DEVELOPMENT OF QUALITY CONTROL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOR SELECTED WATER PACKAGING COMPANIES IN MINNA, NIGERIA

Abstract

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), the applicability and utility of Quality Control Management (QCM) remains a challenge. It is generally recognized that SMEs face unique challenges, which affect their growth and profitability and hence, diminish their ability to contribute effectively to sustainable development. This study is focused on developing of quality control management framework for five selected sachet water packaging companies. Four (4) different sets of questionnaires as well as structured interviews were employed as the data collection tools. In all two hundred and eighty (280) respondents were sampled in the study. Statistical Package for Social Science(SPSS) and Microsoft Excel, were utilized in the data analysis. For the period investigated, the non-defective products is 97.08% of the total water production output with a percentage defectives of 2.92% made of production. From the operating characteristic curves (OC) and average outgoing quality (AOQ) curves, for varying acceptable percentage defectives of 2%, 3% and 5%, for a given constant sample size (n) 270, 550, 150, 200 and 250, for Table water A, B, C, D and E respectively. Important sampling plan parameters such as producer’s risk, consumer’s risk and average outgoing quality level (AOQL) are also presented. A quality control framework was proposed for sachet water companies. The findings of the study established that, there is a positive relationship between quality management and company performance. The study concluded that QCM strategy was the most appropriate quality management strategy to be adopted to turn around the quality fortunes of sachet water companies. Therefore, this study may be implemented. The framework will provide support for the sachet water producing companies and training of retailers/distributors.