J. Muraliraj, S. Kuppusamy, Suhaiza Zailani and C. Santha
The purpose of this paper is to explore how Lean and Six Sigma’s distinctive practices relate to potential absorptive capacity (PACAP) and realized absorptive capacity (RACAP)…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how Lean and Six Sigma’s distinctive practices relate to potential absorptive capacity (PACAP) and realized absorptive capacity (RACAP). The paper seeks to understand which of the practices in Lean Six Sigma are needed to manage absorptive capacity systematically.
Design/methodology/approach
Partial least square based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the theoretical model drawing on a sample of 125 manufacturing organizations in Malaysia. In addition to examining direct effects, the study also examines indirect effects using bootstrapping method to identify possible mediation effects proposed in the model.
Findings
The results explain that Lean’s social practices (LSP), Six Sigma’s roles structure (RS) and structured improvement procedure (SIP) positively influence potential absorptive capacity (PACAP). Meanwhile LSP, RS and focus on metrics (FOM) positively influence realized absorptive capacity (RACAP). SIP was found to influence RACAP through PACAP. The analysis reveals the combination of Lean Six Sigma practices that are required in managing PACAP and RACAP differentially.
Research limitations/implications
The study is only confined to manufacturing industries in Peninsular Malaysia. Data collected were cross-sectional in nature. The application of Lean Six Sigma and how it influences absorptive capacity may get sturdier across time, and this may change the effect toward sustainability of firm’s competitive advantage. A longitudinal study may be useful in that context. The study also makes specific recommendations for future research.
Practical implications
The results of this study can be used by Lean Six Sigma practitioners to prioritize the implementation of Lean Six Sigma practices to develop absorptive capacity of the organization through PACAP and RACAP, which needs to be managed differentially as they exert differential outcomes. This would enable organizations to tactfully navigate and balance between PACAP and RACAP in accordance to business strategies and market conditions.
Originality/value
Absorptive capacity in Lean and Six Sigma context has largely been studied as a unidimensional construct or used as a grounding theoretical support. Therefore, understanding the multidimensionality through PACAP and RACAP provide insights on how to enhance and maneuver absorptive capacity through Lean Six Sigma systematically. The findings may pave the way for future research in enhancing the current knowledge threshold in Lean Six Sigma.
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J. Muraliraj, Suhaiza Zailani, S. Kuppusamy and C. Santha
Literature reviews are a pervasive aspect in research. An ever mounting field such as Lean Six Sigma requires a perpetual touch on the subject to accentuate insights that can be…
Abstract
Purpose
Literature reviews are a pervasive aspect in research. An ever mounting field such as Lean Six Sigma requires a perpetual touch on the subject to accentuate insights that can be researched about. The purpose of this paper is to address the published literatures in the field of Lean Six Sigma through multiple criterion for an enhanced understanding of the subject matter through summarizing its current trends, uncovering existing literature gaps and revealing opportunities for future research in the field.
Design/methodology/approach
The literature review on Lean Six Sigma field spans around 17 years that includes peer-reviewed journals from management, business, engineering, healthcare, manufacturing, military among the many disciplines. The study uses a content analysis approach in which several dimensions of the literature were analysed: purpose or focus of study, years of publication, journal name or publications, methodologies, theories used, country of study, industry sub-sectors, active authors in the field, critical success factors, barriers and challenges and the most contribution of Lean Six Sigma papers by universities.
Findings
Eleven important findings from the analysis were summarized among them; the field of Lean Six Sigma had begun to grow significantly since the new millennium particularly after the 2004-2007 or 2008 period; standalone concepts of Lean and Six Sigma are highly researched compared to the integrated concepts; large proportion of perspective, conceptual and descriptive based studies; lack of empirical validity on the fusion between Lean and Six Sigma; lack of theoretical based studies, etc.
Research limitations/implications
The study is limited to 102 journals in commonly searched databases in the subject matter which produced 261 journal papers. This study seeks to broaden the summary of studies done under the keyword “Lean Six Sigma”.
Originality/value
The review analysis uses a content analysis approach in search of valuable gaps in existing research. The study found 261 papers from 102 journals that were published over the past seventeen years (2000-2016). This paper provides scholars, practitioners and managers with insights on the present trends and focus of Lean Six Sigma in addition to what else are lacking in the subject matter, which could pave the way for future research and practical endeavours.
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Mohsen Anwar Abdelghaffar Saleh, Dejun Wu and Azza Tawab Abdelrahman Sayed
This chapter aims to examine the impact of whistleblowing policy (WH) on earnings management (EM) in an emerging market, Egypt. Our sample period from 2014 to 2019: the…
Abstract
This chapter aims to examine the impact of whistleblowing policy (WH) on earnings management (EM) in an emerging market, Egypt. Our sample period from 2014 to 2019: the pre-whistleblowing policy period is 2014–2016 and the post-whistleblowing policy period is 2017–2019 with a total of 780 observations and the data are analyzed using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis. Data are collected from annual reports, corporate governance reports, and companies’ website. The empirical analysis shows that whistleblowing policy coefficient is negative and significantly impacts EM in Egyptian firms. The result shows that when the firm adopts a whistleblowing policy, it led to decrease in EM. In addition, we provide strong and robust evidence by the difference-in-difference (DID) method to show that whistleblowing is significantly negatively associated with the extent of EM, which indicates that firms have an effective whistleblowing policy and can have several benefits. Firstly, it can help to identify and prevent illegal or unethical behavior within an organization, which can ultimately save the company from potential legal and reputational damage. Secondly, a whistleblowing policy can empower employees to speak up about any concerns they have, without fear of retaliation, which can help to create a more transparent and ethical work environment. Overall, an effective whistleblowing policy can contribute to the long-term success of a company and the broader economy. The findings of this chapter are relevant to policymakers, governments, management, employees, and shareholders to constraining EM in Egyptian firms.
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This paper aims to conduct an inclusive bibliometric review of the International Journal of Lean Six Sigma (IJLSS) to elucidate the scholarly landscape, growth trends, impact…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to conduct an inclusive bibliometric review of the International Journal of Lean Six Sigma (IJLSS) to elucidate the scholarly landscape, growth trends, impact, mappings, couplings, networking and thematic evolution within the field of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) research.
Design/methodology/approach
Using advanced bibliometric techniques, including network analysis and clustering, this study examines the publication output of IJLSS since its inception in 2010. The analysis focuses on identifying key contributors, mapping collaborative networks, tracing thematic evolution and exploring emerging research trends. The study is executed as per the proposed easy-to-understand methodology, containing well-structured nine segments hitting various critical-bibliometrics of IJLSS along with their respective implications.
Findings
The review reveals substantial growth in the publication output of IJLSS, with India emerging as a prominent contributor. Keywords such as “Lean”, “Six Sigma”, “Quality Management”, “Operational Excellence”, “Supply Chain Management”, “Industry 4.0” and “Sustainability” emerge as central themes, reflecting the journal’s focus on process improvement methodologies along with corresponding case studies. Collaborative networks among authors and countries are robust, indicating the global reach of LSS scholarship. Emerging research trends highlight areas of potential future exploration within the field.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations of this study include the reliance on bibliometric data and the exclusion of nonindexed sources. However, the findings offer valuable insights into the scholarly landscape of IJLSS, providing researchers and practitioners with a comprehensive overview of LSS research inclinations and developments.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature by providing a detailed analysis of LSS research published in IJLSS through a unique approach and future directions. The study adds to existing knowledge by mapping collaborative networks, tracing thematic couplings and identifying emerging research clusters within the ever evolving domain of LSS.
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Surya Prakash, Satish Kumar, Gunjan Soni, Raj V. Mahto and Nitesh Pandey
This study aims to present an overview of leading research trends in the lean six sigma domain published in the International Journal of Lean Six Sigma (IJLSS) since its inception.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to present an overview of leading research trends in the lean six sigma domain published in the International Journal of Lean Six Sigma (IJLSS) since its inception.
Design/methodology/approach
The study analyses articles published between 2010 and 2019 in IJLSS using the bibliometric technique. The results of data analysis identify the most prolific authors, their affiliation, citation trends and highly cited articles from the journal. Further, a graphical analysis involving bibliographic coupling and co-citation analysis of the corpus enriches the investigation.
Findings
The results of the bibliometric analysis suggest that the number of IJLSS’s publications and citations grew markedly over time (from 4 citations in 2010 to nearly 1,324 in 2019). The organizational diversity and collaboration among authors publishing in IJLSS are trending upwards. Case study and focus group are the two most common research designs in publications. In the study, three major themes emerged: implementation of lean on business, integration of lean and six sigma and the effects of lean six sigma on businesses.
Practical implications
The study finding informs and educates practitioners and scholars about various qualitative research tools, applications and methods of implementing lean six sigma tools in different industry sectors.
Originality/value
The study uses bibliometric analysis to propose a novel categorization of research published in IJLSS and to report on the utilization of various lean tools in the journal. The study provides guidance for new future research besides offering a thorough introspection of the lean and six sigma domains.
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Gunikhan Sonowal and KS Kuppusamy
This paper aims to propose a model entitled MMSPhiD (multidimensional similarity metrics model for screen reader user to phishing detection) that amalgamates multiple approaches…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose a model entitled MMSPhiD (multidimensional similarity metrics model for screen reader user to phishing detection) that amalgamates multiple approaches to detect phishing URLs.
Design/methodology/approach
The model consists of three major components: machine learning-based approach, typosquatting-based approach and phoneme-based approach. The major objectives of the proposed model are detecting phishing URL, typosquatting and phoneme-based domain and suggesting the legitimate domain which is targeted by attackers.
Findings
The result of the experiment shows that the MMSPhiD model can successfully detect phishing with 99.03 per cent accuracy. In addition, this paper has analyzed 20 leading domains from Alexa and identified 1,861 registered typosquatting and 543 phoneme-based domains.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed model has used machine learning with the list-based approach. Building and maintaining the list shall be a limitation.
Practical implication
The results of the experiments demonstrate that the model achieved higher performance due to the incorporation of multi-dimensional filters.
Social implications
In addition, this paper has incorporated the accessibility needs of persons with visual impairments and provides an accessible anti-phishing approach.
Originality/value
This paper assists persons with visual impairments on detection phoneme-based phishing domains.
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Choon Ling Sim, Zeyun Li, Francis Chuah, Yi Jin Lim and Kit Yeng Sin
With the growing pressure to gain optimum level of quality and speed, Lean Six Sigma (LSS) practices have drawn considerable attention as a viable alternative for process…
Abstract
Purpose
With the growing pressure to gain optimum level of quality and speed, Lean Six Sigma (LSS) practices have drawn considerable attention as a viable alternative for process improvement. However, previous studies revealed that there is very little systematic and rigorous research to validate the claims. In this regard, this paper aims to empirically examine the effect of LSS practices on quality performance in the medical device manufacturing industry.
Design/methodology/approach
For this study, partial least square–based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to empirically examine the effect of LSS practices on quality performance in Malaysian medical device manufacturing industry.
Findings
The findings of this paper revealed that LSS practices have a significant and positive effect on quality performance in the medical device manufacturing industry.
Practical implications
This paper will serve as a valuable implication for industry practitioners in providing them with a clearer managerial direction to exploit the strength of LSS practices to achieve company’s quality goals. Moreover, this study will serve as a basis for future LSS scholars, providing them with valuable insights and directions for future research.
Originality/value
This paper develops a conceptual LSS framework that captures the integrated nature of two methodologies and provides empirical evidence that supports the positive influence of LSS practices on quality performance; hence, it contributes to the growing body of LSS literature in both theoretical and empirical sense.
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Mohamed Alblooshi and Mohammad Shamsuzzaman
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between the intangible impacts of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) and organisational innovation climate factors and proposes a conceptual…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between the intangible impacts of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) and organisational innovation climate factors and proposes a conceptual model to link them. This paper ultimately aims to extend the range of LSS application by proposing LSS as a tool for fostering organisational innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper followed a qualitative research approach to identify, analyse and categorize the intangible impacts of LSS by reviewing previous literature on its application and conducting in-depth interviews with its experts. Then, a detailed description of organisational innovation climate was provided to highlight its main factors. Finally, a conceptual model was developed to illustrate the relationships among the collected information.
Findings
LSS was found to have many intangible impacts categorized as organisational or individual related. Organisational innovation climate is determined by a number of factors that were found to be positively influenced by many of LSS's intangible impacts. Thus, a number of propositions between LSS's intangible impacts and organisational innovation climate factors were proposed, as illustrated by a conceptual model.
Originality/value
Studying the relationship between LSS and innovation by considering LSS's intangible impacts and linking them to organisational innovation climate factors is a relatively new approach that makes the contribution of this research valuable and significant to academics and professionals.
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The purpose of this paper is to implement the six sigma (SS) strategy in a bag sector under actual operating circumstances based on defining-measure-analyze-improve and control…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to implement the six sigma (SS) strategy in a bag sector under actual operating circumstances based on defining-measure-analyze-improve and control (DMAIC). During the project, several statistical tools and methods have been used efficiently to create inferences. Thus, to measure and enhance system efficiency, the author calculate reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) indices. Based on this research, the author show how the SS method and RAM analysis are very helpful in determining maintenance intervals, as well as in planning and organizing the appropriate maintenance strategy.
Design/methodology/approach
This study introduces the step-by-step application of the DMAIC methodology for the identification and reduction of bag production line downtime and examines the present operations management. Thus, statistical techniques are used to analyze the failure and repair database. Pareto analysis, histograms and descriptive statistics at the machine and line-level of the historical data were conducted. Trend and serial correlation testing validated the hypothesis of independence and identical distribution of database was performed. In addition, with their best fit allocation, the RAM of both the bag production line and its machines was estimated at separate mission times.
Findings
The main goals of the applied method are to understand the nature of the downtime patterns and to accurately and quantitatively estimate the RAM characteristics of the bag production system. The assessment defines the production line's critical points, requiring further enhancement through an efficient maintenance approach. Therefore, by improving plant efficiency and safety, the author can decrease unplanned downtime and equipment failures.
Originality/value
This research is expected to serve as an attempt to conduct SS DMAIC methodology through RAM assessment and its impact on system efficiency under actual circumstances. The benefit of the methodology is that the manufacturing process is continuously monitored by suitable indicators, the use of which leads to a continuous improvement cycle.
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Sebastian Smith, Karine Dupre and Julie Crough
This study explores practitioners’ perspectives on the perceived gap between university and practice beyond the hard and soft skill paradigm. Utilising Tomlinson’s graduate…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores practitioners’ perspectives on the perceived gap between university and practice beyond the hard and soft skill paradigm. Utilising Tomlinson’s graduate capital model of employability (2017), we explored human, social, cultural, and psychological capitals to enrich the understanding of this issue and employability. It provided a new perspective, useful for implementing curriculum renewal.
Design/methodology/approach
This study utilised a two-stage mixed methods design. Using Tomlinson’s (2017) Graduate capital model as a framework, the first stage involved distributing an online survey to qualified architects in hiring positions practising in Australia. This served as the foundation for generating qualitative and quantitative data. The second stage involved a two-hour practitioner workshop where the survey results were discussed and expanded upon.
Findings
Our results found that the practitioner’s perspective on the perceived skills gap is more complex than the hard/soft skill paradigm commonly discussed. Practitioners expressed a need for students/graduates to possess identity and cultural capital to contextualise industry norms and expectations. This knowledge lets students know where and how hard/soft skills are used. Our results also suggest practitioners are concerned with the prevailing individualistic approach to the higher education system and traditional architectural teaching methods, instead suggesting a more industry-aligned collaborative disposition.
Originality/value
By expanding the employability discourse beyond hard/soft skills, the results of this research provide an opportunity for architectural curriculum renewal in line with industry expectations.