Operations issues are hounding Volkswagen in their biggest recall yet. Due to faulty electrical circuits and leaky fuel lines, this enormous recall is taking place. Some of the key categories of Operations are to blame for this flaw in design. Too much variability, or risk, and poor measurement of quality are key principles of operations that were clearly not implemented to their best ability. From an engineering standpoint, components of higher quality could have been used, but nonetheless these key principles of operations failed to produce a flawless car.

In 2011 Toyota recalled over 10 million cars because of a sticky foot pedal and an unstable floor mat. Similar issues in operations allowed this to occur.  As it is pretty well known, Toyota has one of the most efficient car manufacturing procedures, with their engineers on site observing any processes that could be improved upon. This sub-category of operations was not to blame, but much like Volkswagen it was the measurement of quality that performed below quality standards, resulting in so many cars being recalled.

Had the measurement of quality and amount of risk been better managed by Toyota and Volkswagen, this issue of recalled cars would never have arisen.