A New Approach to Manage Welding Quality in Supply Chain Networks: A Supplier Network Complaints Perspective

This study presents a five-step method for analysis of supply chain networks from the perspective of the welding quality of manufactured products. The presented approach gives tools to take care of welding quality assessment in supply chain networks. The study uses data based analysis of complaints data and survey results to provide information that may assist managerial decision-making and supplier-related marketing activities. The results reflect the importance of information sharing as a means to reduce the number of complaints and show that combining production data and information about the production offers potential for manufacturing quality development in the supply chain network. The study uses applied RACI matrix and the case of a welding supply chain network to establish the findings. The case example discusses the observations dealing with GMAW process.