Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

Zugl.: Berlin, Techn. Universiẗat, Diplomarbeit.

No description available.

As the rise of globalisation continues to pressurise companies to improve performance, there is a lot of hype surrounding Six Sigma’s abilities to do so. After all, for managerial techniques to be credible, they need to improve profit. It is therefore concerning that to date only one empirical study examines the role of Six Sigma on performance and it finds mixed empirical results. This study aims to replicate the preceding study over a more recent time period and include the impact of sector on performance. This study examined 43 Six Sigma firms listed in the United States and their financial results for a four year period from 2004 to 2007, compared to 43 homogenous firms that formed a control group. The results for five operational and five financial measures were tested using analysis of covariance to see whether, given equal initial levels of the measure, the Six Sigma firm would outperform the control firm after four years. The main contribution of this study is to show how little Six Sigma contributes to financial and operational performance overall. Companies looking to implement a Six Sigma initiative should be cognisant of this before investing in high initial investment costs. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

The focal point of this master thesis is Lean Six Sigma methodology and its application on project from practice. Company Doosan Bobcat that has its principles implemented provides this real background. Bobcat still improve and educate itself in this area. Company offered a project from its logistics department that should optimize parts preparation for their transport from one warehouse to another, for this thesis. The project is solved within DMAIC cycle that is firstly described theoretically and then applied on. Then, the tools that are used in individual cycle phases are described as well. The results of the thesis are improvement suggestions, their implementation plan and control plan.

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / In the Peruvian market there is a great demand for the improvement of the service and quality of the products, that is why many SMEs look for low-cost alternatives that allow them to optimize their activities and thus be able to assure the quality of the service. The problem is that there are many difficulties when implementing tools or techniques due to high costs or lack of knowledge, therefore a productivity model is proposed focused on six sigma and lean manufacturing methodologies in order to adapt the needs of SMEs with 4 phases can analyze, design, implement and monitor requirements in order to reduce mismanagement of service quality, cost savings and decrease product returns.

As empresas estão utilizando diversos processos de melhoria para adequarem seus negócios às necessidades dos clientes, à maior concorrência, a uma necessidade de flexibilização e de redução dos custos de seus processos de manufatura. O seis sigma e a produção enxuta são dois processos utilizados por empresas no Brasile no mundo. Atualmente a integração destes processos é um desafio para essas empresas, que buscam uma maneira mais eficiente de reduzir seus desperdícios e se adaptarem às necessidades de seus mercados consumidores. Surge, assim, o Lean Sigma aplicado nas empresas de diversas formas. O objetivo deste trabalho é estruturar, por meio de dois estudos de caso, como as empresas estão utilizando o seis Sigma e a Produção Enxuta em seus processos de melhoria. Verificou-se que existem diferentes formas de utilizar os processos em paralelo: na primeira empresa o processo iniciou em conjunto e depois foi separado em dois processos paralelos de melhoria. A segunda empresa foi ao contrário, começando de forma paralela, desagregada, e posteriormente se unindo em um único processo de melhoria, denominado Lean Sigma. O trabalho apresenta uma sistematização do processo de melhoria de duas empresas, dividido em Visão Geral e Objetivos, Estrutura Organizacional e Métodos de Melhoria. Foram verificadas as formas gerais de utilização dos processos de melhoria e que uma abordagem integrada, que contemple as peculiaridades de cada processo, se demonstra como uma melhor opção para um processo de melhoria que utiliza a Produção Enxuta e o Seis Sigma paralelamente. A pesquisa traz, também, como resultado, uma proposta de sistematização do Lean Sigma, considerando o conhecimento adquirido nos estudos de caso e na literatura consultada. / Enterprises are using several improvement processes to adequate their business to the clients needs, to the higher competition, to a need of been more flexible and to reduce the costs of their manufacturing costs. The Six Sigma and the Lean Production are two processes using by enterprises in Brazil and the world wide. Nowadays the integration of those two processes is a challenge to enterprises that search a more efficient way to reduce their wastes and get adapted to the needs of their markets. With this objective the Lean Sigma appears, been applied in the enterprises differently. The dissertation objective is to understand, trough two case studies, how enterprises are connecting Six Sigma and Lean Production in their improvement processes. It was verified that are several ways to run the processes in parallel: in the first enterprise, the two processes was integrated and them shared into two process in parallel. The second enterprise showed the opposite approach, beginning disintegrated, in parallel, and them running together in one improvement processes, called Lean Sigma. The dissertation presents the systematization of the improvement processes of these two enterprises, organized as follow: Global vision and Objectives, Organizational Structure and Improvement Method. Was verified the general approach used in the improvement process and that the integrated approach, that consider the peculiarities of each process, showns as a best option to run Lean Production and Six Sigma in parallel. The research presents, as a result too, a systematization proposal for Lean Sigma, considering the case studies and the consulted literature.

<p>Aim: This study investigates the degree of Six Sigma implementation in the aviation industry where it has been successful and is widely spread. Six Sigma is a quality measurement and improvement program and provides businesses with the tools to improve the capability of their business processes. The paper scrutinizes the possible consequences of implementing Six Sigma in a strictly controlled environment and how the defined success factors for implementation could be interpreted in this context. The concept of Six Sigma is examined with the objective to define recommendations for implementation at Saab Avitronics, a company within the aviation industry.</p><p>Method: The theoretical background presents what theories for Six Sigma successful implementation that are present and seeks to give the topic depth and perspective to establish a basis on which the analysis later is built on. Phases for implementation of improvement programs and success factors for Six Sigma are investigated. To establish the environment in which the theory is adapted the empirical part of the study presents a marketing audit and a SWOT analysis of Saab Avitronics. An internal survey is also performed to examine Saab Avitronics’ view on its own knowledge in the area of Six Sigma, improvement methodology, statistics, and the attitudes towards implementing a methodology based on Six Sigma. The analysis is performed by applying the theoretical background in the light of the reality of Saab Avitronics. The possibility of a successful implementation is discussed.</p><p>Result & Conclusions:Continuous improvements are a general prerequisite for survival and success and the study shows that this has also become a requirement imposed on companies within the aviation industry. Although special conditions apply to the aviation industry and Saab Avitronics there is nothing preventing from implementing the improvement concept in general, but special criteria have to be considered when choosing suitable projects. The study concludes with recommendations for Saab Avitronics on five phases for implementation; Plan, Pilot, Implement, Expand and Integrate, and main activities within these phases are defined. Finally the most important success factors for implementation at Saab Avitronics are defined and also how these should be interpreted for continuous improvement and future success.</p><p>Suggestions for future research: The investigation is limited to the aviation industry and to Saab Avitronics. Future research projects could further study the consequences at Saab Avitronics after implementation of Six Sigma, case studies of implementing best practise theories like these recommendations, and studying selection criteria for success factors.</p><p>Contribution of the thesis: The study contributes with recommendations to Saab Avitronics when implementing Six Sigma and also to the know-how and knows-what, to others than Saab Avitronics, when studying the same topic or when planning their own implementation of Six Sigma.</p>

Aim: This study investigates the degree of Six Sigma implementation in the aviation industry where it has been successful and is widely spread. Six Sigma is a quality measurement and improvement program and provides businesses with the tools to improve the capability of their business processes. The paper scrutinizes the possible consequences of implementing Six Sigma in a strictly controlled environment and how the defined success factors for implementation could be interpreted in this context. The concept of Six Sigma is examined with the objective to define recommendations for implementation at Saab Avitronics, a company within the aviation industry. Method: The theoretical background presents what theories for Six Sigma successful implementation that are present and seeks to give the topic depth and perspective to establish a basis on which the analysis later is built on. Phases for implementation of improvement programs and success factors for Six Sigma are investigated. To establish the environment in which the theory is adapted the empirical part of the study presents a marketing audit and a SWOT analysis of Saab Avitronics. An internal survey is also performed to examine Saab Avitronics’ view on its own knowledge in the area of Six Sigma, improvement methodology, statistics, and the attitudes towards implementing a methodology based on Six Sigma. The analysis is performed by applying the theoretical background in the light of the reality of Saab Avitronics. The possibility of a successful implementation is discussed. Result &amp; Conclusions:Continuous improvements are a general prerequisite for survival and success and the study shows that this has also become a requirement imposed on companies within the aviation industry. Although special conditions apply to the aviation industry and Saab Avitronics there is nothing preventing from implementing the improvement concept in general, but special criteria have to be considered when choosing suitable projects. The study concludes with recommendations for Saab Avitronics on five phases for implementation; Plan, Pilot, Implement, Expand and Integrate, and main activities within these phases are defined. Finally the most important success factors for implementation at Saab Avitronics are defined and also how these should be interpreted for continuous improvement and future success. Suggestions for future research: The investigation is limited to the aviation industry and to Saab Avitronics. Future research projects could further study the consequences at Saab Avitronics after implementation of Six Sigma, case studies of implementing best practise theories like these recommendations, and studying selection criteria for success factors. Contribution of the thesis: The study contributes with recommendations to Saab Avitronics when implementing Six Sigma and also to the know-how and knows-what, to others than Saab Avitronics, when studying the same topic or when planning their own implementation of Six Sigma.

As empresas estão utilizando diversos processos de melhoria para adequarem seus negócios às necessidades dos clientes, à maior concorrência, a uma necessidade de flexibilização e de redução dos custos de seus processos de manufatura. O seis sigma e a produção enxuta são dois processos utilizados por empresas no Brasile no mundo. Atualmente a integração destes processos é um desafio para essas empresas, que buscam uma maneira mais eficiente de reduzir seus desperdícios e se adaptarem às necessidades de seus mercados consumidores. Surge, assim, o Lean Sigma aplicado nas empresas de diversas formas. O objetivo deste trabalho é estruturar, por meio de dois estudos de caso, como as empresas estão utilizando o seis Sigma e a Produção Enxuta em seus processos de melhoria. Verificou-se que existem diferentes formas de utilizar os processos em paralelo: na primeira empresa o processo iniciou em conjunto e depois foi separado em dois processos paralelos de melhoria. A segunda empresa foi ao contrário, começando de forma paralela, desagregada, e posteriormente se unindo em um único processo de melhoria, denominado Lean Sigma. O trabalho apresenta uma sistematização do processo de melhoria de duas empresas, dividido em Visão Geral e Objetivos, Estrutura Organizacional e Métodos de Melhoria. Foram verificadas as formas gerais de utilização dos processos de melhoria e que uma abordagem integrada, que contemple as peculiaridades de cada processo, se demonstra como uma melhor opção para um processo de melhoria que utiliza a Produção Enxuta e o Seis Sigma paralelamente. A pesquisa traz, também, como resultado, uma proposta de sistematização do Lean Sigma, considerando o conhecimento adquirido nos estudos de caso e na literatura consultada. / Enterprises are using several improvement processes to adequate their business to the clients needs, to the higher competition, to a need of been more flexible and to reduce the costs of their manufacturing costs. The Six Sigma and the Lean Production are two processes using by enterprises in Brazil and the world wide. Nowadays the integration of those two processes is a challenge to enterprises that search a more efficient way to reduce their wastes and get adapted to the needs of their markets. With this objective the Lean Sigma appears, been applied in the enterprises differently. The dissertation objective is to understand, trough two case studies, how enterprises are connecting Six Sigma and Lean Production in their improvement processes. It was verified that are several ways to run the processes in parallel: in the first enterprise, the two processes was integrated and them shared into two process in parallel. The second enterprise showed the opposite approach, beginning disintegrated, in parallel, and them running together in one improvement processes, called Lean Sigma. The dissertation presents the systematization of the improvement processes of these two enterprises, organized as follow: Global vision and Objectives, Organizational Structure and Improvement Method. Was verified the general approach used in the improvement process and that the integrated approach, that consider the peculiarities of each process, showns as a best option to run Lean Production and Six Sigma in parallel. The research presents, as a result too, a systematization proposal for Lean Sigma, considering the case studies and the consulted literature.