Management Case Study Where the Rubber Meets the Road Total quality management (TQM), defined in the most simplistic of terms, is the incremental improvement of all facets of a business to increase customer satisfaction and, in turn, company viability. Although TQM is often applied first to manufacturing functions in an organization (zero defects, on-time production), the intent of TQM is equally meaningful in all aspects of business, from administrative (zero defects in

corporate or white-collar crime. Specifically, it will discuss the Firestone Tire executives that allowed faulty tires to remain on U.S. vehicles. In mid-2000, Bridgestone/Firestone Tires began a recall of some of their tires that would turn into a massive recall and a public relations nightmare. The underlying problem with the recall, besides public opinion and the cost, was the issue that popped to the surface as the recall began

Some legislators believe that such suits encourage companies to ensure that there products are safe. Other law makers, however, believe that such suits are excessive and can prevent companies from being able to recover. Another form of tort reform that as been suggested is known as "loser pays. This type of legislation is based on the English Rule (Protecting Firestone and Ford Federal Tort Reform). This particular proposal would force

Tire Industry Tire manufacturing This is an industry analysis of the tire manufacturing industry. It has sources. The Industry's dominant economic features Porters Five Forces -- the rivalry amoung competiting sellers in the industry the potential entry of new competitors -Wining customers over their own substitute products Supplier-seller collaboration and bargaining -Seller-buyer collaboration and bargaining Drivers of change in the industry Companies in the Strongest/Weakest Positions Key Success Factors for Competitive Success The tire manufacturing industry is one of the most diversified and

It will be recorded as the time the auto industry ducked its responsibility and missed a unique opportunity." (2002) The ABC Primetime report entitled: "Technology to Prevent SUV Rollovers" reports that is a new device that is purported to have the capacity to prevent SUV rollovers. This report states specifically that in a rollover "there are so many ways to die. Ejections, getting runover by the vehicle when it's rolling,

commercial organizations exist for the purpose of making money, and opinions to launch a product have to be made on the possibility of the product being profitable or not. There are many methods of analyzing the problem. The simplest method based on the facts given in the case is to find out the expected gains made on each tire, and then finding out the number of tires that the