Chuan, Tan Kay , and Chakraborty, Ayon (2009) Room for improvement. Six Sigma Forum Magazine, 9 (1). pp. 20-24.

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Abstract

Six Sigma provides a framework for quality improvement and business excellence. Introduced in the 1980s in manufacturing, the concept of Six Sigma has gained popularity in service organizations. After initial success in healthcare and banking, Six Sigma has gradually gained traction in other types of service industries, including hotels and lodging. Starwood Hotels and Resorts, one of the largest hotel chains in terms of revenue, was the first hospitality giant to embrace Six Sigma. In 2001, Starwood adopted the method to develop innovative, customer-focused solutions and to transfer these solutions throughout the global organization. "Six Sigma gives us the tools to eliminate variation and improve efficiency," said Denise Coll, regional vice president of Starwood's New England operations. "It has a strong record in manufacturing productivity, perhaps most visibly at General Electric (GE). It's also extremely adaptable; since its introduction at Starwood, we've refined it dramatically to reflect our focus on service quality and satisfying the voice of the customer." It stands to reason that studying Starwood and its Six Sigma activities would provide an opportunity to critically analyze Six Sigma implementation in a different type of service organization and learn from its experiences.

Item ID:	25614
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1539-4069
Date Deposited:	12 Jun 2013 02:10
FoR Codes:	15 COMMERCE, MANAGEMENT, TOURISM AND SERVICES > 1503 Business and Management > 150313 Quality Management @ 100%
SEO Codes:	90 COMMERCIAL SERVICES AND TOURISM > 9099 Other Commercial Services and Tourism > 909901 Hospitality Services @ 100%
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