Supply Chain
A Stronger Chain
Companies are forging a more stable supply chain through Six Sigma and Lean.
Applying Lean Six Sigma in an Automated IT Process
In the last several years, companies have had notable results using Lean Six Sigma in transactional and administrative processes. Recently Medtronic has successfully adapted Lean Six Sigma to apply to even a wholly automated electronic IT process.
Get Up-to-date with Supply Chain Research
New studies identify common areas of wasteful supply chain spending and offer benchmarking data.
Global Supply Chain Problems Spark Lean Debate
An unexpected rise in demand for automobiles and electronic goods this spring and summer has played havoc with the supply chains of some corporations, causing temporary shutdowns at a number of factories in Asia and North America. While recent articles in The Wall Street Journal (wsj.com) have pointed to Lean manufacturing methods as a cause for the strain, some experts say the problems are ordinary supply chain issues that are unrelated to Lean operations.
How a Company Can Involve Its Suppliers in Six Sigma
As companies concentrate on design and outsource more of the order fulfillment process, including manufacturing, their quality image is dependent on supplier performance. So, when is the time to involve suppliers in a quality improvement initiative?
Improving Supply Chain Quality Through Hoshin Kanri
In order for organizations to reap maximum gains from their process improvement efforts, they must link their strategic goals with their business system.
Lean Six Sigma to Reduce Excess and Obsolete Inventory
Excess and obsolete inventory write-offs are chronic supply chain problems costing businesses billions of dollars each year. Lean Six Sigma can be effective in eliminating root causes, and thus preventing costly year-end reductions in inventory.
Making SCOR Model More Effective with Lean Six Sigma
Many Six Sigma practitioners have asked how the Supply-Chain Operations Reference model, or SCOR®, relate to Six Sigma and Lean. However, perhaps a more relevant question should be, “How can Six Sigma and Lean make a SCOR model more effective?”
Part 1 of a Finished Goods Supply Chain Case Study: Moving Products from Depot to Distributor
A demand-pull system – a TQM concept – helps to improve product availability and avoid stock outs.
Part 2 of a Finished Goods Supply Chain Case Study: Moving Products Between Warehouses and Depots
Two countermeasure ideas help remove non-value-added steps from the transport process.
Part 3 of a Finished Goods Supply Chain Case Study: Demand-Pull Production
By establishing a market-mix-led demand-pull model, a company is able to avoid damaging stock outs.
Six Sigma Trends: Upgrade for Supply Chains and Solution Providers
Customers are requiring greater supply-chain integration. This trend must be considered when launching and/or deploying Six Sigma. Today’s traditional effort in deploying Six Sigma projects should be restructured in order to balance addressing Chain Voice of the Customer with solving internal, single-business process problems.
Spreading the Word Throughout the Supply Chain
iSixSigma research finds there’s room for improvement in how organizations communicate with their suppliers and customers about Six Sigma.
Three Rules for Data Analysis: Plot the Data, Plot the Data, Plot the Data
The following case study helps to illustrate the methods for analyzing supplier data, and shows how organizations can benefit from closer analysis.
TQM Case Study: Ensuring On-time Newspaper Delivery
This last article in a three-part series illustrates how TQM was used to make cycle time improvements throughout the newspaper’s supply chain in order to ensure efficient and on-time delivery.
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