Subject: OP300 Supply Chain Management

A Research Paper on OPSCM Performance Improvement Tactics on Semiconductor Industry

Taiwan's tremendous role in chipmaking has come to its fruition during the worldwide shortage of semiconductors, resulting in many automakers stopping production. The United States and Germany reached out to Taiwan to get support and alleviate bottlenecks in the production of chips. The shortage resulted from increased demand for electronics during the Covid-19 pandemic, exacerbated by former President Donald Trump's trade war with China.

Power electronics from Computers and smartphones to car brake sensors are powered by semiconductors. A complex network of firms that design or make chips and those that supply the technology, materials, and machinery are involved in chip production. Semiconductor designers and manufacturers are trying to make chips smaller and better. Per TrendForce report in February 2021, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and South Korea's Samsung can manufacture advanced 5-nanometer chips. TSMC focuses on manufacturing and has been the producer of many innovative semiconductors, Dan Wang, a technology analyst at research firm Gavekal.

Some countries are planning to boost their semiconductor production, and one of these countries is China. The country's fight with past U.S. administration is holding back its largest chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, or SMIC, said Paul Triolo, geo-technology practice head at risk consultancy Eurasia Group. During the Trump administration, SMIC was placed on a denylist, and the effect of the entity list limited the company's access to the technology and machinery it needed. In 2020, SMIC was the fifth largest semiconductor foundry globally by revenue behind Taiwan's TSMC and UMC, South Kore's Samsung, and GlobalFoundries in the U.S., per TrendForce data.

The group's research will focus on performance improvement tactics that other semiconductor companies should d0 t0 compete with TSMC, Samsung, and Intel. TSMC has so much dominance over other companies. Total Quality Management (TQM) to the other companies' semiconductor product quality with a focus on what is essential to the customer. The two primary operational goals are designing semiconductor products and the companies' services and ensuring the companies' processes consistently produce or deliver the design. Quality specifications are fundamental to an excellent quality program. These start with making sure that the features of the invention relate to what the intended market for the product expects and its inherent value. Processes are designed to consistently meet design specifications such as size, surface, finish, or delivery speed when the product or service is produced. Semiconductors are everywhere. Everything from switching circuits to devices like computers, smartphones, and medical equipment to function accurately and respond to user commands. If semiconductor technology continues to improve, devices of all kinds will, too, open new possibilities across all industries. Other semiconductors companies include Nvidia, AMD, Qualcomm, Intel Corporation, Micron Technology, and Broadcom Inc. When semiconductor hardware is paired with artificial intelligence and machine learning programs, it brings up near-limitless capabilities and pathways to explore applications that will improve worldwide. Excellence in semiconductor tech is only achievable through the continuous research of professionals pushing the boundaries of what our devices can offer.

Despite the intense level of competition in the semiconductor industry, businesses in this sector are required to pursue new avenues of innovation and continuously enhance the efficiency of their business operations. The semiconductor industry has embraced Total Quality Management (TQM) as a management concept for improving quality and productivity. Satisfying the needs and expectations of one's clients is fundamental to whole quality management. Companies that manufacture semiconductors are required to understand the requirements and preferences of their clients to produce goods and services that are suitable for those specifications. T0 d0 tHis market research and the input of consumers are required to discover the features and characteristics that are significant to the target audience. By gathering this information, companies are in a better position to produce goods and services that are customized to the requirements and requirements of their customers.

Process improvement is yet another essential component of total quality management. The procedures that are essential to the delivery of high-quality goods and services must be identified by companies, and the companies must guarantee that these processes are carried out in a consistent manner to fulfill the requirements that their clients have. To do this, a methodical approach to the design, implementation, monitoring, and improvement of the process is required. Companies always need to evaluate their operations to find methods to improve efficiency, get rid of unnecessary steps, and cut down on errors.

Involvement from workers is another factor that is essential to the achievement of TQM goals. Businesses are required to include all their employees in the TQM process and give them the authority to recognize and address issues. This requires providing employees with instruction on the TQM concept and procedures, as well as recognizing and rewarding people for the contributions they have made to the success of the organization. Companies may establish a culture of continuous improvement that fosters innovation and development if they get all of their employees involved in the Total Quality Management process.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC) is an example of a business that has used TQM effectively. TSMC is the most successful and biggest semiconductor foundry in the world, and its products are recognized for their superior quality and cutting-edge technology. TSMC has created an all-encompassing quality management system, which includes multiple process control measures, customer satisfaction surveys, and assessments of the performance of TSMC's suppliers. In addition, TSMC places a significant emphasis on the training and development of its employees. The company offers a wide range of programs that are intended to improve the employees' levels of expertise and knowledge.

Intel Corporation is another major company in the semiconductor market. Intel is an industry leader in the design and production of microprocessors, and the company is well-known for producing high-performance devices. During its history, Intel has deployed several different quality assurance programs, including Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing, among many others. These strategies have assisted Intel in enhancing product quality while also lowering costs and increasing operational efficiency.

To summarize, Total Quality Management, often known as TQM, is a technique that has been shown to be successful in the semiconductor sector in terms of enhancing operational performance. Companies in the semiconductor industry may crreateee aaaa culture of continuous improvement that fosters innovation and development by placing an emphasis on the degree to which their customers are satisfied, on the improvement of their processes, and on the participation of their employees. Companies that are able to effectively adopt TQM are able to obtain a competitive edge in the market and provide their consumers with goods and services of a higher quality.

This is the work area to complete the Research Findings section of the term paper Based on the proposal above .

1. Current Quality Management System: Most semiconductor companies have implemented Total Quality Management (TQM) as a management concept to ensure the production of quality products and services. The TQM framework requires companies to identify customer needs and expectations, gather feedback from customers, and design and implement processes that consistently meet customer specifications. Companies must also provide employees with training and resources to ensure that they understand the TQM concept and are able to implement it effectively.

2. TQM Plan: Companies can crrreateee aaaa comprehensive TQM plan by focusing on the following elements: A. Quality Specifications & Design: Companies must ensure that their products and services meet the requirements and expectations of their customers. This requires companies to understand the features and characteristics that are significant to the target audience. They must also develop quality specifications that are tailored to the needs and preferences of their customers.

B. Production Process: Companies must identify processes that are essential to the delivery of high-quality goods and services. They must also ensure that these processes are carried out in a consistent manner to meet the requirements of their customers. A systematic approach to the design, implementation, monitoring, and improvement of the process is essential for success.

TO DO:

Employee training and evaluation reports and monitoring reports atleast in ttwooo paaagggeeessss. Add reference