Management Comparison A Comparison of Six Sigma to Lean Manufacturing, Strategic Quality Management, and Total Quality Management

There are a plethora of management strategies and perspectives that are being employed in operations and supply chain management in the modern business environment. Among the various theories being implemented, Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, Strategic Quality Management, and Total Quality Management are among the most popular. This paper will compare and contrast some of the different points associated with these models to provide an introduction into the different strategies as well as look at some of the research that has been conducted in these areas.

Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, Strategic Quality Management and Total Quality Management Discussion

Six Sigma has gained a significant amount of attention in industry however comparatively little research has been conducted on the conceptual definition and underlying theory associated with this model (Schroeder, Linderman, Liedtke, & Choo, 2008). In fact, in the beginning of Six Sigma's development, many business professional felt that it was just another fad that was that was built upon a model that was basically Total Quality Management (Basu & Wright, 2012). Even hybrid models were developed that mixed Six Sigma with other models such as FIT Sigma which incorporated Lean Manufacturing ideas into it. However, today Six Sigma has stood the proverbial test of time and is a theory that has stood on its own two feet.

The central idea to the Six Sigma model is that statistical modeling of production processes can help reduce defects down to the sixth sigma in a normal...

This is a rather aggressive feat that requires intense dedication from the organization to constantly work to improve quality. Though this is similar to the approach used in Total Quality Management, there are major differences between the two theories. For example, the Six Sigma approach is heavily dependent upon structure and statistical analysis to drive quality improvements while TQM is more focus on teamwork and the underlying philosophy of quality management. Yet the two theories are still similar enough that researchers have been studying the organizational cultures involved with both models to try to tease out the subtleties involved with each.
Figure 1 - Example of Organizational Culture Research Examining TQM/Six Sigma (Zu, Robbins, & Fredendall, 2010)

Lean Manufacturing by contrast to Six Sigma, is more of a philosophy than a structured approach to improving defect rates. Lean Manufacturing replaced the Just-in-Time (JIT) manufacturing fad that focused on decreasing inventories and the risk of obsolescence. In fact, the concepts of JIT and TQM mirror those of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma that some researchers have actually applied the product lifecycle model to the trend in management models. Research has indicated that Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma are repackaged versions of their former models and given that they are ending their lifecycles, it is estimated that new management trends are expected to emerge shortly (Naslund, 2008).

However likely that is to be the case, Lean Manufacturing is an approach that focuses primarily on reducing waste. Anything that does…