Analysis of Poor Quality Products & Services: Coca-Cola Company Essay

This essay delves into the causes of poor-quality products and services, using Coca-Cola as a case study. It explores various factors contributing to product defects, including issues related to employees, machines, management, materials, and methods. The essay examines how employee motivation, skills, and labor shortages can impact product quality. It also analyzes machine maintenance, calibration, and technology's role. The study further investigates the influence of raw materials, management vision, planning, and incentives on product quality. Moreover, the essay highlights the importance of well-defined manufacturing methods and procedures. Finally, the essay provides strategies to improve quality, such as adopting a Total Quality Management approach.

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CAUSES OF POOR QUALITY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
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Institution
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Introduction
With the increased global completion, organisations have been forced to become more
customer-oriented. Consumers expect high-quality products and services that would address
their needs. There are various approaches that companies have adopted in order to address the
issue of quality of services and products. The most notable approach is Total Quality
Management to the organisational structure and production. This approach holds that
companies should always strive to deliver continuous improvement and quality in the
delivery and production of goods and products to the customers. The production and delivery
of quality products and services to consumers is very critical as it influences consumer
loyalty. With the rise of globalisation, competition is currently inevitable in all sectors,
whether manufacturing, hospitality, banking or constriction industry. Every company is
currently striving to grow and acquire more markets along with the rapid industrial revolution
that is experienced globally. This aspect has resulted in a tight competition that every
business around the world has to face. This implication of this is that organisations will have
to work hard to convince clients to buy their products or services. One of the most critical
things that a business should strive to keep and maintain is quality in their mass production
and continuous improvement in their innovations based on the customers’ tastes and needs as
well as the market trends (Ross 2017, p. 25). Apart from quality, other features that might be
considered include price, product design, brand, value and its availability. However, all these
factors are intertwined with quality. While the other features are also important, what makes a
customer to buy an item twice, or over and over again is the product or service quality.
According to Mitra (2016, p. 51), quality is one of the most critical factors that a company
must take care of, maintain and upgrade it. In order to maintain the established quality, an
organisation requires a quality management system that must control the quality, and
determine whether it is deteriorating or should be upgraded or made even better. There are

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two crucial instances that ensure that quality is preserved and these are: monitoring of the
production process and making corrective actions.
Quality control is very crucial for any organisation, especially in a manufacturing
company where mass production is inevitable considering the increased global competition,
particularly for Coca-Cola Company which is being rivalled by Pepsi. It is crucial for a
company like Coca-Cola which is considered as the market leader in the beverage industry, to
control their products quality. The company should dominate the local and international
market. As a company, Coca-Cola manufactures soft drinks which come in various brands
such as Sprite, Coca-Cola, Fresh Tea, and Fanta which are package in different glass size
bottles. While the company has been keen on ensuring product quality, there are some
instances when the quality has been compromised in some of its global branches. This paper
will explore the possible causes of inferior quality products of Coca-Cola, bearing in mind
that is among the largest beverage companies in the world. In ensuring that they produce
quality products, the company has some sets of quality standards parameters that need to be
monitored, among them being carbon dioxide gas levels, sugar levels, bottle condition and
cleanliness, and the taste. All these parameters must be within the established limits for the
products to be considered to have attained the quality standards set by the company. It is
imperative to note that a big company like Coca-Cola is likely I face some products quality
issues due to various reasons such as machine error, human fault, or products defects. One of
the impacts of the company's failure to control their products' quality is the loss of customer
loyalty. The possible causes of poor-quality products and services in Coca-Cola are discussed
in the following section.

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Causes of Poor Products and Services
Poor quality of products has a lot of negative implications for a company. The causes
of poor quality services can broadly be divided into a man, machine, management, material,
and the environment and method.
Man
The employees are at the heart of everything that happens in the organisation. Their
contribution to products quality is undeniably important. In order to ensure that quality is
maintained throughout the process, the employees should be highly motivated to achieve the
company goals. However, this is not always the case. In some instances, some employees
lack motivation which, in turn, poses a threat to the product quality. A staff who is not
motivated to perform their duties is likely to commit many mistakes which can significantly
compromise quality (Burton 2012, p. 235). Another problem that can be experienced in Coca-
Cola is a shortage of people. With the aim of maximising profit, labour is significantly
reduced. With the reduced labour force, employees are forced to work extra hours or handle
more workload than what they can comfortably handle. The results are that they get tired so
easily and hence, may not be effective in their job. The likelihood of committing mistakes
becomes high. Lack of skills among employees is another cause of poor quality.
Manufacturing companies require employees with the necessary skills to handle the various
tasks. With the rapid change in technology, employees are required to regularly acquire new
skills which many organisations do not offer due to cost implications. As a result, people will
get demotivated, feel stressed and end up taking shortcuts which result in poor quality.
Machine
Machines are among the main sources of quality issues in manufacturing companies.
Machines need to be consistent and must be well maintained to ensure that they do not
produce defect products. In some instances, machines may lack the capacity to produce the

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required quantity of products and hence, can be overloaded. Overloading of machines can
lead to serious quality breach since every machine is designed to handle a certain load. Lack
of regular maintenance of machines is another cause of poor quality. Machines require
regular checkups to ensure that they are working under optimum conditions. In an automated
system, all the sensors and drives must be checked to ensure they are in good condition. A
faulty sensor may fail to sense a foreign object in the final product during packaging and as a
result, can lead to a recall of all the products. Regular maintenance helps in detecting wear
and tear at its early stages. Improper calibration and set up of a machine can also lead to poor
quality since the machine will not produce as per the set standards. The current
manufacturing sector also requires the use of advanced technology. Outdated technology is a
potential cause of poor quality that Coca-Cola is likely to face.
Material
Product reliability is determined by the raw materials used in the production process.
In some instances, the company can receive sub-standard raw materials if a proper
assessment is not done. The use of any of these sub-standard materials can harm consumers
and even damage the company reputation. There is also a possibility of contamination during
preparations or shipping of the raw materials used in making beverages. Inconsistency in the
use of the materials is also a potential cause of poor quality. Customers often identify
themselves to a certain brand of beverage due to tastes and colour. A variation of tastes,
whether good or bad, can be a cause of alarm to customers and a potential cause of shift to
another company.
Management
Management is another potential cause of poor quality. The management of a
company is what drives the company operations. The management must be able to make
decisions that will drive quality in the right direction. Lack of vision, value system and

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mission is a serious problem as far as quality is concerned. If the management lacks vision
and value system, quality control and monitoring is not taken seriously (Lindahl 2015, p. 13).
The employees and other staff members will not work hard to achieve the quality of products
that the company has set. The management's failure to identify and understand the customer
requirements and needs is another cause of poor quality. According to Beneke et al. (2013, p.
220) quality is relative. What the clients want is what defines quality. Identification of
customer needs is essential as it is one step towards satisfying them.
The management is also required to good at planning. The management failure to plan
can significantly affect product quality. Short-term planning in a big company like Coca-Cola
should be avoided at all costs. Inadequate or poor planning by the management of Coca-Cola
Company can negatively affect the product quality. Flawed incentives and indicators are
other potential causes of poor quality in Coca-Cola. It is imperative to note that every
manager has his/her management philosophy or style. In an organisation without a well-
established corporate culture, managers tend to impose their own rules and regulations which
may affect the employees negatively and as a result, lead to poor quality. The management
attitude towards change is another serious problem that can result in the production of sub-
standard products. It is essential to note that change is inevitable especially with the rise of
globalisation. However, management can resist change, whether positive or negative. In the
spirit of continuous improvement, company management is expected to embrace changes that
are meant to improve productivity and quality.
Method
The method in a manufacturing company like Coca-Cola is fundamental. The
methodology used in manufacturing can give rise to product and process quality issues.
According to Nanda (2016, p. 31), many quality programs are focused on ensuring that
proper processes are used in producing a certain product. There must be well-designed

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quality systems to make sure that the incoming materials meet the standard requirements
stipulated by the company. This is meant to ensure that proper procedures are followed in the
entire production line, the production equipment is working in its optimum conditions to
avoid variability, and equipment must be handled well to avoid damage throughout the
production line and in all stages of the inventory, and also ensure that variability is avoided at
all costs in the manufacturing process.
Failure to follow the strict requirements in the manufacturing process leads to
manufacturing defects which Coca-Cola sometimes experience. Coca-Cola has invested in
robotics and automation in order to improve productivity and quality due to the guaranteed
consistency. In some instances, the method for doing any manufacturing operation in a
company does not have a well-documented list of procedures. According to Estorilio and
Posso (2010, p. 725), lack of procedures is the main cause of irregularity and inconsistency in
product quality. If there are no procedures, it implies that every employee will have to come
up with their procedures and this is likely going to bring chaos to the production department.
It is also imperative to note that in a company like Coca-Cola, they must have established
those procedures. However, for some reasons, these procedures may not be followed. Failure
to follow the right procedures will lead to poor quality products. The procedures in making a
beverage should be strictly followed, especially considering that carbonated drinks have been
linked to some health issues. Improper measuring of the right amount of ingredients in
making a soft drink can pose serious health issues to the consumers. Lack of communication
of the procedure is another cause of poor quality in Coca-Cola. It is essential for companies
to communicate the right procedures to its employees since employees may end up applying
their procedures during the manufacturing process without the consent from the management.

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Strategies to improve Quality
Coca-Cola should adopt a Total Quality Management approach which is believed to
be the most effective way of ensuring quality. Total Quality Management is defined as an
integrative concept of management that focuses on continuous improvement in the quality of
goods and services by allowing the participation of all organisation function levels (Chiarini
2013, p. 182). Total Quality Management is a means of managing an organisation in such a
manner every process, and a task is always done in the right way for the first (Oakland 2011,
p. 521). There are various Total Quality Management strategies that Coca-Cola can apply.
Training and Education
Regular training is essential to ensure that employees acquire knowledge of the
necessary methods and concept of quality. The training programs are meant to train
employees on specific skills or job position which is essential in maintaining and improving
quality (Phillips 2012, p. 56). Phillips (2012, p. 61) posit that training is the second most
widely applied TQM implementation practice in the U.S. and other parts of the world. It will
be difficult for employees to perform their work if they are not equipped with the necessary
skills as suggested by Singh and Ahuja (2014, p. 275).
Process Control
Control and improvement of processes is a strategy that involves the set of
methodological and behavioural practices which should be implemented to improve
processes and deliver quality products and services (Jaca et al. 2014, p. 4577). The Japanese
work ethics believe that maintaining cleanliness in a workplace contributes to quality; hence,
shop floor management should be emphasised in any manufacturing firm (Jaca et al. 2014, p.
4578). It is a crucial practice to keep the workplace clean and neat, and this will, in turn,
promote effectiveness in the improvement and control of processes (Singh & Ahuja 2014, p.
273). Gorla, Somers and Wong (2010, p. 2015), argue that manufacturing machinery can

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wear when constantly used, leading to poor quality products. Preventive maintenance should,
therefore, be applied to ensure regular schedules checkups of equipment and processes.
Product Design
Effective product design entails the functional requirements and quality
characteristics of a product. A product design that is sound contributes significantly to the
quality of products (Sadikoglu & Zehir 2010, p. 15). The design engineers should understand
the production equipment and its operating principles in order to avoid problems that may
occur during the production process (Karim & Arif-Uz-Zaman 2013, p. 171). Research has
indicated that experimental design is a commonly used tool in product design and its use can
significantly reduce time wastage and hence, improve performance and quality of products
(Jayal et al. 2010, p. 146).
Supplier Quality
Suppliers are responsible for supplying raw materials and equipment used in
manufacturing. Coca-Cola should have a well-developed supplier quality management
system to ensure that the right materials are supplied (Closs, Speier & Meacham 2011, p.
103). There should be a well-established buyer-supplier relationship to ensure quality
products are being offered. Jaafreh and Al-abedallat (2012, p. 95) argue that establishing
partnerships with suppliers is a crucial practice for TQM implementation. Flynn, Huo and
Zhao (2010, p. 61) stated that organisations should carefully select their suppliers based on
the quality of products or services offered and not just on price.
Developing a Culture that understands the Quality Cost
Product quality issues have significant cost implications for the organisation. When a
poor quality product reaches the consumer, the cost is very high compared to correcting the
problem at the source. It is, therefore, crucial for all staff to be trained in order to make them
understand the cost associated with poor quality in a manufacturing environment. When an

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employee understands this, it will be common for them to have a desire to improve product
and service quality.
Conclusion
Challenges in a manufacturing environment are inevitable. Product quality apart from
the price is one of the most crucial factors that give a business a competitive edge. The
implementation of Total Quality Management strategies will positively affect product quality,
employee satisfaction, and customer satisfaction and improve revenues. Coca-Cola should
implement TQM strategies to achieve quality improvement.

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