Learning Organization and Human Motivation Essay - 1

Learning Organization and Human Motivation - Essay Example By focusing on the performance measures, the companies have received knowledge of the processes. If the knowledge is used properly, improved goods and services and lower costs of rejection will be attained. Process improvement has often been accomplished through an integrated approach, using problem-solving techniques such as total quality management (TQM) tools and classic statistical analysis (Wiklund & Sandvik Wiklund, 1999a: pp. 101- 115, b: pp. 434- 443). Aspects related to the knowledge transformation where important approaches such as training and practice in the personal working situation have been discussed frequently (Wiklund & Sandvik Wiklund, 1999a: pp. 101- 115). Another aspect is how the company should change and act when disseminating methods and support quality improvement, where the structure of the company, strategies and education performance and content are considered essential factors for a successful implementation. An interesting question is how an improvement programme should be designed to support changed attitudes and result in changed behaviour and learning, which is a central necessity, among others, in such an implementation process. Six Sigma as an improvement programme has received considerable attention in the literature during the last few years (e.g. Bergman & Kroslid, 2000: pp. 260- 266; Breyfogle, 1999: p. 21-42; Harry, 1994: pp. 112-131, 1998: pp. 60- 64; Hellsten & Klefsjo , 2000: pp. 238- 244, Hoerl, 1998: pp. 35- 42; Klefsjo et al., 2001: pp. 31-35). Motorola launched Six Sigma in 1987 and was also the first to win the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) in 1988. Today, companies like Motorola, Texas Instruments, ABB, Allied Signal, General Electric (GE) and 3M have been striving to achieve Six Sigma quality, and as a result they have become known internationally as best-in-class companies (e.g. Fuller, 2000: pp. 311- 315; Sanders & Hild, 2000: , pp. 303-309). Although many success stories have been reported in the literature, the ultimate objective is to understand Six Sigma and place it in an appropriate context to reap the benefits. Well-known statistician and quality consultant Ron Snee (2000: pp. ix- xiv) has indicated that Six Sigma should be a strategic approach that works across all processes, products, company functions and industries'' and Bajaria (1999: n/a, 2000: pp. 15- 17) reinforces this idea as a nuts and bolts' point counterpoint discussion of each of 14 key Six Sigma ideas. In these papers by Bajaria an examination is made of the heads and tails of the Six Sigma concept and some warnings are also given against limitations and misuses. The technical aim of Six Sigma is to keep the distance between the process average and the nearest tolerance limit to at least six standard deviations and thus reduce variability in products and processes in order to prevent defects. The original motivation for Six Sigma at Motorola was centred on manufacturing improvement, and this was also how Six Sigma was introduced in many other organizations. To meet this aim, Six Sigma methods have been based heavily on the use of statistical methods to understand product and process performance.