Benchmarking: An International Journal

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how quality function deployment can be used to improve the quality of tinted glass produced by a glass manufacturing company in Kazakhstan.

Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected using a combination of Delphi method, unstructured, and semi-structured survey. Principal component and Pareto analysis were used to identify the ranking of customer wants needed to improve the acceptability of the product in the market.

Findings – The paper suggests that satisfying all customer needs require the deployment of all the technology and resources available to the company. It illustrates the possible courses of action company management can take based on prevailing market conditions.

Research limitations/implications – The research shows the specific requirements of customers for tinted glass used in industrial settings. From supply chain perspective, downstream customer opinions were used to identify the desired product attributes.

Practical implications – Since no studies to date have been conducted on the glass manufacturing industry in the Central Asian region, this paper could help glass manufacturers in the region to improve their production practices.

Originality/value – The paper is of value to those glass producers interested in the glass manufacturing industry in Central Asia.