Management Comparison a Comparison of Six Sigma
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.
Managing Quality With Six Sigma
Of the many Total Quality Management (TQM) frameworks in use for streamlining production, improving quality and creating more effective production and service delivery strategies, Six Sigma has proven to be one of the most effective. The intent of this analysis is to evaluate how Six Sigma continues to be one of the most effective quality management techniques for simplifying, streamlining and accelerating customer-centered change into enterprises (Mast, 2007). Six Sigma is often used in conjunction with agile development and production techniques, TQM frameworks including Business Process Management (BPM) and Business Process Re-engineering (BPR). When Six Sigma is used as part of these broader frameworks it is typically relied on to drive greater cost and time savings out of processes that have grown archaic and out of step with customers (Cocolicchio, 2007). The best practices of Six Sigma project management and execution center on aligning company processes, programs and strategies so that they make a significant and profitable contributions to customer satisfaction and loyalty (Fundin, Cronemyr, 2003).
One of the most significant contributions of Six Sigma from a sales and marketing standpoint is to ensure the new product development and introduction (NPDI) process is effective and targeted to the most important customer needs (Pestorius, 2007). Six Sigma used from this standpoint has proven to be very effective in removing any variation in new product definition, from specification through functional prototype and finally delivered product (Cocolicchio, 2007). Increasingly Six Sigma is being used for also streamlining services-based business models with the primary objective of these projects integrating the many departments and functional areas of a business critical for fulfilling customer expectations (Mast, 2007). Best practices in using Six Sigma from a services standpoint also centers on making entirely new platforms and programs for delivering unique customer experiences as well (Pestorius, 2007). Companies committed to delivering exceptional customer experiences are quick to use Six Sigma to measure the overall value of their design, development and product prototype efforts and the corresponding effects on their company's profitability and performance (Hasan, Kerr, 2003).
Applying DMAIC Six Sigma to Biotech Drug Approval
¶ … DMAIC method from Six Sigma is a five-phase improvement cycle. The phases of the DMAIC process are to define, measure, analyze, improve and control (Chieh, 2009). The problem-solving method can be used to improve…