Six sigma, absorptive capacity and organisational learning orientation

Abstract

The importance of the Six Sigma methodology in industry is growing constantly. However, there are few empirical studies that analyze the advantages of this methodology and its positive effects on organizational performance. The purpose of this paper is to extend understanding of the success of Six Sigma quality management initiatives by investigating the effects of Six Sigma teamwork and process management on absorptive capacity. It also seeks to understand the relation between absorptive capacity and organizational learning as two sources of sustainable competitive advantage. The information used comes from a larger study, the data for which were collected from a random sample of 237 European firms. Of these 237 organizations, 58 are Six Sigma organizations. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. The main findings show that Six Sigma teamwork and process management positively affect the development of absorptive capacity. A positive and significant relationship is also observed between absorptive capacity and organizational learning orientation. The findings of this study justify Six Sigma implementation in firms. This study provides us with an in-depth understanding of some structural elements that characterize the Six Sigma methodology, enabling us to provide an explanation for its success.

The knowledge transfer process in Six Sigma subsidiary firms

“…Despite the positive relationship often found in research (e.g., Braunscheidel et al, 2011;Choi et al, 2012;Shafer and Moeller, 2012;Swink and Jacobs, 2012), a significant controversy about the real benefits Current research efforts are thus devoted to analyzing the relationship between Six Sigma and knowledge management. Results show positive relationships between Six Sigma and variables such as organizational learning (e.g., Choo et al, 2007;Llorens and Molina, 2006;Malik and Blumenfeld, 2012;Wiklund and Wiklund, 2002), knowledge creation (e.g., Anand et al, 2010;Choo et al, 2007), absorptive capacity (e.g., Gutierrez Bustinza and Barrales- Molina, 2012;McAdam and Hazlett, 2010), and shared vision (Gutierrez, Llorens-Montes and Bustinza, 2009;Malik and Blumenfeld, 2012). The variable knowledge transfer has received no attention in the Six Sigma literature but is a promising focus for research due to the important benefits associated with this process.…”

Programa Seis Sigma Auto-organizado: modelo da situação atual e necessidades de mudanças

“…The first variation is composed of Champions, Master Black Belts (MBB), Black Belts (BB) and Green Belts (GB) (Hahn, 2005;Buch & Tolentino, 2006;Gutiérrez et al, 2012). The second one has the following formation: Champions, Black Belts (BB) and Green Belts (GB) (Schroeder et al, 2008;Calia et al, 2009;Laux et al, 2014), with the difference regarding the non-use of MBB.…”

“…Among the various types of collaborative networks, self-organizing networks stand out for their no centralized management, the intense participation of those involved, their ability to keep their development without significant external interference and the ability to promote the learning of all those involved in the network through the systematization and availability of the knowledge generated (Kash & Rycoft, 2000;Rycroft & Kash, 2004;Dutta et al, 2005;Wagner & Leydesdorff, 2005;Schuh et al, 2008). Gutiérrez et al (2012) claim that the Six Sigma program of an organization can be considered as a learning network, providing an organizational structure composed of a network of professionals who work together oriented towards projects. However, the analysis of the Six Sigma program as a network should not limit itself to the learning, thus covering the other benefits provided by the formation of a collaborative network, in particular a self-organizing network.…”

Learning Orientation, Market Orientation and Organizational Performance: The Mediating Effect of Absorptive Capacity

“…He found that absorptive capacity mediated the relationship between strategic orientation and organisational performance. Gutié rrez et al, (2010) studied the relation between absorptive capacity and organizational learning in a -total quality management (TQM) context. They ISSN 2162-4860 2017 found that a positive and significant relationship exists between absorptive capacity and organizational learning orientation.…”