THESIS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Six Sigma Management
Action research with some contributions to theories and methods

PETER CRONEMYR

Division of Quality Sciences Department of Technology Management and Economics CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Göteborg, Sweden (2007)

They wanted me to be respected as A doctor or a lawyer man But I had other plans Gonna be a rock ‘n’ roll singer Gonna be a rock ‘n’ roll star AC/DC - Rock ‘n’ Roll Singer Young/Young/Scott 1975

No matter what Quality will keep on rockin’ The Rock Stars of Quality Debbie Phillips-Donaldson, editor Quality Progress, July 2005

Six Sigma Management Action research with some contributions to theories and methods Peter Cronemyr Copyright © Peter Cronemyr (2007) ISBN 978-91-7385-021-6 Doktorsavhandlingar vid Chalmers tekniska högskola Ny serie nr 2702 ISSN: 0346-718X Published and distributed by: Division of Quality Sciences CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY S-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden Telephone: +46 (0)31 772 10 00 Printed at: Chalmers Reproservice Göteborg, Sweden

Thesis Shortcuts

Six Sigma A short introduction

Go directly to Chapter 3.1 on page 47

Action Research Methodology

Go directly to Chapter 2.2 on page 28

The Author Background and motives

Go directly to Chapter 1.2 on page 15

Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery AB The Case Company

Go directly to Appendix A, Chapter 2.1 on page A-3

The Conclusions of the Thesis

Go directly to Chapter 5 on page 89

Six Sigma Management Action Research With Some Contributions to Theories and Methods PETER CRONEMYR Division of Quality Sciences Department of Technology Management and Economics Chalmers University of Technology

ABSTRACT Many companies around the world have implemented Six Sigma as a problem solving methodology especially useful for dealing with recurring problems in business processes.