Successful and Effective Six Sigma Implementation in the Manufacturing Industry

Abstract

Organizational performance in the manufacturing industry is directly influenced by quality; and through an examination of literature, critical success factors that lead to the implementation of six-sigma in the manufacturing industry are identified for organizations of different sizes: SMEs, large enterprises and general/ unspecified organizations (not identified as either SMEs or Large in literature). The general success factors across organizations (unspecified) were found to include Employee Education/Training, Top Management Commitment, Project Selection, Employee Involvement/Communication, and Project Management/Leadership. For the large enterprises, the following factors were identified: Project Selection, Alignment with Customer Requirements, Employee Education/Training, Senior Management Commitment, Use of Quality Tools, and Visible Cost Saving. This work provides a platform to gain a deeper understanding of the requirements necessary to ensure the successful implementation of six-sigma in organizations, and where best to direct resources.