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Abstract: Six Sigma is a quality management
scheme that provides a structural arrangement for
monitoring quality, both qualitatively and
quantitatively, with more rigorously controlled process
improvement activities. This strategy has been gaining
impetus in industries (including pharma) because of its
ability to reduce defect and input cost, however, the
participation of the same in growing countries like
India and China was found very little. This article is
aimed at developing a general awareness with motivating
approach justifying need to adopt Six Sigma. The work
also argues additional benefits of Six Sigma over prior
existing quality management approaches and addresses the
concerns towards its implementation.
Introduction
Superior, world-class process performance symbolizes
magnificent cost savings, maximizes share value and
creates opportunities to hold customers, arrests new
markets as well as helps to build a top performing
reputation of the firm. People in industries from
manufacturing to service are witnessing the expansion of
a strategic quality-improvement concept called 'Six
Sigma'.
At present, there are lots of literatures written by
practitioners and consultants on Six Sigma, but only a
few academic oriented articles published in scholarly
journals. Academicians have conducted least research on
this emerging phenomenon and the academic-research on
this subject is just beginning to come forward (Rogers
et al., 2007).
The purpose of this article is to explore the
fundamental concepts of Six Sigma, its relationship with
co-existing quality management strategies and to provide
an in-depth, scientific understanding of the subject.
Also the paper aimed at motivating the adoption of this
strategy in all critical sectors of the society, chiefly
in booming economies like India and China, where the
least or no attention had been given to the same.
Underlying Theory and Definitions of Six Sigma
Many of the definitions of Six Sigma found in the
literature but are very general and do not provide its
basic elements together (concepts, constructs,
methodology etc). The first consistent definition for
Six Sigma is that: It is a statistical expression, a
metric that is representing a process performing almost
free of all defects (Dambolena et al., 1994). As a
second definition, Six Sigma is considered an
organizational approach that emphasizes customer and
inspires process up-gradation (Harry, 1998). As a third
definition, it is viewed as a strategic development
methodology termed DMAIC, which is an abbreviation of
the five systematic steps i.e. define, measure, analyze,
improve, and control (Breyfogle et al., 2001; Eckes,
2001). Hahn et al. (1999) illustrated Six Sigma as a
disciplined approach for improving quality, while some
believe this to be a management policy that creates a
culture change in the organization (Sanders and Hild,
2000).
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