THE ROAD TO ROOT CAUSE - SHOP-FLOOR PROBLEM-SOLVING AT 3 AUTO ASSEMBLY PLANTS

This paper uses case studies of shop-floor problem-solving at three au tomotive assembly plants to examine organizational influences on proce ss quality improvement. Three complex quality problems-water leaks, pa int defects, and electrical defects-were chosen because they are unive rsally found in assembly plants, have multiple sources, and can only b e resolved with high levels of interaction and coordination among indi viduals in multiple departments or functional groups. The case studies focus particularly on the early stages of the problem-solving process -problem definition, problem analysis, and the generation of solutions -emphasizing how each plant tries to identify the ''root cause'' of de fects. The paper then explores consistencies and contrasts within and across the three cases to analyze the factors underlying effective sho p-floor problem-solving. Central to this analysis is the idea that suc cessful process quality improvement depends heavily on how the organiz ation influences the cognitive processes of its members. Problem-solvi ng processes benefit from rich data that capture multiple perspectives on a problem; problem categories that are ''fuzzy''; and organization al structures that facilitate the development of a common language for discussing problems. Also, when problems are framed as opportunities for learning, the combination of positive attributions that boost moti vation and the suppression of threat effects can improve the effective ness of improvement activities. Finally, when process standardization is understood as marking the beginning (and not the end) of further im provement efforts, the normal inertial tendencies of organizations wit h respect to adaptive learning can be partially overcome.