Abstract Six Sigma is a management philosophy that is widely accepted among global industries. This study reviews literature on the definitions of Six Sigma and business strategy. Also, the study constructs a preliminarily exploration model of integrating Six Sigma program with business strategy. The exploration model for business excellence includes independent dimensions of business strategy, Six Sigma implementation and the dependent dimension of quality performance. The dimensions of business strategy include the variables for organizational culture, organizational assessment, strategy formulation and improvement methodology. Meanwhile, the dimension of Six Sigma implementation includes steering organization of Six Sigma, skills of quality improvement, integrating orientation of quality improvement and performance bottom-line. The dependent dimension of quality performance is based on employees¡¦ motivation, customer satisfactory, increasing profit and deceasing cost. 1. For an exploration model integrating Six Sigma activities with business strategy, the organizational culture variable is the most important factor. The top management must have commitment towards the Six Sigma activities, involvement in the Six Sigma training and emphasis on customer satisfaction to enhance the integration of Six Sigma with business strategy. 2. The more integrated the dimension of business strategy, and then the variable of steering organization is more confirmed. The variable of skills of quality improvement will produce efficiently, performance bottom-line will be good outcome and integrating orientation of quality improvement is positively. 3. The 8 variables with the model of integrating Six Sigma activities with business strategy are positively related with the index of quality performance. The variable of strategy formulation within the dimension of business strategy and the variable of integrating orientation of quality improvement within the dimension of Six Sigma implementation are most highly related with the index of quality performance. It means that Six Sigma strategy must be confirmed and the business resource must be integrated to reach quality performance. 4. The key factors in the predicted model of quality performance by multiple regression methodology are as follows in sequential order: integrating orientation of quality improvement, performance bottom-line, organizational assessment, improvement methodology, organizational culture, skills of quality improvement, and steering organization. The best predictor is the variable of integrating orientation of quality improvement. It implies that the quality activities must be combined with management by objective, quality skills training must be implemented continuously and quality plans by executed by project for reach best quality performance. This study concludes that the firms do not necessarily have to adopt Six Sigma activity to reach excellent performance. Integrating the management activities of business strategy will help balance the technical elements of Six Sigma implementation for quality performance, and the business strategy dimensions that will make implementing Six Sigma more effective.

Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: Lean construction; strategic management; total quality management. Includes bibliographical references (p.70-71).

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 252-300).

Abstract Research has revealed that many of the historically disadvantaged schools in South Africa experience difficulty in implementing policies aimed at restoring the quality of teaching and learning. The difficulty has been attributed to several factors such as poor conceptualisation and implementation of quality management systems at school level. This article reports on empirical research that investigated the possibility of applying Total Quality Management principles in schools for the purpose of restoring the culture of learning and teaching. Data was collected through qualitative and quantitative methods in selected schools situated in the Tshwane North District. The findings revealed that there is a gap between what is provided in the policy framework on the management of quality teaching and learning. It is recommended that in order to fill the gap, schools need to apply customised principles of Total Quality Management. The primary aim of this research was to develop such an integrated framework that is not only theoretically sound but that has been customised for schools’ contexts and conditions.

Total Quality Management (TQM) has become the focus of all organisations that strive for excellence in service delivery. The healthcare sector is not an exception though it is exclusively different from other organisations because of the nature of service they provide, and the kind of risk involved in service provision. The aim of this study was to assess employees’ perceptions about TQM at Queen Elizabeth II hospital, and their expectations regarding TQM implementation in the new Private Public Partnership (PPP) National Referral hospital. It also sought to measure the gap that exists between employees’ perceptions and expectations. It focused on three fundamental principles of Total Quality (TQ), namely ‘focus on customers and stakeholders’, ‘participation by everyone and teamwork’, as well as ‘process focus and continuous improvement’. This, quantitative research study, utilised a cross-sectional approach. The self-administered questionnaires were employed to obtain data. A stratified sample of 240 employees was drawn from Q.E.II hospital employees, which represented a population size of approximately 685 employees. Out of the sample size of 240, only 157 questionnaires were completed and returned. The respondents comprised of 38.2% males and 61.8% females. The highest percentage of the respondents (53.5%) was in the clinical category; 33.8% in Administration; 8.3% in ‘other’ health professionals such as pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology. The lowest percentages of 3.8% and 0.6% were in Accountancy and Human Resources categories respectively. The findings of this study revealed that employees have relatively low perceptions about TQM at Q.E.II hospital, while their expectations regarding TQM in the new PPP National referral hospital are extremely high. Process focus and continuous improvement attained a larger overall gap between perceptions and expectations. Although an analysis revealed that focus is needed in all areas that constitute total quality, but evidence suggests that process focus and continuous improvement need special attention. Thus, it is recommended that management creates a quality culture through strong leadership, putting the needs of both employees and patients in the fore-front, ensuring that employees understand hospital processes, and mostly, continuously improving the hospital processes. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

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The National Department of Education of the Republic of South Africa introduced integrated quality management system (IQMS) in order to improve quality of reaming and teaching. This research focused on the effects of performance measurement in IQMS on educators' performance, its contribution to developmental purpose and pay progression and its effects on the improvement of education. Stratified random sampling was used to select a sample from educators and school management team (SMT) from Mafikeng Area Project Office, North West Province. Data were collected by means of questionnaire. The study identified that both educators and SMT members were of the opinion that performance measures used in IQMS positively influenced the performance of educators, it is effective for developmental purpose and pay progression and finally it contributed to the improvement of education in schools. / (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2006

Intresset för hälsa har lett till att konsumenter efterfrågar högre kvalité där fokus inte längre enbart är pris. Allt eftersom kvalité hamnar i centrum är det intressant att undersöka hur kvalité skapas. En produkt som tydligt följer denna trend är kaffe. Denna uppsats ämnar undersöka hur svenska kafferosterier skapar kvalité på kaffe genom en studie av sex rosterier av varierande storlek i Sverige. Studien följer en kvalitativ struktur som utformats efter en av de dominerande teorierna inom kvalitetsforskning, Total Quality Management, där analysmodellen primärt baserats på The Juran Trilogy. Resultatet visar att råkaffe är den viktigaste faktorn för skapandet av kvalité vid samtliga rosterier, däremot råder skilda meningar kring förhållandet till certifieringar. Författarna fann även att råkaffe inte är den enda faktorn som skapar kvalité, utan att mycket av kvalitetsskapandet ligger i relationen mellan rostare och odlare, samt den kunskap människor i produktionen besitter.

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