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AOL 2
Boeing, the second-worst performer in the S&P 500 year-to-date with shares plummeting
23% since the start of the year, faces safety and quality issues highlighted by recent incidents,
whistleblower allegations, and investigations, impacting its reputation and operational stability.
Boeing is a multinational corporation and a major player in the aerospace industry providing
commercial jets, military aircraft, missile defense, and human spaceflight. However, because of
safety and quality concerns, they face significant challenges surrounding poor performance.
Six Sigma is a methodology for eliminating defects and improving the quality of the
output of a process. It can help companies streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve
customer satisfaction. According to Shaikh Ahmad, this approach of Six Sigma is a newer idea
adapted by Boeing (Ahmad, 2023). While they have many employees that are well versed, “Top
management did not mandate the Six Sigma and therefore it is not mentioned in their annual
reports. It was acceptable at the grass-root level.” Six Sigma is still at the grass level and has
much opportunity to grow. This is especially true when looking at their recent allegations
exposing Boeing’s quality standards.
John Barnett worked for 32 years at Boeing before retiring and recently took legal action.
He told the BBC that “workers, under pressure, had installed parts that did not meet quality
standards. In addition to pointing out serious problems with oxygen systems” (Financieras,
2024). He also added that: “poor quality materials had been taken from scrap containers and
installed in the planes…oxygen tests showed a 25 percent failure rate.” Recent incidents this year
have proven his statements true when a United Airlines flight lost one of its tires during takeoff
and when a door plug panel blew off a Boeing 737 (Rocco, 2024). Joel Rose writes, “The NTSB
said in its preliminary report last month that four key bolts which are supposed to hold the door
plug in place were missing when the plane left Boeing's factory last year” (Rose, 2024). Six
Sigma can help Boeing address these safety and quality issues by implementing Quality circles,
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the Voice of Customers, Voice of the Process, and Voice of the Business. Quality Circles can be
used by Boeing to get a better understanding of the knowledge and expertise of their workforce
allowing employees to suggest improvements to diminish the chances of further part
replacement. Understanding the voice of the customer is also essential for Boeing to be able to
retain customer satisfaction and loyalty. Boeing needs to evaluate its competitors, comparing its
services and identifying the areas it can improve in the market to improve airplane quality. Voice
of the Process is the most important evaluation of Six Sigma to consider for Boeing as this
revolves around meeting safety standards. The Airline Industry is highly regulated with strict
quality standards, meaning Boeing is held to a high standard to identify process inefficiencies.
Finally, the voice of the business teaches that Boeing needs to keep their overall company focus
of being “...committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a
culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity” (Boeing, 2024).
Every business decision should be aligned with the company’s mission and with quality being a
top priority, the substitution of trash parts does not follow the company’s strategic goals.
After the problem and the different solutions Six Sigma would contribute to quality, it’s
important to conduct an impact assessment to narrow in where Six Sigma would make the most
difference. Regarding the highlighted recent incidents and whistleblower allegations, Six Sigma
needs its customer satisfaction back by listening to the voice of the process. Boeing is tasked to
eliminate their inefficiencies on the production side with an analysis of the plane assembly and
management. In such a strict industry, Six Sigma will help fish out the root cause of the parts that
do not meet quality standards and the management that is ultimately allowing these parts to be
installed.
With the implementation of Six Sigma into Boeing, success will be able to be measured
through a defect rate and compliance metric. When an analysis of the plane assembly is
conducted, Boeing’s quality control can measure the number of defects per unit of production.
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Being able to measure the defects will help conclude the success of Six Sigma on the process
line. Similarly, there are many safety and environmental regulations completed through tests to
prove a plane is ready for commercial flight. These tests serve several critical objectives,
including evaluating the structural integrity of the aircraft, assessing crashworthiness, testing for
fire resistance and emergencies, and ensuring optimal performance in various flight conditions
(Manga, 2023).
Just as Six Sigma will push Boeing to excellence, the Bible encourages us in Colossians
3:23 to do everything with excellence as unto the Lord (ESV, 2001). We should do everything
we can with excellence because we work under our heavenly Father. This means upholding
integrity as a virtue we live by in all dealings. Proverbs 11:3 says, "The integrity of the upright
guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity” (ESV, 2001). Implementing Six
Sigma can help Boeing ensure that its safety and quality are upheld with honesty, reflecting
integrity in its process.
References
Ahmad, S. (2023). Boeing Case Study: The Lean Six Sigma Way. Retrieved from
https://www.henryharvin.com/blog/boeing-case-study-the-lean-six-sigma-way/
Boeing. (2024). About Boeing - General Information. Retrieved from
https://www.boeing.com/company#general-information
Manga, B. (2023). How are Aircraft Tested for Safety and Performance? AZoM. Retrieved from
https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=22760
Financieras, N. (2024). Mysteries surrounding the death of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett;
here's what's known.
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https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/wire-feeds/
mysteries-surrounding-death-boeing-whistleblower/docview/2968762903/se-2
Rocco, A .(2024). Turbulence Plagues Boeing (BA). Zacks Investment Research [BLOG]
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/wire-feeds/
turbulence-plagues-boeing-ba/docview/2958287209/se-2
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
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