Question

Given the benefits of Continuous Improvement techniques like Six Sigma and Lean, why is it that not all organizations are quick to adopt these methods? Additionally, what would be some reasons why certain firms that adopted these methods either did not reap the benefits expected, or completely abandoned their implementation and use?.

Answer 1

Given the benefits of Continuous Improvement techniques like Six Sigma and Lean, why is it that not all organizations are quick to adopt these methods?

Ans- Barriers to adoptation of continous improvement

• Difficulty in fostering collaboration across multiple stakeholders
• Difficulty in prioritization of processes in case there are many processes
• Ill-suited Process Management tooling - Process Management tool is either inadequate or too complicated
• Governing / controlling change (to meet compliance obligations) specially in highly regulated environment or sectors
• Lack of bottom-up commitment and employee engagement

??Additionally, what would be some reasons why certain firms that adopted these methods either did not reap the benefits expected, or completely abandoned their implementation and use?

• Inadequate in-house six sigma talent - after the deployment of project and initial handholding, external six sigma experts leave and engage in some other project. However, to continue matiching the initial gains, the organizations may not have in-house six sigma talent to do the complex statistical analysis. Regular employees may be too bogged down by the additional analysis which they may not even be able to perform effiectively
• Performance appraisal not tied with successful implementation of the project
• Inefficient team size and long implementation timelines- bigger the team size, chances are that the interests will compete and there will be disagreements in goals.
• No direct involvement of executives and they just support the improvement initiative