Technology innovations for SME users

Abstract

Web-based technologies are now quite widespread. This talk relates how traditional information and communication technologies such as those associated with SME users can be coupled with modern Web-based technologies in offering e-business solutions that are usually available to large corporations. SME users are traditionally not well resourced and do not have adequate computing infrastructure within their local work environments. The talk proposes an online information services infrastructure taking the leverages of merging Services Oriented Architecture (SOA), and shares the experiences of Phoenix research project where core services were developed to facilitate information resources sharing and cooperation among SME users. The online information service infrastructure invokes relevant including the sophisticated IT services only if necessary, and consequently delivers virtual technology capacity to SME users. The proposed transformation and changes within SME work environments will be kept minimal and should bring little interruption to the existing operations. A supply chain application scenario to facilitate B2B trading of SMEs as well as large corporations using the proposed infrastructure will be described. Experiences with these initiatives show the effectiveness of the online applications integration capability offered with the support of adaptive services, services management, and an innovative knowledge driven model for economic use of information resources. The speech aims to provide a basis to understand the potential benefits, barriers and solutions to integrate the traditional SME environments with lead-edge online services. Based on the literature study of Six Sigma and business innovation, the presentation addresses the relationship between Six Sigma and business management innovation and points out Six Sigma is a important way to achieve business innovation. Then based on the questionnaire survey of 106 companies and site visit to 5 companies which have implemented Six Sigma in China, the presentation presents a set of criteria for Six Sigma maturity assessment. The framework of the criteria is based on Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, Quality System Review of Motorola and Korea Six Sigma Innovation Award Criteria. The criteria consist of 7 categories, 26 items and 46 areas. The criteria can be used for self assessment within a company as well as for China Six Sigma Promotion Committee to assess and award successful Six Sigma companies nationwide.