The Working Six Sigma Strategy
Six Sigma is a management strategy for businesses developed within the United States. It came into existence in the year 1986 after the realization of a lot of defects in the production industry. Executives at the Motorola Company developed the Six Sigma strategy and it has proven to be extremely effective in minimizing defects in goods and services produced in various industries.
The Six Sigma methodology makes use of high quality management methods. Its theory is based in statistical management methods and this has contributed to its effectiveness. This strategy requires 99.9 percent of the products manufactured in industries to be defect free, or in other words, less than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. Although it sounds extremely difficult to accomplish, this process sets up a step by step methodology, or roadmap, to follow in discovering defects that might be apparent in business processes, and how to go about fixing them one by one.
The origination of this methodology is actually well known. Great thinkers combined their minds in order to come up with a certain policy that will have control over the production industry. The aim of the methodology was actually to perfect and fully improve the production process in the manufacturing industries. This was to help in the elimination of the defects that come alongside with the production of goods and services. Other fields under the processing industry were still under protection.
For quite a long time, a debate on quality and cost of production has been in progress. Many people have a belief that as the quality of a product or service increases, the cost does too. After the discovery that the two were inversely proportional, this methodology was discovered in order to improve the whole process of production. Not only does the Six Sigma Strategy seek to improve the quality in goods or services, it also seeks to perfect the process so as to eliminate waste and increase profits wherever possible.
There were actually many reasons for the development of this methodology. You should note that production procedures are complex and can result in some defects. For that reason, this methodology was developed purposely to minimize such defects. The primary objective was to inspire high quality output that is free from defects or ‘perfect’. It aimed at identifying and at the same time removing any defect associated with the manufacturing process.
It is true that retailers order goods from manufacturers and they would prefer to get them in good condition. For that matter, only quality products will be preferred by retailers so as to sell to the final consumer. We can therefore say that the development of such methodology has minimized the variations that exist between businesses and the industrial production.
This kind of strategy has also led to effective communication between customers and the shareholders of any business. This is true because the producers now have the confidence in their activities since whatever they are producing is up to the required standards. Retailers also have conviction that whatever they are selling to customers is also perfect. For that matter, any communication barrier between these two parties is totally eliminated. The Six Sigma Process itself is highly customer focused, as well.
The methodology has also enhanced direct interaction between businesses and the production industry. Products that are being designed are of high quality which enables industries to make great sales. Businesses are also able to make high profits through this process. The Six Sigma strategy is actually a vision that many businesses today find success striving for. Defects in production must be minimized in order to achieve the desired high quality customers demand.