Title: Implementing Six Sigma methodology in a developing country

Authors: Ali Zulqarnain; Syed Amir Iqbal; Rameez Khalid

Addresses: Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan ' Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan ' Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan

Abstract: Six Sigma is one of the major developments of the later decades of the 20th century. This is a management philosophy as compared to what it is sometimes wrongly perceived as just a statistical or quantitative methodology. In Pakistan, this philosophy is making its own place at its own pace. Though very few have implemented define, measure, analyse, improve and control (DMAIC) approach, however numerous organisations have a desire to implement it. A prominent automotive company has taken an initiative to implement Six Sigma as a pilot project that is to improve the production line of crank cases. Result of this effort came with the reduction of defects from approximately 16% to 11%, which produced substantial savings for the company. This Six Sigma project brought new realisations for the company and built strong impressions of what is it like to implement Six Sigma in a developing country.

Keywords: six sigma implementation; define measure analyse improve control; DMAIC; automotive manufacturing; automobile industry; Pakistan; crank cases; design of experiments; DOE; developing countries; motorbikes; motorcycles; defect reduction.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPMB.2013.058158

International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking, 2013 Vol.3 No.3, pp.314 - 333

Published online: 12 Jul 2014 *

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