Located in Texas, USA, KARLEE is a contract manufacturer of precision sheet metal and machined components for customers in the telecommunications, and medical equipment industries.

Since beginning in 1974, as a one-man, garage-based machine shop, the company now employs 550 people and has developed into a one-stop supplier of manufacturing services. Its work ranges from initial design and prototyping to painting and assembly to integration of cabling and power elements.

(a) Briefly describe the need and purpose of Benchmarking?

(b) Explain the approaches to benchmarking?

(c) Describe how the above mentioned organization may benefit from benchmarking.

(d) Mr. John Karlee, CEO of the company, now aims to be a quality leader. Identify and explain six characteristics that he should have to be a successful quality leader.