Six sigma: status and trends

Abstract

Six Sigma originated from Motorola as a simple statistical technique to reduce defects in manufacturing in the 1980s with an objective to improve quality by improving manufacturing processes. Today, Six Sigma is an important corporate strategy used by many companies to improve their business processes, create a competitive advantage, and to increase market share and profitability. A recent study conducted by DynCorp, USA, has revealed that the effectiveness of Six Sigma as a tool for process improvement is the highest compared to other process improvement tools such as total quality management (TQM) and ISO 9000. The main objective of this chapter is to provide an overview of Six Sigma and discuss emerging trends in Six Sigma such as Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) and Lean Six Sigma (LSS).