The purpose of this paper is to explore a Six Sigma implementation within a Kaizen mechanism, how the Kaizen events and methodology evolved, as well as the critical success…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore a Six Sigma implementation within a Kaizen mechanism, how the Kaizen events and methodology evolved, as well as the critical success factors as the methodology developed.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper begins with a review of the literature on Six Sigma and its Kaizen factors, followed by an empirical study a Kaizen event framework that was developed for a Taiwanese firm.
Findings
The results of the Six Sigma system proposed in this paper show that each organization used a unique Kaizen mechanism when initiating a Six Sigma project. A Kaizen event within a Kaizen mechanism can be used to obtain valuable insights about Six Sigma implementations. Firms should be able to achieve better management decisions after conducting self-assessments using the model.
Originality/value
This paper provides documented evidence of Six Sigma implementations with Kaizen events flow units, representative of aerospace industry. This study should prove to be of a great value to academics, consultants, researchers, and practitioners of Six Sigma.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between Six Sigma and business strategy. The Six Sigma approach requires managers to examine processes from the customers'…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between Six Sigma and business strategy. The Six Sigma approach requires managers to examine processes from the customers' perspective, thus ensuring long‐term success.
Design/methodology/approach
This study reviews the literature on the relationship between Six Sigma and business strategy, and examines how integrating business strategy with Six Sigma improvement action planning can produce competitive advantages. Moreover, a preliminary exploratory framework for linking Six Sigma to business strategy is presented, based on an empirical study of a Taiwan firm.
Findings
Six Sigma implementations must be integrated with a company's business strategy. Six Sigma is a structured and disciplined way of solving critical business problems that cannot be addressed using other methods.
Research limitations/implications
The linking of Six Sigma and business strategy framework is an advanced and coherent form of strategic thinking, which extends a strategic vision throughout all units of an organization and to meet core customer requirements.
Originality/value
The paper shows that, as a strategic‐oriented initiative, the context of Six Sigma activities must be adapted and modified to fit a firm's organizational strategy, Consequently, Six Sigma is central to the strategic drive of a company.
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The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of implementing Six Sigma system on job satisfaction and employee morale, and how job satisfaction, employee morale and Six Sigma…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of implementing Six Sigma system on job satisfaction and employee morale, and how job satisfaction, employee morale and Six Sigma implementation are to support each other.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper builds a research framework which includes the variables of Six Sigma, job satisfaction, and employee morale. The research methodology is the use of a field survey questionnaire of a Taiwanese company.
Findings
The paper finds that the method of Six Sigma implementation in Taiwanese company was by a top‐down approach, where is the managers received the training and then were expected to pass on the relevant knowledge to their subordinates. It also reveals that one key issue in Six Sigma implementation is which organizational departments should first receive the Six Sigma training. the field study found that the first departments related to logistics management, and then onto production line departments. Implementing Six Sigma training has impact on organizational job satisfaction and employee morale. The performance of Six Sigma training was able to achieve job satisfaction and employee morale, but the employees who participated in Six Sigma training were more positive with regard to job satisfaction and employee morale.
Originality/value
Every organization has their special characteristics in relation to the Six Sigma system, job satisfaction and employee morale. The organization should aim to better understand the relationship and content of job satisfaction and employee morale with regard to successful Six Sigma implementation.
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This paper aims to review the related literature on TQM and Six Sigma, and then to construct and explore the conceptual framework via an empirical study. Discussions follow on the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the related literature on TQM and Six Sigma, and then to construct and explore the conceptual framework via an empirical study. Discussions follow on the conceptual framework, and there is a case study on the experience of Kinpo Electronics (KE) company in Taiwan implementing Six Sigma via TQM improvement.
Design/methodology/approach
The objective of the research is to examine the relationship between TQM and Six Sigma. To achieve this, the paper conducted a conceptual framework with six improvement factors “system”, “product”, “control”, “training”, “technical”, and “assessment”. The six factors are considered in detail in a discussion of the case of KE Company with regard to its implementing Six Sigma via TQM improvement.
Findings
The results of using TQM improvement activities to implement Six Sigma may be divided into two main paradigm shifts, namely transfer and adjustment. “Transfer” means the requirements for macro change in implementing Six Sigma via TQM improvement, and “adjustment” refers to the micro changes undertaken in moving from TQM toward Six Sigma.
Practical implications
According to KE's experience in Taiwan, TQM is a prime component of Six Sigma, and KE added a Six Sigma program to its existing business system which used almost all of the elements of TQM. The formula is KE's current business system+Six Sigma = TQM. Based on this, TQM remains important and prevalent in modern industry.
Originality/value
The value of the paper is that TQM is the fundamental basis of Six Sigma. The new quality management system is integrating TQM's activities with the Six Sigma approach to gain a new competitive advantage.
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Fahim Ullah, Muhammad Jamaluddin Thaheem, Siddra Qayyum Siddiqui and Muhammad Bilal Khurshid
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the level of implementation of Six Sigma (SS) in the construction industry of Pakistan along with the current state of affairs and the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the level of implementation of Six Sigma (SS) in the construction industry of Pakistan along with the current state of affairs and the challenges, and opportunities for a successful implementation.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is purely exploratory in nature. Based on published work, critical success factors are gathered, and a number of questionnaire surveys and interviews are conducted to refine and quantify their impact. A system dynamics framework to assess the SS influence on project success is developed and case study project are simulated.
Findings
The construction industry of Pakistan is still functioning in a traditional way; marred with low level of awareness and ad hoc approaches, the findings point to a huge improvement opportunity. Further, when under planning projects are exposed to SS, the chances of project success improve better than under execution projects.
Research limitations/implications
The limited level of awareness possessed by the respondents constrains the possible outreach of this work in industrially developed contexts. However, this work may become an impetus for further research in managing quality in construction industry.
Practical implications
The findings can be used to improve the quality provision of construction projects.
Originality/value
This work may trigger an important debate over the research and implementation of SS in the construction industry of developing countries that may greatly benefit by improving the quality of their projects and rectify their diminishing reputation for project success.