Showing papers by "Maneesh Kumar published in 2007"

Six sigma in service organisations: Benefits, challenges and difficulties, common myths, empirical observations and success factors

Abstract: Purpose – Six sigma has received considerable attention over the last four years in the UK service sector. The purpose of this paper is to present a review of the literature on six sigma as applied to the service industry, followed by a presentation of the key findings obtained from a pilot survey carried out in UK service organisations. Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents some of the most common challenges, difficulties, common myths, and implementation issues in the application of six sigma in service industry settings. It also discusses the benefits of six sigma in service organisations, tools and techniques of six sigma for service performance improvement, key criteria for the selection of winning projects, followed by the results of a six sigma pilot survey in UK service organisations. Findings – The results of the study show that the majority of service organisations in the UK have been engaged in a six sigma initiative for just over three years. The average sigma quality level of the companies was around 2.8 (approximately 98,000 DPMO). Management commitment and involvement, customer focus, linking six sigma to business strategy, organisational infrastructure, project management skills, and understanding of the six sigma methodology are the most critical factors for the successful introduction, development and deployment of six sigma. Originality/value – This paper reports the first study on the status of six sigma implementation in UK service organisations. The findings and key observations of this paper will be of immense value to the six sigma academic and research community.

Winning customer loyalty in an automotive company through Six Sigma: a case study

Abstract: Six Sigma is a disciplined approach to improving product, process and service quality. Since its inception at Motorola in the mid 1980s Six Sigma has evolved significantly and continues to expand to improve process performance, enhance business profitability and increase customer satisfaction. This paper presents an extensive literature review based on the experiences of both academics and practitioners on Six Sigma, followed by the application of the Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control (DMAIC) problem-solving methodology to identify the parameters causing casting defects and to control these parameters. The results of the study are based on the application of tools and techniques in the DMAIC methodology, i.e. Pareto Analysis, Measurement System Analysis, Regression Analysis and Design of Experiment. The results of the study show that the application of the Six Sigma methodology reduced casting defects and increased the process capability of the process from 0.49 to 1.28. The application of DMAIC has resulted in a significant financial impact (over U.S. $110 000 per annum) on the bottom-line of the company.

Critical success factors and hurdles to Six Sigma implementation: the case of a UK manufacturing SME

Abstract: To date, the benefits of Six Sigma primarily have been realised by large organisations and the question therefore remains how best to apply Six Sigma in Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). This paper reports key findings of a Six Sigma survey conducted in a UK manufacturing SME with an objective of assessing the status of Six Sigma in the company. The instrument designed captures the respondent's viewpoint on the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) and barriers faced in Six Sigma implementation and its impact on the performance measures existing within the company. Findings revealed that uncompromising and undying commitment from top level management is critical to the success of Six Sigma. Poor training and resource availability were identified as two major stumbling blocks encountered during Six Sigma implementation. The concluding remark arising from the study is that SMEs can also benefit from implementing Six Sigma similar to their larger counterpart.