Six Sigma

Professor Campbell

Management 4050

11/07/2013

Article Analysis

The article “Where process-improvement projects go wrong,” by Satya S. Chakravorty was a well written piece explaining how and why companies fail while implementing Six Sigma and other lean manufacturing plans. She explains that most programs implemented show fantastic early progress producing the results wanted, but how after several months the programs begin to fail. She brings up several key points to take away that can improve results from the mistake made from the Aerospace Company.

She explains how six sigma works by using a spring as a metaphor. She explains how when the company begins their version of six sigma with and expert guiding them along.. They stretch out, it pushes the limits to accommodate the increased work load. Everyone when out of their way for the initial push, doing everything they were taught, gathering information to increase productivity, etc., for a goal they created such as less mistakes while preparing items for shipping. Since the CEOs were monitoring everything very closely, managers had to reinforce that Six Sigma was number one. When the teams were making the transition, production began to slip until they become used to the new way. Since they get use to the new way everything gets better and once it hits a certain mark, its declared a success and then they move on to the next goal.

However, after a while the spring becomes permanently deformed and eternally stretched out. Once that happens, the team members are strained and start having trouble keeping up with their goals and gains from before. Since the Six Sigma expert left them and they started focusing on the wrong project improvement plans and only paid attention to ones that would improve their department only. People started to go back to their previous ways and the bad habits started to come out. And team members started to hide the fact that they were doing worse off by distracting them with what...