... 6 Dynamics of organizational learning and continuous improvement in six sigma implementation Taina Savolainen Department of Business and Economics, University of Joensuu, Joensuu, Finland, and Arto Haikonen Genworth Financial, Helsinki, Finland Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the dynamics of organizational learning and continuous improvement (CI) in the context six sigma implementation in business organizations operating in multicultural environments. Design/methodology/approach – A specific research question is: does learning mechanisms and continuous improvement practices support each other and how, and what type of learning can be identified in the improvement of business processes. The question is linked to one of the fundamental issues currently discussed in the field of organizational learning; how do organizations get “from here to there”, in other words, what is the dynamics of the processes of learning and how progressive learning is achieved. A case study of a few Finnish companies is made and a procedural implementation model is applied. Findings – The findings suggest that the learning process is characterized by measurement, detection and correction of errors, and cost reduction. In six sigma implementation, learning is a single-loop type of learning. It is an incremental change process which reminds a technical variant of the learning organization. Continuous improvement occurs through procedural practices (the DMAIC-cycle) which...
Words: 5954 - Pages: 24
...Master Thesis Software Engineering Thesis no: MSE-2008-21 November 2008 Applying Six Sigma in Software Companies for Process Improvement Adnan Rafiq Khan Long Zhang School of Engineering Blekinge Institute of Technology Box 520 SE – 372 25 Ronneby Sweden This thesis is submitted to the School of Engineering at Blekinge Institute of Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Software Engineering. The thesis is equivalent to 2*20 weeks of full time studies. Contact Information: Author(s): Adnan Rafiq Khan Address: Folkparksvagen 1905, 37240 Ronneby, Sweden. E-mail: adnanrafiqkhan@gmail.com Long Zhang Address: Villa Flora 951, 37236 Ronneby, Sweden. E-mail: zhl10154@gmail.com University advisor(s): Conny Johansson (Head of Department, Department of Systems and Software Engineering) School of Engineering Blekinge Institute of Technology Box 520 SE – 372 25 Ronneby Sweden Internet Phone Fax : www.bth.se/tek : +46 457 38 50 00 : + 46 457 271 25 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First of all we thank our supervisor, Conny Johansson, for continuously providing the support, encouragement and motivation during the thesis. His advices, suggestions and feedbacks were really helpful and made this effort an enjoyable one. We are thankful to our faculty reviewer Dr. Robert Feldt. His feedbacks and comments were very useful to design this thesis. We would like to thanks Mr. Kai Xiao, a student at BTH, for introducing...
Words: 32055 - Pages: 129
...for lower costs, higher-quality products and services, shorter lead times, and higher returns on investment in infrastructure and resources. To address issues of competitiveness and to uncover hidden value, our clients find that Lean Six Sigma technique is one of the most powerful platforms available. This research addresses the application of Lean and Six Sigma tools to increase the productivity and improve the quality in the steel industry. It illustrates the procedures of implementing lean tools in a process industry with emphasis on Value stream mapping, 5 s and six sigma tools. Study on Integrated applications of lean & six sigma tools in a continuous process industry are limited. The thesis hypothesizes that there are lot of opportunities for improvement in the process industries like steel if lean and six sigma tools are integrated and utilized. It systematically demonstrates how lean manufacturing tools when used appropriately can help the steel industry to eliminate waste, have better inventory control and how to implement six sigma tools to achieve better quality, reduce variation to get better overall financial profits and better operational procedure. This research studies in the areas of (a) Discuss the basic concepts of Six Sigma and lean production, (b) Identify the basic model...
Words: 2372 - Pages: 10
...organizations face a constant need for improvement. The manufacturing paradigm has shifted from craft manufacturing to mass production and more recently to a newer approach – the lean manufacturing. In mass production, large quantities of the product were produced and the focus was more on quantity than quality. But with the increase in competition and the gradual saturation of the market the need to develop a new paradigm that focuses more on the process i.e., improved quality, delivery and cost performance has emerged. This has led to the introduction of Lean Manufacturing which focuses on waste elimination and creation of flow within an organization. In the words of Shigeo Shingo “The most dangerous kind of waste is the waste we do not recognize.” Lean and six-sigma are methodologies backed by powerful tools that help in improving quality and productivity thereby improving overall profitability and competitiveness. The lean philosophy was initially pioneered by Toyota manufacturing company and aims at various methods of eliminating waste and improving the process flow. Six Sigma on the other hand, focuses on reducing variation using problem solving and statistical tools. It was first implemented in the Motorola Company as a safety margin for product performance. SIX SIGMA Six Sigma is a continuous improvement strategy that focuses on minimizing defects and variation and aims at achieving 3.4 defects per million in productions, design and process flow. Six Sigma minimizes variation in...
Words: 1466 - Pages: 6
...Pittsburgh Headquarters 105 Bradford Road Suite 400 Wexford, PA 15090 724.934.9000 724.935.6825 Fax info@SRIRegistrar.com www.SRIRegistrar.com Six Sigma, ISO 9001 and Baldrige Many organizations ask “How Do these programs, processes and standards support each other?” These initiatives are not mutually exclusive, in fact, understanding and applying all, some or part can greatly improve your business performance. The following is an overview of how they work together. What is Six Sigma? Six Sigma is a statistically-based process that strengthens organizational capacity for ongoing process improvement. “Six Sigma” or “six standards of deviation” aims to reduce defects to a rate of 3.4 defects per million defect opportunities by identifying and eliminating causes of variation in business processes. In defining defects or errors, Six Sigma focuses on developing a clear understanding of customer requirements and is therefore very customer focused. The DMAIC Methodology. The Six Sigma process is based on a concept called DMAIC: • Define – clearly identify the problem, the requirements of the project and objectives of the project • Measure – to fully understand the current performance • Analyze – the measurements collected to determine and validate the root cause(s) • Improve – developing ideas to remove the root causes of variation and implement the solutions • Control – to establish standard measures to maintain performance and to correct problems as needed Motorola invented this...
Words: 1535 - Pages: 7
...that there are additional value-added services that they would appreciate which would make them more likely to remain loyal to us. Likewise, if we identify all of the steps in the value stream for our services and products, I am sure that we would find areas that do not create value for our clients or our organization. These areas can be streamlined or eliminated in order to give our clients the most pleasant experience from the moment they book their appointments until they leave the salon with their hair looking beautiful and their purchase of professional retail product in hand. Compare and contrast Six Sigma and TQM to Lean Enterprise I chose to compare and contrast Lean Enterprise with Six Sigma and TQM because although the two share similarities, they also have vast differences from each other and from Lean Enterprise. It is often stated that Lean Enterprise and Six Sigma go hand-in-hand and should be used together, which is how Lean Sigma came to fruition. Although there is some overlap, there are also several differences that should be noted. The website iSixSigma (2016) explains that the primary goal of...
Words: 1188 - Pages: 5
...quality assurance and data collection on Medicare, HMO, and Managed Medicaid products, c) accreditation organization’s requirements for quality indicators and processes, d) standardized performance indicators such as those included in the Health Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS), and e) employer and business mandates requiring quality information (Carefoote, 1998). The most influential drivers today toward quality management derive from a) the Institute of Medicine’s 1999 publication To Err is Human: Building a Safer Healthcare System, b) the Committee on Quality of Healthcare in America’s 2003 six aims for improvement in the healthcare system: safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable healthcare, and c) Donald Berwick former director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid and president of the Institute of Healthcare Improvement’s “triple aim”: improve patient experience of care, improving the health of populations, and reducing the per capita cost of healthcare (Kongstvedt, 2013). This paper will discuss the characteristics that distinguish a quality management program from traditional quality assurance and the key components of a quality management program. Quality Assurance versus Quality Management Quality assurance has a narrower focus than quality management. Quality assurance is an approach to assuring that a system or department is meeting a specific, defined standard (Carefoote, 1998). Quality assurance has typically been the domain...
Words: 1390 - Pages: 6
...Assess whether a business meets its aims and objectives D1 In this assessment I will look at Tesco and how its aims and objectives are being met or not for 2012, the following assessment has taken information from Tescos own website on its financial and annual review report. 2012 has been a challenging year for the leading supermarkets due to high fuel costs, high taxes, real incomes not growing so people are adjusting their shopping habits. The UK's biggest supermarket chain, Tesco, has reported its first fall in profits since 1994. Pre-tax profit for the six months to 25 August came in at £1.7bn, down 11.6% from the same period last year. The fall in profits was largely due to spending on the retailer's £1bn investment programme to improve its UK stores, which was announced by chief executive Philip Clarke in April. Mr Clarke put that down to the investment programme, which has already put 8,000 additional staff in existing stores at a cost of £200m a year. He also said that the Everyday Value range was growing fast due to the pressure being felt by customers. "They tell us they're resigned that this is the new norm. They don't have great expectations that things are going to improve in the short term," Tesco is investing £1bn in its UK stores and the money is beginning to show, although little of it is revolutionary. Modest profit growth is observed through 2011/2012 due to challenging economic conditions, strong international growth at the offset of reduction...
Words: 1614 - Pages: 7
...Within this essay I am going to critically analyse Six Sigma concepts in relation to contemporary software development projects. To do this I am going to research different topics of the Six Sigma focused on software development project. To begin with I am going to give an overview of the history of Six Sigma focusing on explaining aspects of its methodological development and give a detailed description of contemporary Six Sigma methodology. Finally I am going to analyse the central concepts of contemporary Six Sigma methodology and then conclude all of my work together and discuss the principal arguments. Six sigma is a methodology used to focus an organization on reducing variations and errors in processes and driving quality improvement. Developed by Motorola Inc in the USA in 1986, it became well known in the 90’s, when GE CEO Jack Welch evangelized it. Six sigma is now according to many business development and quality improvement experts, the most popular management methodology in history. Six sigma aims to maximise customer satisfaction and minimise defects. In statistical terms, the purpose of six sigma is to reduce the process variation so that virtually all the products or services provided meet exceeded customer expectations. The standard metric for Six Sigma is 3.4 defects per million opportunities. For example for every 1 million transactions that go through a system, there will be 3.4 errors and still achieve six sigmas. Therefore this process has so few defects...
Words: 3886 - Pages: 16
...types that the bank offers, nontraditional banking products that the bank offers, and its loan policies. Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you: 1. Provide an overview of the principal types of deposits offered by this bank, indicating the competitiveness of these offerings. 2. Analyze how the bank manages its non-deposit liabilities. Focus on the options that are open for investors and what the bank does with its customers’ funds. 3. Recommend improvements needed for more effective management. Provide support for your recommendations. 4. Analyze the principal types of investment banking, insurance, and other nontraditional banking products offered by this bank, indicating the competitiveness of these offerings. More Details hidden... Activity mode aims to provide quality study notes and tutorials to the students of FIN 410 WK 10 Assignment 4 in order to ace their studies. FIN 410 WK 10 ASSIGNMENT 4 To purchase this visit here: http://www.activitymode.com/product/fin-410-wk-10-assignment-4/ Contact us at: SUPPORT@ACTIVITYMODE.COM FIN 410 WK 10 ASSIGNMENT 4 FIN 410 WK 10 Assignment 4 - Managing a Bank’s Sources and Uses of Funds Use the same large bank you selected in Assignment 3. Use the Internet to research loan types that the bank offers, nontraditional banking products that the bank offers, and its loan policies. Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you: 1. Provide an overview of the principal types of deposits offered by...
Words: 619 - Pages: 3
...patient care. At times these initiatives have seen success and failures, but with the recent push for our “big aim” quality is the major focus. The physicians, nurses, other clinicians and administrative leaders overwhelmingly agreed that Via Christi should adopt the goal of reducing serious safety events by 80 percent over the next three years. Performance Measurement and Quality Improvement Performance measurement is known as the collecting and analysis of data to determine how an organization will reach its potential (The Joint Commission, 2013). Often this type of analysis is seen in engineering, with the recent push in Via Christi, Lean design and Six Sigma black belts have joined the team in quality. A good example of performance measurement is through The Joint Commission. They have outlined a set of performance development methodology that is considered the "gold standard" in health care today. By meeting these measure hospitals can function at an optimal level regarding quality care. “Quality improvement consists of systematic and continuous actions that lead to measurable improvement in health care services and the health status of targeted patient groups” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013). It would be hard to not have quality improvement and not have some type of performance measurement to guide the work. Therefore, you need quality improvement to have some type of quality measurement. Via Christi's Mission, Services, Goals Via Christi provides...
Words: 887 - Pages: 4
...processes. Traditionally companies accepted three or four sigma performance levels as the norm, despite the fact that these processes created between 6,200 and 67,000 defects per million opportunities The Six Sigma standard of 3.4 defects per million opportunities is a response to the increasing expectations of customers and the increased complexity of modern products and processes (Thomas Pyzdek) Six sigma is reportedly easier to apply than many other quality management programs because it provides information about the change needed and the programs to execute the change. The strategy it uses is a five-step improvement process: define, measure, analyse, improve and control (DMAIC). This process is deeply integrated with the overall goals of the organization and, as such, requires top down implementation. Six sigma is more intense, focused and detailed than any other quality improvement techniques (Sawant and Patasker 2014). DMAIC framework is a Integration of several techniques such as CTQ (Critical to quality), Process Mapping (SIPOC), DPMO (defects per million), and FMEA (failure mode and effects analysis) in a logical direction. Construction industry has essential role in many other industries and is the infrastructure of the numerous organizations, therefore any improvement and development in construction industry results in progress of the associated business and industry. Despite the importance of high quality level in construction industry regarding to its close interaction...
Words: 610 - Pages: 3
...Question 1: Starwood introduced a team of Six Sigma experts, also known as black belts, to make the processes in the hotel more efficient and even more satisfying for the customers. The Six Sigma team used the DMAIC process, which consists of defining, measuring, analyzing, improving, and controlling. First the DMAIC process will be explained. After this the top down commitment, measurement systems, goal setting, education, communication and customer priorities will be described. * Define – in order to fulfill the customers satisfaction (or the Sheraton Service Promise), three key features were identified i.e. speed, empathy, and efficiency. * Measure - call logs were established to track speed, empathy of associate handling the call, and efficiency of the staff charged with fixing the problem. * Analyze - Pareto charts and other techniques were used for the analysis. * Improve – since there is always space for improvement, the committee is looking for ways how to make the parts of the process (such as: telephone operators’ handling of requests, procedures for determining who to call, engineering workloads) faster, more emphatic and more efficient in order to increase customers’ satisfaction. * Control and monitoring – there will be 12 to 18 months tracking, with monthly feedback to the manager or department head responsible for the improvement of the Sheraton Service Promise program. Top-Down Commitment: Top-level management commitment is crucial...
Words: 884 - Pages: 4
... Lean Six Sigma Experience in Companies Narek Danoyan Contents 1.1 Lean Six Sigma in Xerox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.2 Lean Six Sigma in Caterpillar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3 Lean Six Sigma in General Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.4 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.5 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 5 6 7 1 2 CHAPTER 1. LEAN SIX SIGMA EXPERIENCE IN COMPANIES Abstract: During the recent years the Lean Six Sigma improvement methodology has found its wide usage in different high-profit companies. Among such companies are General Electric, Raytheon, Caterpillar, ITT, Solectron, etc. The following article provides information on the Lean Six Sigma implemtations in three such companies, namely Xerox, Caterpillar and General Electric. 1.1 Lean Six Sigma in Xerox Xerox company profile Industry: document services, digital imaging, computer peripherals Number of employees: 133,200(2010) Total assets: US$ 24 billion Prior improvement methodologies used in Xerox and reasons for switching to LSS. Though the earlier approaches assisted Xerox in improving business processes, Xerox had some deficiencies and the results were limited in scope. In 2002 company decided to adopt the integration of Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing, which in a short time helped to achieve significant improvements[2]. Figure 1.1: Xerox LSS Framework[2] 1.1. LEAN SIX SIGMA...
Words: 1380 - Pages: 6
...qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxciopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfg...
Words: 778 - Pages: 4
