Purpose: The purpose of this study is to discover the learning mechanisms and temporal dynamics of implementing systems (Six Sigma) as it unfolds over time. Design/methodology/approach: The data come from a European engineering company that was implementing a Six Sigma-based quality management...

This paper presents a prescriptive account of diagnostic problem solving, or diagnosis, in quality and process control. This paper identifies a general strategy, named branch-and-prune, whose manifestations can be found in disciplines such as medical diagnosis, troubleshooting of devices, and...

Quality improvement is understood by Juran to be the systematic pursuit of improvement opportunities in production processes. Several methodologies are proposed in literature for quality improvement projects. Three of these methodologies – Taguchi's methods, the Shainin system and the Six...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a consistent and crystallized exposition of Six‐Sigma's methodology for improvement projects, which could serve as a basis for subsequent scientific research of the method. Design/methodology/approach – The paper shows that reformulation of...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to create actionable knowledge, thereby supporting and stimulating practitioners to improve processes in the financial services sector. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on a case base of improvement projects in financial service...