QFD strategy house: an innovative tool for linking marketing and manufacturing strategies

Abstract

Since the 1960s, quality function development (QFD) has been recognized worldwide as a suitable planning tool for translating customers' needs into product specifications. QFD methodologies, as opposed to traditional quality approaches, are most often cited as essential for advancing the competitive advantage of an organization. This paper proposes a modified approach to QFD, called “QFD strategy house”, as a systematic means of incorporating intelligence on markets, consumers and technologies in strategy development. It links marketing and manufacturing strategies by first developing a continuous improvement strategy. Both the marketing and manufacturing literatures have reported that an alignment between the two constituent strategies confers a competitive advantage in the marketplace.