Title: Six Sigma and its link to TQM, BPR, lean and the learning organisation

Authors: Itziar Ricondo, Elisabeth Viles

Addresses: TECNUN Engineering School, University of Navarra, Paseo de Lardizabal, 13 20018 San Sebastian, Spain. ' TECNUN Engineering School, University of Navarra, Paseo de Lardizabal, 13 20018 San Sebastian, Spain

Abstract: Some organisations adopt improvement programmes as a panacea for all business problems, not taking into account that some initiatives fit better under certain conditions. This article compares Six Sigma, TQM, Reengineering, Lean and the Learning Organisation business programmes, attending to their origins, principles, methodologies and tools and techniques. Finally, a framework is proposed to locate the different strategies depending on their problem-solving capabilities, and comments made where there are synergies among strategies.

Keywords: Six Sigma; business strategy; critical success factors; tools; techniques; business process reengineering; total quality management; learning organisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSCA.2005.008095

International Journal of Six Sigma and Competitive Advantage, 2005 Vol.1 No.3, pp.323 - 354

Published online: 16 Nov 2005 *

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