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Six Sigma: Is It Just A Fad?
Fads have inevitably entered the business scene, but have vanished into oblivion even before they could make their mark. Some of them, even while having materialistic approaches and huge initial support, could survive no longer than a year. The list may be endless, but the recent ones and those that still linger on include: sensitivity training, quality circles, e-business, self-managed teams and a host of others. But is there a relevance of this debate regarding Six Sigma? Does it mean that the time for Six Sigma's exit from the scene is near? Experts and those who are thoroughly trained are not blinking an eye in support of Six Sigma, but there is always another side to the story.
This article attempts to provide a pragmatic account of the relevance of Six Sigma to business processes today.
Arguments Against Six Sigma
Editor Scott M. Paton of Quality Digest, talks about Six Sigma when writing on ISO 9001:2000. He writes in agreement that Six Sigma is a fad, "Six Sigma. The latest management fad has so captivated corporate America that there's little time to devote to lowly standards compliance." He suggests that it may not live much longer, citing its grandiose and lofty ideals. He alleges that ‘it is not serious enough to get the real work done.'
Another detractor, an author and COO at Spectra Logic Corporation in Boulder, Colorado, Scott Dalgeish, is more vocal in his disagreement of Six Sigma. His argument is that Six Sigma is a repackaged quality tool like many that have come and gone. He believes firmly and expresses openly that he believes that Six Sigma has been detrimental to businesses including his profession.
The main arguments given in support that Six Sigma is a fad are two:
1. The relationship which ASQ is entered into was with a single consultant, when they launched Six Sigma
2. Some terminologies are owned and trademarked by certain companies.
It needs to be said that these types of criticisms of Six Sigma are mostly made by those people and companies that are more resistant to change of any kind. More realistically, the quality improvements that are made and that have been documented through the use of Six Sigma statistical tools cannot be refuted.
Arguments In Favor Of Six Sigma
The foundation of this more practical side of the argument lies on the premise that the principles of economy have not died but carried through even when much is made out of the "new economy". The notion that with every change one needs to learn everything afresh and shift priorities to suit the new principles grossly damages productivity and resources. One must keep in mind the huge investments made in technology in the 1990s, and the ‘snail paced' recovery of the stock market and business overall.
Quality lives in the hands of people who are empathetic of the advantages of Six Sigma and not with those whose attitudes compel them to decry Six Sigma just because it shares commonality with earlier statistical quality tools. Six Sigma invigorated quality by transforming bottom lines positively, company after company. Some of the cynical views against Six Sigma appear to have been triggered by companies that have looked at quality in theory, and not based on results.
Companies are talking of quality, more and more, because Six Sigma, whose tools were created and perfected over nearly a century, has electrified the business environment and customers, which are the ultimate benefactors of its results.
About the Author
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution's Six Sigma Online offers online
six sigma training
and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.
Creating believable characters...?
I posted this in the "General Arts" section too!
I've read that in order to make your main character realistic, you can't make them too perfect. They can't be all "good" (to use simplistic terms) because people aren't perfect - they have flaws, bad habits, etc.
Sooo, I was wondering if you had to use that same logic on the other side of the spectrum. Say you have a character who is generally an unlikable person. One of my major characters, Annie, is conniving, rude and extremely Narcissistic. But she's got this whole background that makes her this way - so she's not just mean to be mean. Anyway...is it important to make character's that aren't supposed to be liked, likable in any way? Does making them all "bad" make them one dimensional and unrealistic? I dunno if I'm explaining myself clearly...? :/
For your antagonists, remember that no one thinks they're evil. When someone steals a loaf of bread, they don't steal it because they woke up in the morning and said, "I think I'm going to do something evil today." This goes with someone who even steals someone's car. When they steal it they rationalize the good, "Maybe this person will be inconvenienced for a day, but he has insurance and will get a car tomorrow, I have nothing and I deserve this, will be able to eat, and feed my family -- no one is being harmed."
The deepest characters are multi-dimensional. They have selfless and selfish motivations at the same time and they struggle to reconcile them. That is the real battle between good and evil.
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