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Keywords Reliability management, Corporate strategy
Abstract This paper presents a customer-centric six sigma quality management as an extension of the traditional six sigma way. It views product quality and process reliability as key to achieving six sigma and adopts a holistic view of quality. The aim is to offer practical guidelines to business leaders, practicing mangers and those interested in quality, the new directions in quality management. It views reliability management as an integral part of any six sigma strategy since the focus in reliability management is on process reliability and dependability. Thus, by bringing both product and process quality together, a customer-centric six sigma can be achieved.
Introduction
Quality is a key component in achieving competitive advantage. To many organizations, quality is regarded as conformance to specifications. To others, quality lies in the eyes of the beholders. Germain and Spears (1999) suggest that quality management should be distinguished from quality. The former is input factor while the latter is the result. The effective management of quality is the key to increased quality and enhanced competitive position in the current global environment. While firms such as Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, and Solctro Corp. enjoy their prosperity mainly due to their commitments towards total quality management (TQM), some other firms like GE Capital, GE Fanuc, American Express, IBM, Citibank, and Motorola have been finding their own ways to prosperity through the six sigma way. We define six sigma as follows:
Six sigma quality = meeting the very specific goal provided by the 6(sigma) metric, and
Management = enhancing process capabilities for six sigma quality.
Although there is a growing attention on the traditional six sigma way (Breyfogle, 1999; Schleusener and Berger, 2003; Tennant, 2001, 2002; Treichler et al., 2002), the essential features and critical steps that lead to achieving customer-centered six sigma quality management (CSSQM) have not been fully discussed.
In this paper, four objectives are therefore of particular interest. The first objective is to propose a notion that the domain of the traditional six sigma approach should be expanded and extended to include new essentials that are critical to achieving six sigma. The second objective is to introduce the strategic variables for CSSQM approach. The third objective addresses the flow of activities that are...