The Evolution of Six Sigma - Research Paper Example

However, it means a quality measure that attempts for perfection by eliminating defects in any process (Terry, 2010). As different organizations interpret Six Sigma differently, its definition varies from organization to organization. These variations do not harm the main crux of the approach. At Motorola, Six Sigma is a “Metric, Methodology and a Management System while according to Six Sigma, it can be defined as three levels of “Metric, Methodology and Philosophy” (Terry, 2010). The main objective of this approach is “variation reduction and process improvement through the implementation of measurement-based strategy| (Montgomery & Woodall, 2008) by using Six Sigma improvement projects.

Six Sigma’s statistical representation describes the performance of a process quantitatively. For a process to achieve Six Sigma, it should not have more than “3.4 defects per million opportunities; it has two sub methodologies namely DMAIC and DMADV that helps in achieving its objective” (Montgomery & Woodall, 2008). Six Sigma is an old concept that occupies an essential part in the history of management. The concept since its introduction has developed and improved over the years. This methodology’s evolution is an integral part of what it is today.

Its evolution consists of different stages based on the phases of time and developments made in it. To understand the complete evolution process of Six Sigma, it is important to understand each stage. The different stages of evolution are: In the early 1970s, numerous US companies faced extensive loss of business and markets. These losses resulted in motivation for the use of statistical methods to improve quality and business procedure in general. The adoption and use of statistical methods helped US industries to regain their competitiveness in regards of quality.

This all resulted in the emergence of numerous management systems