Title: Journey of Indian automobile components sector: from Quality Management System certification to innovation via Six Sigma

Authors: G.V. Prabhushankar, S.R. Devadasan, P.R. Shalij

Addresses: Department of Production Engineering, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore 641004, Tamil Nadu, India. ' Department of Production Engineering, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore 641004, Tamil Nadu, India. ' Department of Production Engineering, Government Engineering College, Thrissur 680009, Kerala, India

Abstract: Developing countries such as India, Mexico and Brazil are turning out be hub for global automobile manufacturing companies. Hence, researchers are required to examine the developments that occur in these countries. The research reported in this article, has brought out certain findings from Indian automobile components manufacturing scenario. During this research, the practitioners of automobile components manufacturing companies located in Bangalore city of India were interviewed. The aim was to assess the trend in implementing Quality Management System (QMS) standards, Six Sigma programme and innovation practice in Indian automobile components manufacturing sector. The overall assessment was that the conglomeration of these three strategies to bring out synergy out of them is missing. This prompts the need for exclusive model of QMS which would link the standards, innovation practices and Six Sigma for enabling the automobile manufacturing sector of not only India, but also of other developing countries to achieve world class competitiveness.

Keywords: automobile industry; automotive components; developing countries; India; innovation; six sigma; QMS; quality management systems; components manufacturing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJICBM.2009.022343

International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management, 2009 Vol.2 No.2, pp.185 - 210

Published online: 01 Jan 2009 *

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