Sigma Implementation Research Articles

Lean Six Sigma implementation in East Africa: findings from a pilot study

Purpose – This paper reports the results of a pilot study on the implementation of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in East African service and manufacturing organizations. The purpose of this paper is to determine the critical success factors for implementation of such a strategy as well as any barriers. A further aim was to determine the knowledge, usage and usefulness of LSS tools and techniques within those organizations. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative approach was taken utilizing a survey questionnaire which was sent to a sample of organization employees who had attended Yellow, Green or Black Belt LSS training courses organized by the Kenya Institute of Management in Nairobi. Employees attending such courses came from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. Findings – Results indicate that the most useful tools are most of the original seven tools of quality improvement proposed by Ishikawa over 50 years ago and the most important factor for successful implementation of LSS is management involvement and participation. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation is that this is a pilot study so to confirm the findings a full survey of East African organization needs to be undertaken. Practical implications – The findings have implications for trainers, consultants and practitioners with regards to the implementation of LSS within organizations as well as the focus of the content of LSS training courses. Originality/value – This paper reports the first study on the implementation of LSS in East Africa and will be of value to practitioners, trainers, consultants and researchers of LSS in East Africa and beyond.

Lean Six Sigma implementation and organizational culture.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between four organizational cultural types defined by the Competing Values Framework and three Lean Six Sigma implementation components - management involvement, use of Lean Six Sigma methods and Lean Six Sigma infrastructure. The study involved surveying 446 human resource and quality managers from 223 hospitals located in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Rhode Island using the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument. Findings - In total, 104 completed responses were received and analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance. Follow-up analysis of variances showed management support was significant, F(3, 100)=4.89, p < 0.01, η2=1.28; infrastructure was not significant, F(3, 100)=1.55, p=0.21, η2=0.05; and using Lean Six Sigma methods was also not significant, F(3, 100)=1.34, p=0.26, η2=0.04. Post hoc analysis identified group and development cultures having significant interactions with management support. The relationship between organizational culture and Lean Six Sigma in hospitals provides information on how specific cultural characteristics impact the Lean Six Sigma initiative key components. This information assists hospital staff who are considering implementing quality initiatives by providing an understanding of what cultural values correspond to effective Lean Six Sigma implementation. Managers understanding the quality initiative cultural underpinnings, are attentive to the culture-shared values and norm's influence can utilize strategies to better implement Lean Six Sigma.

The implementation of Lean Six Sigma concept at national bank of Kenya-operation division

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the level of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation at National bank Operations Division by utilizing the five stages of progress identified by Gygi et al. (2005), namely, initialize, deploy, implement, expand and sustain. A further aim was to determine the impact of implementation so far on various operations within the division. Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted within the head office. Data were gathered through a questionnaire distributed to all employees working in the operations division via e-mail. Responses were analyzed using SPSS v20. Findings – The results obtained indicated that 99 percent of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the bank has past stages 1 and 2 and are now implementing stage 3. The finding also showed that there was a significant impact on a number of operations including reductions in average process cycle times, reductions in costs, reductions in turnaround times and reductions in error rates. Research limitations/implications – The research findings are limited to National Bank of Kenya Ltd and may not be generalized to other organizations. Further research will have to be carried out to cover other types of organizations to establish general impact. Practical implications – The findings of the study provide evidence of the practical benefits of LSS as well as justification for the adoption and implementation of LSS principles and techniques in the National Bank of Kenya with possible similar benefits for other financial services organizations. Originality/value – This study is the first to report on the implementation of LSS in a Kenya bank.

Critical success factors of Lean Six Sigma deployment: a current review

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review and gather the latest critical success factors (CSF) of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) deployment and implementation into a comprehensive list of factors. Design/methodology/approach – The approach taken by authors in this study was to analyze the latest literature review starting 2010 onwards and focus on CSFs of LSS (not dedicated as Lean or Six Sigma) by excluding other improvement methodologies or initiatives, e.g. Lean, Six Sigma, TQM, TRIZ etc. Findings – Five significant CSFs were identified (initially 97 CSFs listed from 13 papers) out of nine groups/headers listed in clustering analysis using Affinity Diagram tool and new headers mapping. Practical implications – Most of the organisations were aware of the success story on LSS, but did not scrutinize or consider its CSFs. By knowing the outcome of this paper, it can help open eyes regarding readiness before implementing LSS. Originality/value – At the end of this paper, the authors tried to cluster the CSFs similarities that could intentionally provide the guidelines and references to industries/companies for successful deployment and implementation of LSS in future endeavours.

Enablers of Six Sigma: contextual framework and its empirical validation

The aim of the paper is to identify the enablers for the successful implementation of Six Sigma. None of the existing frameworks provides any clear understanding related to linkages between, and hierarchical relationships among, the constructs of Six Sigma implementation. Our study has both inductive and deductive elements. We identified enablers of Six Sigma implementation from existing research, and we developed a contextual framework using the interpretive structural modelling technique. We further studied enablers based on their driving power and dependence using MICMAC analysis to categorise the enablers into four clusters. In order to validate the ISM model statistically we developed and pre-tested a structured questionnaire before using it for a survey. Data were collected using a split survey method using a modified version of Dillman's total design method. We performed non-response bias before checking assumptions such as constant variance and normality. We further checked the reliability and construct validity using confirmatory factor analysis. We find that constructs and indicators of our theoretical framework meet the criteria, and find them to be a good fit based on confirmatory factor analysis. We draw conclusions based on statistical analyses and our study limitations, and suggest further research directions.

Applying Lean Six Sigma within the university: opportunities for process improvement and cultural change

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the historical development of Lean Six Sigma and to identify the relevant opportunities for the application of Lean Six Sigma within the university setting. The paper also discusses the challenges of Lean Six Sigma implementation in higher education, as well as the cultural changes necessary to provide an appropriate climate for its long-term success. Design/methodology/approach – The paper contains a comprehensive discussion of the development of Lean Six Sigma over the past three decades. Additionally, the paper describes how Lean Six Sigma may be applied in the university setting to improve processes in curriculum delivery; business and auxiliary services; admissions and enrollment management; and research. Findings – Lean Six Sigma can be applied to facilitate process improvements in curriculum delivery; business and auxiliary services; admissions and enrollment management; and research. While obstacles to Lean Six Sigma implementation exist, the process improvements and resulting cultural changes are worthwhile and noteworthy. Research limitations/implications – The paper serves as a guide for how Lean Six Sigma processes can be utilized in the higher education setting. Other researchers and practitioners may use the paper as a practical orientation to Lean Six Sigma in the university setting. Originality/value – Due to the unique culture of higher education, the application of Lean Six Sigma to university processes has been sparse. The paper provides a needed orientation as to how Lean Six Sigma may be applied to improve some of the more important functional aspects of the university.

Six Sigma Implementations in Supply Chain: An Application for an Automotive Subsidiary Industry in Bursa in Turkey.

The six sigma methodology have an important place for developing and reducing the actions which do not have inner process in supply chain in the firms. The aim of six sigma is defining, analyzing, correcting and improving the variables, which affect the quality of supply chain process in order to decrease the number of defects and the failures and to propose the improvement means for the processes. In this study general structure of six sigma is explained with regard to ‘how to define the complex problems which are encountered in the supply chain’ along with the relevant knowledge and comments for statistical methods that are utilized in measurement and analysis of supply chain.

The Effect of Six Sigma on Employees – A Case Study

Irrespective of the fact that Six Sigma has been generally considered a success formula for ensuring better performance of companies, there has been little appreciation and understanding that the core of the success of Six Sigma is through a dedicated workforce. Most of the studies which highlight Critical Success Factors validate that the involvement of the entire work force contributes significantly to Six Sigma. However, in reality very few efforts have been made to look into the implications of Six Sigma on the overall welfare of the employees which is termed as People's Equity in this paper. We hold that the reverse causation has to also take place; that is, Six Sigma should improve People's Equity. This would ensure that the process is mutually reinforcing. This paper investigates the implications of Six Sigma implementation on People's Equity in a chosen automobile company. The findings suggest that both managers and employees consider that Peoples' Equity has not improved significantly after implementation of Six Sigma.

Six Sigma Implementation in Healthcare Industry: Past, Present and Future

Six Sigma Implementation in Healthcare Industry: Past, Present and Future

The Human Sigma approach to business improvement in tourism SMEs

Purpose – Human Sigma is an emerging topic among many academics and practitioners. At present, limited studies have been reported about the successful applications of Human Sigma in small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this paper therefore is to provide an analysis of contemporary business improvement tool implementation in UK tourism SMEs. Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents an exploratory study of the Human Sigma approach to business improvement. Particularly, the research offers an overview of approaches to business improvement, whilst also presenting a framework for the implementation of Human Sigma. Adopting a case study of tourism SMEs, the paper examines attitudes to service quality management in terms of the implementation of business improvement tools. Findings – The results of the study reveal that many of the SMEs are not aware of the Human Sigma approach to business improvement and while there is a range of tools, techniques and approaches available, they perceive several key barriers to prevent them from fully engaging. The research highlights the critical success factors for successful implementation are often related to customers and not employees. The perceived benefits from the usage of these tools are also displayed. Research limitations/implications – The limitations of this research are recognised, in particular the relatively small number of SMEs in a geographically confined area. Nevertheless, the research is intended primarily as an exploratory study designed to identify themes and issues as a basis for further research. Consequently, the study offers a number of significant findings that contribute more broadly to the Human Sigma literature. Originality/value – This paper presents an initial study on the status of Human Sigma implementation in UK tourism SMEs. The service sector is dominated by a large number of SMEs and despite escalating attention paid within the literature to issues related to quality management, limited research has been undertaken into the utilisation and contribution of contemporary business improvements tools. A framework for the implementation of the Human Sigma approach to business improvement is illustrated. This paper will yield value to academics, consultants, researchers and practitioners.

Six Sigma through Poka-Yoke: a navigation through literature arena

From the middle of 1980s, Six Sigma concept emerged in Motorola. Because Six Sigma implementation facilitated the companies to achieve profitability, it was implemented subsequently in many parts of the world. Six Sigma is implemented by majority of the companies situated in the world by applying DMAIC (stands for define, measure, analyse, improve and control) phases. Meanwhile, there have been reports of the failures of implementing Six Sigma programmes presumably due to the failure to consider and apply the appropriate tools and techniques. In this regard, it is to be noticed that Poka-Yoke, which is a tool that can be used to achieve zero-defect manufacturing, has the potential to support the implementation of DMAIC phases of Six Sigma. On deriving this observation, the literature navigation reported in this paper was carried out to understand the essence of Six Sigma and Poka-Yoke as well as the trend of applying Poka-Yoke in DMAIC phases. In the literature survey conducted to carry out this literature navigation, the researches on applying Poka-Yoke concept in DMAIC phases were studied by referring to the relevant research papers. It has been pointed out that the Poka-Yoke solutions suggested in these research papers were not actually implemented in real-time scenario. Hence, this article ends with a suggestion that future researchers can make efforts to actually implement Poka-Yoke technique in DMAIC phases for achieving the goals of Six Sigma.

From IMS and six sigma toward TQM: an empirical study from Serbia

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the current status of a quality management practice in Serbia, in terms of the development and application of integrated managements systems (IMS), and research and implementation of Six Sigma and the related techniques. Design/methodology/approach – Two main aspects of total quality management (TQM) have been considered: institutional (organisational or strategic) aspect that corresponds to standardised management systems and their integration, and technical (quality engineering) aspect whose main contributor is Six Sigma. The findings of a comprehensive study on IMS implementation in Serbia have been presented, based on the results of a questionnaire that was sent to 54 organisations during 2013. Also, the significant technical improvements and tangible benefits of a recently conducted Six Sigma project were shown, including the application of the advanced quality engineering techniques within DMAIC method. Findings – Good QM practice in Serbia is improving, both in terms of the organisational (IMS) and technical (Six Sigma) aspect, that server as a good basis for the adoption of TQM in manufacturing companies from various sectors. It could be anticipated that these results will facilitate the adoption of an overall TQM culture in Serbia and leverage its future sustainability. Originality/value – This paper offers key insights into IMS and Six Sigma implementation in Serbia. This could encourage manufacturing organisations in developing countries to adopt IMS and Six Sigma, in order to boost the overall TQM culture and gain a competitive advantage.

Key observations from a survey about Six Sigma implementation in Brazil

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a survey on Six Sigma and key observations on which variables/management practices are the most important for a successful Six Sigma implementation, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the practices observed in companies in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach – Five research questions were proposed, and an exploratory field study was carried out. A sample of 103 questionnaires was obtained. In total, 26 independent variables were analyzed, with a factor analysis reducing this number to 14, for which three main constructs were observed. Findings – Large manufacturing industries are implementing the Six Sigma program in Brazil. Three main constructs were observed to be critical for the success of Six Sigma. The strengths and weaknesses of the 14 independent variables studied within each construct were found. Practical implications – This paper has practical implications in that companies can use the conclusions of this study to improve their implementation of the Six Sigma program. Social implications – This research may initiate cooperation between the companies within the study and academia, which may lead to a better understanding of Six Sigma within these organizations. Originality/value – The originality of this study is that the survey was conducted with companies in Brazil, a country that suffers from a lack of information on Six Sigma programs. A robust methodological strategy was used that determined the three most important constructs for successful implementation of Six Sigma.

Factors in the Path From Lean to Patient Safety: Six Sigma, Goal Specificity and Responsiveness Capability

The purpose of this study is to clarify the impact of lean on patient safety outcomes in hospitals. This article develops a path model for improving patient safety that includes lean, Six Sigma, goal specificity, and responsiveness capabilities. Structural equation modeling is used to test the model, using survey data from more than 215 U.S. hospitals. Results indicate that although lean doesn't impact patient safety directly, it plays an important role in encouraging Six Sigma implementation and raising goal specificity in hospital units. Responsiveness capability is found to be the key variable in translating Six Sigma, goal specificity, and ultimately lean into improved patient safety. Positive patient safety outcomes are largely attributed to increases in patient responsiveness, while Six Sigma and goal specificity influenced by lean implementation serve as the valuable venue of responsiveness. The results provide support for the notion that the information gained from lean and Six Sigma projects must be geared toward customer requirements and used as a means of responding quickly to patient needs. The results contribute to the operations literature by clarifying the role of lean by coupling it with Six Sigma and goal specificity. The interrelationships of these initiatives have not been adequately explored, and limited research discusses their combined effectiveness in healthcare.

Modelling the clusters of critical success factors of Six Sigma for non-formal service sectors using interpretive structural modelling

Critical success factors (CSFs) are the essential ingredients which are case specific and vital for the successful deployment of Six Sigma which must be achieved in hierarchical manner to accomplish the objective associated with it. CSFs for Six Sigma implementation in non-formal service sectors are grouped in to clusters. The purpose of this research is to develop relationship amongst the identified clusters using interpretive structural modelling (ISM). On the basis of the driving and dependence power of each CSF cluster, the ISM-based model indicates that 'Process ownership', 'Organisational Assessment', 'Customer Centric Approach' and 'Project Selection' are strategic requirements, further 'Awareness Program', 'Knowledge Sharing' and 'Servicescape' are the tactical requirements, on the other hand 'Human Resource Management', 'Database Management', 'Performance Assessment' and 'Reward' are the operational requirements of Six Sigma implementation program. Whilst the ISM model of CSF clusters gives a roadmap for their implementation in hierarchical manner.

An integrated approach of Six Sigma and QSAM methodologies for a pharmaceutical company: a shipment improvement process

This paper presents a shipment improvement project in a pharmaceutical company to reduce distribution costs of a set of products shipped to Germany. The project consisted in the diagnosis and improvement of the shipment process through the deployment of Quick Scan Audit Methodology (QSAM) as a precursor to Six Sigma implementation. The original sample-shipments process was analysed to improve it and achieve the targets based on optimised sub-processes. The results showed a set of non-value added activities in transportation, motion, waiting, defects and the sub-utilisation of people. Based on the application of quality tools such as VSM, CFD, VOC, CTQ-Three under the Six-Sigma approach, the improvements achieved a 26% reduction in cycle time, and no complaints from customers were reported since the implementation. A control plan was deployed to track shipments and maintain open and close communication with the customer. The resulting benefits had a significant impact on reducing distribution costs.

Evaluating Six Sigma Implementation Effectiveness through Statistical Process Control

Evaluating Six Sigma Implementation Effectiveness through Statistical Process Control

An Evaluation of Effectiveness of the Software Projects Developed Through Six Sigma Methodology

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACTContinuous improvement rules such as Six Sigma enable companies to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty in an increasingly competitive environment to meet customers’ expectations. The success of Six Sigma execution can be computed by evaluating the effectiveness of the developed software projects. This includes keeping the software team focused and stimulating their interest. An excellent computation system should be able to calculate and compare software projects of several types and necessities. This computation system to measure effectiveness should be extensive, objective, and acceptable to all. A strong effectiveness measure is formulated in this research on the basis of a fuzzy approach, considering the following serious software success factors for Six Sigma implementation: involvement of software top management, staff application knowledge, staff tool and team skills, depth of software analysis and requirements to establish the root cause(s), timeline followed to complete the software project, and review and monitoring of the software project. The Six Sigma software projects producing the intended results of the evaluation system generally depend on the human perception that can result in unreliable computation. To overcome this fault or shortcoming, in this article we used a fuzzy logic expert system approach based on fuzzy linguistic parameters and fuzzy values for calculating the software project effectiveness by using software management perception to overcome unreliable computation due to human perception. The article defines suitable importance and performance grading for each selected factor for the effective implementation of Six Sigma software projects by using linguistic variables. The main advantage of this research is for the practicing organizations to utilize this system of methods for impartial evaluation of developed software projects.

Implementation of continuous improvement based on Lean Six Sigma in small- and medium-sized enterprises

Research has highlighted a need for a specific and practical implementation framework for deploying Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The success of LSS implementation in SMEs is highly dependent on the extent to which an LSS deployment programme addresses the specific properties of SMEs. In this study we have evaluated an existing framework for Six Sigma implementation for SMEs [Kumar, M., Antony, J., & Tiwari, M. K. (2011). Six Sigma implementation framework for SMEs – a roadmap to manage and sustain the change. International Journal of Production Research, 49(18), 5449–5467] using a multi-method triangulation approach. The objectives of this study were firstly to strengthen the foundations of the existing framework by uncovering evidence for some of its elements and, secondly, to identify the proposed revisions to the framework, especially focussed on its application in manufacturing SMEs. The results of our study are a collection of confirmations and revision proposals for the framework, leading to a revised conceptual framework.

Adoção do seis sigma e lean production em uma empresa de manufatura

A junção dos conceitos do Lean Production com as práticas do Seis Sigma, originou a metodologia conhecida como Lean Seis Sigma, focada na eliminação de desperdícios e variação nos processos. Esta metodologia se desenvolveu de diferentes formas nas empresas e não existe um consenso em relação a sua estrutura organizacional e implementação. Com propósito de identificar e analisar as características relevantes na adoção e integração da metodologia Lean Seis Sigma, o presente trabalho tem como objetivos demonstrar a adoção do Lean Production e Seis Sigma. O estudo de caso foi realizado em uma empresa de manufatura que adota ambas as práticas. Os resultados obtidos evidenciam dois aspectos importantes da metodologia Lean Seis Sigma: a adoção do mapeamento do fluxo de valor como ferramenta central e o uso do DMAIC nas ações de melhoria. O estudo indica que apesar das dificuldades de se implementar o Lean Seis Sigma, a metodologia oferece benefícios para a empresa que a adota da forma.