Strategic Assessment of Lean Six Sigma Practicality in the Turkish Army.

摘要

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has proven to be a very effective method of continuous process and quality improvement in the private sector for the last several decades. The achievement acknowledged by top companies like General Electric, Toyota, Motorola, and Raytheon Corporation has also propelled the utilization of LSS in the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The DOD has obtained successful results from LSS implementation in selected Army depots and arsenal facilities, Navy maintenance, and Air Force Material Command. There has also been growing interest in the Lean Six Sigma concept in Turkish private industry since the 1990s. However, the Turkish military has not yet become acquainted with LSS. In this respect, the primary goal of this study is to introduce the LSS method, deliver examples of LSS implementation, and inquire into the practicality of LSS in the Turkish army. We conducted a survey to measure the organizational readiness to change and continuous improvement for Lean Six Sigma implementation with Turkish and U.S. students at the Naval Postgraduate School. The survey results indicate that there is no significant cultural difference between the U.S. and Turkish military organizations that likely would hinder the successful implementation of LSS. This report discusses the findings of the survey and concludes with recommendations and managerial guidelines for an effective practice of LSS in the Turkish army.