Statistical Thinking in the food industry: The role of control charts in developing reliable process knowledge

Authors: Grigg Nigel, Walls Lesley

Management Science Working Paper No. 19 (2004)

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Abstract

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This paper discusses findings from a recent doctoral study which began by investigating the use of statistical process control in the food industry, but was re-focused following the preliminary research to focus upon statistical thinking (ST) in the industry. The research yielded strong empirical evidence that statistical techniques such as the control chart can be of benefit to food organisations, providing that the process and product type is appropriate to their use, and when they are applied in an appropriate context of ST. The article discusses, in the light of the study findings, the relationship between statistical thinking, statistical methods and contemporary knowledge management and organisational learning theory. We conclude that the study reveals the inherent dangers in teaching statistical process control techniques in isolation from statistical thinking.