GSCM588 - Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Battery Quality Issue: Case Analysis

This case study analyzes the quality issues surrounding the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 battery explosions. It delves into the problems, literature review, and analysis of the situation, highlighting the impact on Samsung's market position and customer trust. The study explores concepts like Total Quality Management (TQM) and the company's initiatives to address the problem, including extensive research and testing. Recommendations are provided for improving research and development, prototyping, and customer service. The reflection emphasizes the scandal's impact on the business and the lessons learned regarding customer perception and company strategy. The case study aims to provide insights for future practitioners working on similar quality-related issues.

Quality Analysis
QUALITY ISSUE REGARDING SAMSUNG
BATTERY

Introduction
Samsung is one of the biggest South Korean multinational
conglomerates.
Samsung has started as a small trading company in 1938
named as Samsung Sanghoe.
The rise of Samsung has come and they made their ground
as an international business in 1990.
The company, itself has the competitive pricing range and
they have produced this phone for attaining niche people
and to quest their need.

Problems
The major problem of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is the
issue regarding the battery and that has hampered the
market position as well as trust over the company.
The situation of over-heating, catching fire and even in
some case exploitation is the reason where customers
are getting feared to use the company.
The non-replaceable Lithium-ion battery is the cause of
this exploitation or fire cases and Samsung has found the
reason behind this issue is the manufacturing parameter
of overheating or functional system of battery that
causes this kind of situation (Samsung.com, 2018).

Literature review
Every customer has set their choice in case of some factors, like
motivation, reflection and the in some cases the requirement of
people and their desire to buy something special is the reason
behind their choice of phones.
Features like edge panel, water resistance, incredible low light
camera, the expandable form of storage all these forms are
introduced by Samsung.
The aim of the company is to generate more people and maintain
a relationship with customers so that repeat sale will increase, in
that aspect the problem arises when the battery is not functioning
well.

Contd.
There are different ranges in Samsung and they have such
facility that will attract people at a glance. But the situation
faced by the Galaxy Note 7 pull them in loss and company
has a major loss of the $17 billion.
The first explosion case was reported in South Korea and on
the same day, Samsung Note 7 exploded in China also.
Samsung planned to stop the sales of the phone in 9th
September 2016 and the apologies for this entire incident
(Samsung.com, 2018)

Analysis
Media made this issue in hype and people were
rejecting the phone just because of the battery
explosion case. As evoking was a safety concern,
service providers decided to distribute modernize to
demise tool charging.
A new green battery icon determines the change
status of the battery but the change in customers'
mind prevailed in that case and they are willing to
take such risk that may hamper their health.
Small subsets of batteries are getting overheated and
the battery partially got fired.

Contd.
The heat-sealed protective pouch in the internal device is
formulated and that is the reason new shield of batteries
protecting cases come in market and Samsung technological
differentiation is noticed by this process.
The disassembling process of a test is the welding and insulation
tape condition and through the condition of the battery is has
been identified as the state of working or non-working situation.
In that case, Samsung understands the existing customers love to
see something innovative in their new version of the phone, so
enhancement of quality is the concern matter of the business.

Concepts and Ideas
Process approach of leaders and inputs better culture is
applied over here and this approach will change in the
quality issues as well. Managers sometimes change the
systematic approach and that will deliver the better
management opportunities for employees and influence
the product quality as well (Haller, 2013).
Total Quality management is important to the process
benefits all the stakeholders. In case of cultural change
and teamwork formation, this model is important to
know the situation of the company and to understand
the organization market position in terms of customer
satisfaction.

Contd.
Communication, culture and commitment are the three sections of
this TQM model and through the tools and effective systems,
teams can achieve the position in the market (Abolfazli et al.,
2014).
The business results are constant and through the quality
management policies and objectives are processed in a right way
(Xu & Mao, 2013).
The quantity of the product and manufacturing in bulb amount of
products is not the motive for TQM process rather revenue
generation by retaining the customers and create a relationship
with them is the motive of the model (Akyene, 2012).

Quality management initiative and arguments
Based on the company's personal research and
independent methodical investigation of the issues
by three consulting segments, the overheating was
caused by divide problems in batteries connected
from two diverse suppliers.
At the new test lab of Samsung, in last four months,
700 researchers were working over the 30,000
batteries and tried to investigate the reason behind
the fire exploration and charge with wired and
wireless charger devices and that will impacted over
the production (Samsung.com, 2018).

Identified the problem statement area
The problem structure faced by the company may
change the dimension of the company as well.
More security and safety procedure needs to be taken
by the company before launching a brand new phone in
the market. The 5th generation model has come in 2015
and that had the most premium look on that time
(Samsung.com, 2018).
The situation is literally worst in perspective of the
company and lots of products are being suffered by the
situation. The situation also highlights the crucial
alignment of all the products and their changes
according to the views of customers.

Recommendations
Research and development options need to be developed so
that effective direction and flow will be delivered.
The prototype is an important aspect that needs to be
introduced by Samsung.
Good services and possible online responses also effective for
the company. The service centers are not always responsive
enough and customers are not getting enough opportunities to
state their feedback.
In-house logistics maintenance is important, so they do not
need to take permission in case of logistic support.