Six Sigma : is it worth the hype?

Includes bibliographical references.Six Sigma is a process for reduction of variation in processes to a level of 3.4 errors per one million opportunities. The paper analyzes whether or not Six Sigma is worth the hype using several angles. The background and history of Six Sigma along with its beginnings at Motorola and General Electric are examined to establish a foundation for argument. A thorough analysis of Six Sigma usage currently is conducted, and four keys to success are discussed including ability to handle a large capital outlay, commitment, follow through, and a change-based culture. In addition, factors that cause Six Sigma to fail are mentioned and include focusing too much on the bottom line, little management support, bad employee talent allocation, and poor project supply, selection, and scope. With these points recognized, it was found that there are several misconceptions of Six Sigma including Six Sigma's negative affect on stock price and the notion that Six Sigma is a "magic bullet" that solves all problems easily. To conclude, it is argued that, based on findings, Six Sigma is absolutely worth the hype. These findings are based on the need for quality, cost savings, and process streamlining in business operations.B.S. (Bachelor of Science

Are curricula that combine operations management and information systems adequately preparing their students for the workforce?

Includes bibliographical references.The purpose of this study is to assess the perceptions of recent alumni on how well a curriculum that combines operations management and information systems prepared them for the workforce. To address our research question, a web-based survey was developed. Our findings seem to indicate that the more recent graduates in our department felt the most adequately prepared for both general business and technical skills. This may mean that our department is continually improving their curriculum over time. Overall, students felt at least moderately prepared for most of the specific skills we studied. Our methodology can be broadly applied to any department that combines operations management and information systems that is concerned with curriculum assessment.B.S. (Bachelor of Science

Knowledge Management and Information Systems based on Workflow Technology

Knowledge management is critical for the success of virtual communities, especially in the case of distributed working groups. A representative example of this scenario is the distributed software development, where it is necessary an optimal coordination to avoid common problems such as duplicated work. In this paper the feasibility of using the workflow technology as a knowledge management system is discussed, and a practical use case is presented. This use case is an information system that has been deployed within a banking environment. It combines common workflow technology with a new conception of the interaction among participants through the extension of existing definition languages

How do supply chain management and information systems practices influence operational performance?:Evidence from emerging country SMEs

This study first provides a comparative analysis of the impact of supply chain management (SCM) and information systems (IS) practices on operational performance (OPER) of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in two neighbouring emerging country markets of Turkey and Bulgaria. Then, we investigate moderating effects of both SCM–IS-linked enablers and inhibitors on the links between SCM and IS practices and OPER of SMEs. To this end, we first empirically identify the underlying dimensions of SCM and IS practices, and SCM–IS-related enabling and inhibiting factors. Second, a series of regression analyses are undertaken to estimate the impact of the study's constructs on OPER of SMEs. The results are discussed comparatively within the contexts of both Turkish and Bulgarian SMEs and beyond. The study makes a significant contribution to the extant literature through obtaining and analysing cross-national survey data of SCM and IS practices in emerging country markets

Enterprise Risk Management and Information Systems: a Systematic Literature Review

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) aims to help organizations better monitor, analyze, and control their risks and policymakers to focus on procedures to improve organization and risk governance. Over the years, several artifacts have been proposed in this area to address different goals in ERM. The main objective of this article is to provide an overview of the literature related to the areas of ERM and Information Systems in order to understand how traditional risk governance adapts to the new digital reality of organizations. To better structure the results obtained, the articles were divided into three distinct categories: articles that offer guidelines for ERM management, articles that propose ways to measure the maturity of organizations in ERM, and articles that propose methods to increase an organization\u27s maturity in ERM