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PurposeThe purpose of this research is to develop a better understanding of the hurdles in implementing Lean Six Sigma (LSS) for operational excellence in digital emerging technology companies.Design/methodology/approachWe have conducted case studies of LSS implementations in six US-based companies in the digital emerging technology industry.FindingsCritical success factors (CSF) for LSS implementations in digital emerging technology companies are: (1) organizational leadership that is engaged to the implementation, (2) LSS methodology that is rebranded to fit existing shared values in the organization, (3) restructuring of the traditional LSS training program to include a more incremental, prioritized, on-the-job training approach and (4) a modified LSS project execution methodology that includes (a) condensing the phases and tools applied in LSS projects and (b) adopting more iterative project management methods compared to the standard phased LSS project approach.Research limitations/implicationsThe qualitative nature of our analysis and the geographic coverage of our sample limit the generalizability of our findings.Practical implicationsImplications comprise the awareness and knowledge of critical success factors and LSS methodology modifications specifically relevant for digital emerging technology companies or companies that share similarities in terms of focus on product development, innovation and growth, such as R&D departments in high-tech manufacturing companies.Originality/valueResearch on industry-specific enablers for successful LSS implementation in the digital emerging technology industry is virtually absent. Our research informs practitioners on how to implement LSS in this and alike industries, and points to aspects of such implementations that are worthy of further attention from the academic community.

Purpose The objective of this research is to provide practitioners with inter-industry applicable rules and guidelines for the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) project definition phase. This research resulted in 13 inter-industry generic project definitions that are divided by four performance dimensions: quality, dependability, speed and cost efficiency. Design/methodology/approach A total of 312 previously executed LSS improvement projects in a broad variety of industries at black belt or master black belt level are analyzed. All these projects have followed the LSS methodology and are characterized by the use of critical to quality (CTQ) measurements and the structured improvement method of define, measure, analyse, improve and control for operations improvement. Findings This research resulted in 13 inter-industry generic project definitions that are divided by four performance dimensions: quality, dependability, speed and cost efficiency. Three factors that have stood out in this research are; the difficulty to capture the performance dimension flexibility in LSS project definitions, the strong focus on internal organizational benefits in defining CTQs for LSS project definitions and the unclear alignment of LSS project definitions to existing strategic objectives of the company. Originality/value This research established useable generic LSS project definitions including generic CTQ’s measures, applicable to multiple industries. These generic LSS project definitions provide useful guidance in the initial LSS project phase, helping to decompose strategic focal points into clear and measurable project objectives.

For guidance in implementing Lean Six Sigma (LSS), both the academic and the practitioners' literature offer deployment models and models for assessing the implementation's maturity. This paper makes a critical appraisal of the quality and usefulness of a sample of 19 such models. The appraisal follows a set of review criteria developed on the basis of theory. The analyzed models appear disconnected from established theory in organizational development, and the given advice lacks in specificity and operationality. The underlying notion of deployment processes seems an exclusively programmatic view, leaving little room for idiosyncrasy and learning elements. The study signals an important need for scientific insight in the process of implementing approaches such as LSS, and for a more effective translation of established theory in organizational development to forms practitioners can use. The paper also bridges the gap between academic literature on organizational development and practices in the field as codified in practical deployment models, and identifies how the former could have more impact on the latter.

Purpose Although scholars have considered the success factors of process improvement (PI) projects, limited research has considered the factors that influence failure. The purpose of this paper is to extend the understanding of PI project failure by systematically reviewing the research on generic project failure, and developing research propositions and future research directions specifically for PI projects. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review protocol resulted in a total of 97 research papers that are reviewed for contributions on project failure. Findings An inductive category formation process resulted in three categories of findings. The first category are the causes for project failure, the second category is about relatedness between failure factors and the third category is on failure mitigation strategies. For each category, propositions for future research on PI projects specifically are developed. Additional future research directions proposed lay in better understanding PI project failure as it unfolds (i.e. process studies vs cross-sectional), understanding PI project failure from a theoretical perspective and better understanding of PI project failure antecedents. Originality/value This paper takes a multi-disciplinary and project type approach, synthesizes the existing knowledge and reflects upon the developments in the field of research. Propositions and a framework for future research on PI project failure are presented.