As Walt Disney once said, "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." Executives who have the grit to face their company's most stubborn problems head-on may benefit from the practice of Corrective and Preventative Action (CAPA)—a problem-solving method widely used in fields such as Quality Management and Supply Chain Management. A concept that is compatible across all industries, CAPA provides a structured approach to identifying, addressing, and preventing problems that may deteriorate a company's productivity or profitability.

In simplest terms, CAPA is a two-fold process. Corrective action is taken to identify and eliminate the causes of existing nonconformities in order to prevent their recurrence. On the other hand, preventative action is taken to identify and eliminate the causes of potential nonconformities to prevent their occurrence.

Within the context of Strategic Management, CAPA is not just a tactical tool. Instead, it pushes leaders to continuously question, analyze, and improve their business models, thus fostering an Organizational Culture of continuous improvement and helping businesses stay relevant in an ever-changing economic landscape.

For instance, a CAPA initiative might lead to changes in Strategy Development, with shifts in focus or resource allocation based on the issues identified. Similarly, processes for Performance Management may be adjusted to align with changes stemming from a CAPA initiative.

The process of implementing CAPA involves identifying nonconformities (issues or potential issues), investigating their causes, defining and implementing action to rectify them, and following up to ensure these actions have been effective. This can be broken down into four key steps:

1. Identify: Nonconformities are identified through methods such as audits, inspections, or customer complaints.
2. Analyze: Root cause analysis is conducted to identify the contributing factors behind the nonconformity.
3. Action: Based on the analysis, corrective or preventative actions are planned and implemented.
4. Follow Up: Periodic reviews are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the implemented actions.

A well-implemented CAPA process acts as a safeguard for companies against recurring and potential problems, by creating an ingrained culture of problem-solving and prevention at all levels of the organization.

A McKinsey report found that companies successful in implementing strategic change managed to generate 143% of the value they projected from their programs, with the proper utilization of a CAPA system being a key contributor. This serves to illustrate how CAPA, when implemented strategically, can lead to significant improvements—not just in Operational Excellence, but in the overall business transformation journey of a company.

Although the potential benefits of CAPA are substantial, many companies struggle with its effective implementation. Two common challenges include failure to correctly identify root causes, and failure to follow up on the efficacy of implemented changes. These issues can often be traced back to a lack of defined processes, inappropriate tools or technology, or inadequate training and awareness around CAPA.

To ensure the maximum effectiveness of CAPA, a business should have a robust and consistently applied policy, along with a culture of learning and improvement. Furthermore, the use of digital tools can simplify processes, improve data accuracy, and help in monitoring the effectiveness of actions.