Just Put Them in Stability

Our stability group supports all domestic manufacturing, which is a corporate function-Global Stability. I’m the corporate Quality Manager and have been tasked with absorbing a Sr. Manager from the Manufacturing Quality group of a small plant that is being shut down. In this case, due to their elevated title at that other site, the transferee will oversee our stability program and be given a new title of Stability Manager—equivalent to their old hierarchical position. Unfortunately, this manager has no stability experience, nor did they apply or interview prior to being assigned to the position by upper management.

The problem isn’t this new Stability Manager, but the attitude of upper management where Stability is brushed aside as somehow less important. I wonder if things have been going too well for the group so that the critical aspects of Stability are overlooked—we’ve had no recalls in several years and no confirmed stability failures of active product in almost two years. The focus of management has been on manufacturing and R&D primarily, but not on their post-market quality, except to force us to reduce costs and absorb additional products into our stability program from around the country.

How can we increase the prominence of stability in upper management’s focus?

We held a stability open house to ensure we started our “Stability Awareness” campaign on a positive note, then at that event we networked with various department heads and ultimately arranged informative presentations at their department meetings. We look forward to making the same presentation with upper management, but meanwhile we hope for a little “trickle-up” effect.

What actions have you taken to raise awareness and heighten management vigilance regarding Stability?