Benchmarking Class-A Surfacing

Paper Summary:

This paper presents a qualitative study on the auditing process of class-A surfacing and the automotive business process within that activity. The paper explores the types of auditing activities utilized within areas of industry that specialize in technical processes. It aims to develop benchmarking techniques to help auto manufacturers better meet the demands of their customers.

Table of Contents:
Literature Review
Why Benchmark?
Benchmarking Strategies and Philosophies
Soft Technologies
Total Quality Management
A Review of Benchmarking Software
Setting Benchmarks for Class A Surfacing
Steps to Creating the Class 'A' Finish on the Plug

From the Paper:

"The plug must be sealed in a material which is both heavy enough to hide the multiple shaping compounds, yet durable enough to be sanded and polished to a mirror-like luster. This is a difficult task because the two ideas are almost the opposite as far as coatings are concerned. There are few primer/ sealers available that are able to do both. Varnish, lacquer primers, paint and gelcoat have been used to seal a number of surfaces including wood, metal, plaster, plastic, foam and fiberglass shaping compounds for many years (Fiberglast, no date). However, varnish, paint and primers often are too porous to polish adequately and they do not hide the underlying layers properly. Gelcoat is a product on the market that is heavy enough to hide the underlying substrate, but it is difficult to spray evenly and can require extensive sanding efforts to polish smoothly (Fiberglast, no date). The selection of the proper primer and application technique represent a point in the process where benchmarks can be implemented to assure that the rest of the process proceeds as planned."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Argyris, C., and Schon, D. A. (1978). "Organizational learning: A theory of action perspective." Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
• Burdett, J. 1994. "TQM and Re-engineering: The battle for the organization of tomorrow." The TQM Magazine 6(2): 7-13.
• Carroll, G. (1993). "A Sociological View on Why Firms Different," Strategic Management Journal 14(4): 237-249.
• Chen, G. (2005). "Management Practices and Tools for Enhancing Organizational Learning Capability. SAM Advanced Management Journal. 70 (1): 4.
• Cohen, W. M., and D. A. Levinthal (1990). "Absorptive Capacity: A New Perspective on Learning and Innovation," Administrative Science Quarterly 35(1): 128-152.

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• Book Review # 131900 : "Narrative in Margaret Atwood's "Surfacing"

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