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Six Sigma In The Knowledge Economy 25
universal solution for any organization in any situation. The list below summarizes
some common attributes in a typical Six Sigma implementation; in fact, they could
well serve as pointers for better practice:
1. It relies on the measurable (with a tendency to avoid the unquantifiable in project
selection).
2. Attention is paid to repetitive output (with lack of methodology for innovative or
irregular outcomes).
3. It is focused on error prevention (not gains from creativity or imagination).
4. It is founded upon unrealistic mathematical statistics (such as the normal distri-
bution and 1.5 sigma shifts).
5. It is mostly concerned with basic CTQ (i.e. lack of attention to unexpected or
‘delighting’ CTQ as in the Kano quality model). 54
6. It studies only current, static CTQ (with little reference to varied customer ex-
pectations or lifestyles; it does not anticipate technological, social, or business
changes).
7. It is usually based on one CTQ (i.e. single rather than multiple or balanced CTQ
in a given project).
8. There is practically no emphasis on self-learning or future knowledge acquisition
in personnel training.
9. It is unsuitable for creative or interpretive work (e.g. architectural design, artistic
performance).
10. It is not a means to promote intellect, creativity, passion, enterprise or self-renewal.
11. It emphasizes the priorities of the organization (rather than the growth of people,
e.g. talent development or continuous learning on the part of Black Belts and Green
Belts; personnel are mechanically classified in terms of terminal qualifications).
12. It tends to be preoccupied with internal objectives (with no reference to social
mission or responsibility).

In this light, less conventional views of Six Sigma have appeared in various sources
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expressing, for example, skepticism, alternative interpretations, or suggestions of
its possible future. 57 To take the issue further, an examination will be made next of
environments in which Six Sigma could be found inappropriate, infeasible, or simply
irrelevant.

2.6 SIX SIGMA IN THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY

The greatest obstacle faced by Six Sigma practitioners is the predominance of the over-
arching philosophy of defect prevention. This is especially true in situations where, as
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described elsewhere, knowledge is being acquired, created, packaged, applied and
disseminated. In a knowledge-based organization and, by extension, a knowledge-
based economy, the culture tends to be shaped by the following:

1. Knowledge work is characterized by variety, exception, novelty and even uncer-
tainty, rather than regularity and predictability.
2. Productivity and valued added, rather than degree of conformance, constitute the
objectives as well as challenges in knowledge management.