures that production requirements are met in time and in the needed quality of materials.
The study also ensures that high cost which always results from rejection of wrong supplies from suppliers, lower quality of finished items and excessive quality specification are eliminated.
The objectives also include:
- Supplying the right quality which result in lower cost.
- Detecting and correction of defective materials.
- Reduction in raw materials and labour, cost thus improving the profitability of the firm.
1.4 Scope of the Study
Quality control which is the procedures for meeting the quality goals in a typical manufacturing industry like Pabod Breweries Ltd, is a vast area of study. As a result, this research work will cover only the effective quality control of purchased materials in orders to ensure quality finished products as related to the Pabod Breweries Ltd, Port Harcourt.
1.5 Research Questions
For the purpose of this study and to ensure that reader flows along with the write, it becomes necessary that the following questions be asked and answered very well.
- Why is quality control of materials necessary in manufacturing industry?
- What are the stages involved in controlling the quality of incoming material in a company?
- What are the major cost categories of quality?
- Why is it necessary to control quality in manufacturing organization?
1.6 The Relevance of the Study
The relevance of this study is that it will help the researcher to throw a lot of light on the subject matter and in arousing the conscience of all who have or assumed responsibility on the need for quality control of purchased materials in a typical manufacturing industry like Pabod Breweries Ltd.
This is so because it will lead to cost effectiveness and reduction; meeting up with specification and standardization, constant production activities, producing quality products and adequate professional recognition in the industrial sectors.
Therefore, this research work will serve as a source of information towards ensuring that quality materials are maintained at all time to the following:
- Purchasing personnel
- Manufacturing industries.
- Undergraduates studying purchasing and supply management as a course.
- Quality control personnel in organization
- Other management personnel that contribute in one way or the other ensuing maintaining quality materials.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
Because of the vastness of the area of quality control, the researcher tends to cover in assessment of the need for quality control in a typical manufacturing industry with particular reference to Pabod Breweries Ltd, Port Harcourt.
This research work would have gone beyond this if not for:
- Financial constraints prevalent today.
- The time needed to run round for information and data collection is not enough.
- The attitude of most quality control managers wile being interviewed.
Other factors limiting the study which include non-availability of the quality control textbooks and cost of written material to be bought from Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) is too expensive.
Attitude of Nigeria to research work; the tendency of people's respondent not to regard questionnaire as important as well as the non-chalant attitude of people to research in the country due to some questionnaires not being returned.
