| It is not easy to implant the concept of Six Sigma into | | | | the backdrop of huge number of personnel working |
| the culture of a company. This is because Six Sigma | | | | for it. It could be different in an ISO 9000 environment |
| hardly bears any comparison with other quality | | | | as the onus of implementation is relegated to the |
| management tools, barring a few similarities with | | | | quality assurance department. Satisfied customers, a |
| Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award. But unlike | | | | more realistic workload for employees, an improved |
| the Baldridge Award, Six Sigma gets to the core of | | | | work culture and finally a rising bottom line and |
| the business sphere with proven tools. But what really | | | | profitability for the owners, are all contributors to the |
| stands out as the major difference between Six | | | | success of Six Sigma. |
| Sigma and all other quality management tools is the | | | | Linking Six Sigma to Financial Gains |
| whole army of highly trained employees coming from | | | | Next, Six Sigma does not just focus on manufacturing |
| various professional and organizational backgrounds, | | | | or production-related activities alone, but the entire |
| not just from the quality assurance specialization. This | | | | gamut of doing business. Cross-functional |
| is why they are called internal change agents. | | | | implementation coupled with recognizing opportunities |
| It is irrelevant to say whether Six Sigma evolved as an | | | | for improvements in all key areas of business can be |
| alternative to other quality tools or management tools. | | | | neglected but at the cost of relegating Six Sigma to |
| However, some similarities can be seen between Six | | | | the status of other traditional quality programs. The |
| Sigma and other similar programs. Certain tools and | | | | finance and planning departments are also included in |
| concepts of continuity in improvement are shared | | | | Six Sigma implementation. |
| across all quality programs. But it is the set of | | | | The powerful tools available with Six Sigma help to |
| differences that make the Six Sigma environment a | | | | improve functioning of key departments. For example, |
| unique one. | | | | marketing and sales can collect customer input. |
| Six Sigma Environment | | | | Feedback in the form of customer satisfaction levels |
| At the core, the concepts of Six Sigma gels | | | | can help the finance department adjust the accounting |
| completely with the fundamentals of doing business. | | | | method to focus on predominantly costs and benefits. |
| This is underlined in the basic emphasis that is given to | | | | Human Resource can concentrate on rewards and |
| total customer satisfaction, taking profitability to | | | | recognition based on universal criteria, tracking |
| different sphere through maximization techniques. To | | | | employee satisfaction etc. |
| quote an expert, "Six Sigma speaks the language of | | | | Business becomes "as usual" with Six Sigma once the |
| business". | | | | project selection does not remain the sole jurisdiction |
| The success of Six Sigma depends a lot on the | | | | of the quality team. When individual department heads |
| environment in which it is being implemented. The | | | | begin to own responsibilities for business goals, the |
| conduciveness of the environment for Six Sigma | | | | environment can be said to have arrived where it was |
| implementation is brought about when the vision of | | | | expected. It is "business as usual" from here onwards |
| upper management is shared by everyone in an | | | | within the Six Sigma environment. |
| organization. This becomes clearer when seen against | | | | |