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While many companies have implemented Six Sigma and claim that they have achieved remarkable benefits from their investment, not all Six Sigma implementations yield the positive results promoted by its advocates. Human resource management (HRM) is recognized as a critical factor that influences the adoption of Six Sigma in organizations. Using data collected from 95 manufacturing plants that practice Six Sigma, this study investigates the role of three quality-oriented HRM practices-employee involvement, employee training, and employee performance and recognition-in Six Sigma implementation. Results of this study indicate that the three HRM practices significantly affect the use of Six Sigma methodology. In addition, it is found that Six Sigma role structure (that is, the human infrastructure for Six Sigma using the Six Sigma Green and Black Belt system) integrates with the traditional quality-oriented HRM practices in supporting the use of Six Sigma methodology.
Key words: human resource management, management, Six Sigma
INTRODUCTION
Many large companies, including General Electric, Honeywell, Raytheon, Sony, Caterpillar, and Johnson Controls, have implemented Six Sigma and report remarkable improvements in market share, customer satisfaction, reliability, and performance of products and services with impressive financial savings (Foster 2007; Harry and Schroeder 2000; Pande, Neuman, and Cavanagh 2000; Snee and Hoerl 2003). Not all organizations, however, have implemented this methodology successfully (Gijo and Rao 2005). Some of the organizations that have successfully implemented Six Sigma report that the best way to manage the change is through increased and sustained communication, motivation, and training (Antony and Banuelas 2002), which are the issues related to human resource management (HRM). The importance of HRM to Six Sigma implementation has been recognized in the literature (for example, Breyfogle, Cupello, and Meadows 2001; Lee and Choi 2006; Motwani, Kumar, and Antony 2004), but little research has been done to empirically examine the relationship between HRM and Six Sigma implementation.
This study seeks to investigate the role of HRM practices in Six Sigma implementation. Prior research has identified three HRM practices employee involvement, employee training, and employee performance and recognition - that are important in shaping a quality culture and in influencing employees' attitudes toward quality (for example, Bayo-Moriones and de Cerio, 2001; Bou and Beltrán 2005; Howard and Foster 1999; Langbert 2000). Using empirical data collected from 95...