With the unprecedented success of six sigma at GE and Motorola, the process has come under closer scrutiny by many companies wishing to duplicate their process organization and their outstanding results. A giant step beyond the ôzero-defectö programs of the past, six sigma wisely looks not only at the number of product defects but also at customer satisfaction, which is, after all, the main driver of a companyÆs success. Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, where six sigma revolutionized the company and its products, stated, "We want to make our quality so special, so valuable to our customers, so important to their success that our products become their only real value choice."' (Pande et al, 2000, p. 12).
In brief, the six sigma approach is a means of ôdelivering top-quality service and products while virtually eliminating all internal inefficiencies.ö (Perez-Wilson). The six sigma quality management program was pioneered by Motorola in the 1980Æs to achieve the ultimate level of qualityùsix sigmas, or standard deviations, resulting in fewer than 3.4 defects per million opportunities (DPMOs). This translates to fewer than four in every one million customers who will have a legitimate issue with the companyÆs products and service. (Wikipedia, 2005).
Getting on board with six sigma is a substantial undertaking for any company. It involves a complete revamping of how business is done, how products are made, and how processes are managed. Naturally, without full and complete endorsement and participation by everyone in the company from top management on down, the process cannot be expected to succeed. Therefore, one of the primary requirements is an across-the-board training program. According to Bruce J. Hayes, President of Advisor Group, there are critical success factors that must be satisfied for six sigma success. One of these is what he terms ôexecutive engagement,ö or ôvisible, consistent support and an active...