An ANP based selective assembly approach incorporating Taguchi’s quality loss function to improve quality of placements in technical institutions

Purpose – The performance of technical institutions in India is reflected through the level of campus placements. It is vital for them to have efficient, effective and robust placement policies. Selective assembly is a technique used in manufacturing industry in improving the quality of assemblies from relatively low-quality components. The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodology using selective assembly approach to improve the quality of placements of technical institutions in India. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a conceptual model for campus placement process by integrating Selective Assembly, Taguchi’s quality loss function (QLF) and analytic network process (ANP). The data used in the study was taken through surveys and expert opinions. In this paper, for “Selective Assembly” the terminology, “Selective Recruitment” has been used at appropriate places in the context of technical education. Findings – Selective matching of students’ skills done through ANP minimizes the total loss in terms of opportunity cost. Taguchi’s QLF concept was used to evaluate the total loss, in terms of opportunity cost, and to validate the superiority of selective assembly technique over the conventional selection process. Practical implications – The paper outlines measures that can help policy makers to successfully implement the suggested methodology to improve the quality of placements. Originality/value – The application of selective recruitment in the campus placement process is a unique feature in the area of technical education in India. The role of ANP in selective recruitment and assessment of the process through Taguchi’s QLF, illustrate the importance of integrated approach adopted in the selection process.