Though being a comparatively recent addition to the framework of the quality management process, the philosophy of Six Sigma has established itself rather successfully in the specified environment (Baporikar, 2015). The concept has become the staple of quality measurement. However, apart from providing an elaborate metric system, Six Sigma can also be used to evaluate the quality programs set in an organization, as well as increase the competitive advantage of the latter through consistent quality improvement.
Being the set of ideas that afford for building a set of measurement tools for a quality strategy assessment (Pyzdek & Keller, 2014), Six Sigma can be used to improve the outcomes of a quality program implemented in an organizational setting. By comparing the desired outcomes to the actual results of the quality program application based on the standards of the Six Sigma structure, one is likely to retrieve an all-embracive commentary on the efficacy of the quality management approach adopted in the organization. The existing description of the framework designed by Pyzdek and Keller (2014) shows that the Six Sigma approach incorporates the measurement stages that can be adapted to analyze the efficacy of entrepreneurship. For instance, the definition of the process serves as the starting point that determines the further course of action (Pyzdek & Keller, 2014). The identification of metric, in its turn, permits connecting the project deliverables to the methods of measurement, therefore, creating premises for an objective evaluation. The baseline, in its turn, sets the standard that the results of the assessment must meet (Pyzdek & Keller, 2014). The ensuing system evaluation, therefore, is conducted objectively and accurately.
Similarly, the adoption of Six Sigma principles will allow one to increase the competitive advantage of an organization significantly. The reasons behind the above statement are quite obvious; once improving the quality standards and upholding them, a company is likely to stand out of a range of similar organizations, the standards of which leave much to be desired. Thus, the entrepreneurship will gain an evidential competitive advantage.
Also, as the example provided by Gowen, Stock, and Macfadden (2014) shows, the adoption of the Six Sigma principles affords for the development of an elaborate knowledge management strategy that will serve as the foil for efficiently allocating the available resources and delivering the necessary services in a manner as expeditious as possible: “In the dynamic capabilities theory, the effective implementation of Six Sigma and knowledge management could result in sustainable competitive advantage” (Gowen et al., 2014, p. 6784). Remarkably, the influence that Six Sigma exerts on the development of the knowledge management strategy is reciprocal and, therefore, allows for continuous improvement of the company’s operations (Pyzdek & Keller, 2014).
Creating the environment, in which entrepreneurship will bloom and evolve into a successful business navigating the realities of the global economy with confidence, requires developing an efficient quality management program and tying it with the Six Sigma philosophy. As soon as the above steps are taken, the prerequisites for locating the competitive advantage of an organization and increasing it progressively can be created. Both the study carried out by Gowen et al. (2014) and the model of quality management suggested by Pyzdek and Keller (2014) show that Six Sigma and the competitive advantage of an organization are linked closely together.
Reference List
Baporikar, N. (2015). Handbook of research on entrepreneurship in the contemporary knowledge-based global economy. New York City, NY: IGI Global.
Gowen, C. R. III, Stock, G. N., & Macfadden, K. L. (2014). Simultaneous implementation of Six Sigma and knowledge management in hospitals. International Journal of Production Research, 46(23), 6781–6795. Web.
Pyzdek, T., & Keller, P. (2014). The measure phase. In The Six Sigma handbook (4th ed.) (pp. 271-292). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.