Quality measurement in the wood products supply chain

In this article we report the first in-depth investigation of quality measurement practices from a supply chain perspective. Quality measurement in a wood products supply chain was studied in great detail with the objective of increasing the understanding of quality performance measurement practices in a secondary wood products supply chain. Opportunities for improvement were also identified. A single-case study was used as the main research approach, with 30 interviews and observation as major data collection methods. Findings revealed a high degree of internal integration in the focal company, made possible in great part by a continuous improvement effort that expands all of its facilities. Opportunities for improvement were found in external integration, particularly regarding supplier quality management. A disconnect was identified between supply chain members in regard to quality information; particularly, there was a lack of true supply chain quality measures reflecting the contribution of each entity to the overall quality. Results from this research highlight the importance of adopting a systems perspective when designing a supply chain performance measurement system. Poor quality at any point in the supply chain is detrimental to customer satisfaction, hurts profitability, and eventually translates into higher costs for downstream business segments and for the final customer; the end result is a decline in competitiveness of the entire system.