A Study on the Moderating Effect of Inventory Items on the Relation between Quality Support Activity and Quality Performance

Objectives: When taking the activity of quality support for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), large companies have selected SMEs, established the same goal of quality activity and performed quality support activity based on strategic importance and transaction amount, without any review of inventory item types. If inventory item types are taken into account in selecting SMEs and quality support activity is differentiated, the activity performance can be maximized. Methods/Statistical Analysis: Based on the cases of large companies’ quality support activities for SMEs, this study analyzed the activity performance statistically, categorized inventory item types into single item, complex item and finished product. It investigated the quality performance between the 1st half-year and 2nd half-year after the quality support activity, on the basis of the 1st half-year before the quality support activity. Findings: First, after large companies’ quality support activity for SMEs, single items that are supplied to large companies, showed high performance improvement. Secondly, single items led to a fast improvement in quality performance. Improvements/Applications: If it is expected to make a big performance improvement in a short time, it is required to cooperatively take quality support activity based on short-term projects for SMEs that have business of single items. But for SMEs that have business of complex items and finished products, it is required to take quality support activity from a long-term perspective. This study results will contribute to minimize trials and errors and maximize the performance of quality support activity through selection and concentration when large companies have quality support activity for SMEs.