Six Sigma: insights from organizational innovativeness and market orientation

Abstract

Purpose

Despite the implicit link of Six Sigma's focus on continuous innovation and customer satisfaction to concepts of organizational innovativeness and market orientation, there are limited theoretical analysis and conceptual development to guide and inform the theory of Six Sigma. This conceptual paper seeks to examine theoretical contributions of market orientation and organizational innovativeness to Six Sigma.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines how organizational innovativeness and market orientation reinforce Six Sigma by analyzing their relevance in terms of internal consistency and theoretical predications.

Findings

While market orientation enhances customer focus and promotes responsiveness through continuous innovation, Six Sigma's customer orientation can lead to over‐emphasis on incremental innovation compromising capabilities for ground‐breaking innovations. Six Sigma can redress this imbalance by integrating long‐term goals and resource capability development.

Originality/value

This paper advances seven theoretical propositions highlighting key concepts of organizational innovativeness and market orientation as contributions to Six Sigma and avenues for further research.

Citation

Eng, T. (2011), "Six Sigma: insights from organizational innovativeness and market orientation", International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 252-262. https://doi.org/10.1108/02656711111109874