Adrian S. Choo

Six Sigma: a goal-theoretic perspective

Abstract Six Sigma is a phenomenon that is gaining wide acceptance in industry, but lacks a theoretical underpinning and a basis for research other than “best practice” studies. Rigorous academic research of Six Sigma requires the formulation and identification of useful theories related to the phenomenon. Accordingly, this paper develops an understanding of the Six Sigma phenomena from a goal theoretic perspective. After reviewing the goal theory literature, these concepts, when applied to Six Sigma, suggest some propositions for future research. This paper can help serve as a foundation for developing scientific knowledge about Six Sigma.

Method and Psychological Effects on Learning Behaviors and Knowledge Creation in Quality Improvement Projects

This study investigates two mechanisms of knowledge creation---one that is method driven and the other that is psychologically driven. Results show that the two mechanisms have different effects on the learning behaviors and knowledge created in Six Sigma projects. The method mechanism directly influences learning behaviors, while the psychological mechanism directly affects knowledge creation. The effects of both mechanisms on knowledge creation are complementary, yet independent. Findings suggest that the value of adhering to a method may lie in modifying the learning behaviors that subsequently create knowledge. When a firm adopts a quality program such as Six Sigma, the method and the degree of its adherence can shape how the firm innovates and creates knowledge.

Robust economic control chart design

Designing a control chart involves making fundamental decisions about the control chart parameters. Traditionally, practitioners select design parameters using ad hoc procedures. Academic research has been challenging this tradition by introducing a more rigorous criterion for selecting the design parameters based on economic criteria. However, there has been limited success in implementing economic designs. This research develops the concept of Robust Economic Design of control charts where multiple economic and process scenarios are considered in control chart design. By developing a robust optimization technique for economic control chart design, we hope to promote a better understanding of industrial implementation of economic designs of control charts. The effectiveness of this technique is illustrated through examples and a sensitivity analysis.

Impact of a Stretch Strategy on Knowledge Creation in Quality Improvement Projects

This study develops and tests a framework about how a stretch strategy affects knowledge creation in quality improvement projects. First, we found that sense of challenge in a project team was positively associated with the level of knowledge creation. This result controlled for two important contextual factors-psychological safety and learning behaviors-that also influenced knowledge creation in teams. Second, we studied two antecedents of sense of challenge and found problem-driven gap, which reflected the intensity in problem solving, positively affected sense of challenge; but performance-driven gap, which captured the relative difference between current and targeted performances, showed insignificant effect on sense of challenge. Yet performance-driven gap interacted synergistically with problem-driven gap in positively affecting sense of challenge. When the intended purpose of a stretch strategy is to encourage innovation and knowledge creation, our findings suggest an organization should focus on motivating a strong sense of challenge among organizational members through problem solving. Without a problem solving focus, the common practice of setting high performance goals to stretch people can be futile and ineffective.

Do Firms Seek Symmetric Alliance Partners? An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT Partner selection is one of the key aspects of alliance strategy. Selection of appropriate partners can have a significant impact on the success of an alliance. In this study, we examine whether firms seek symmetric alliance partners. Symmetry is examined in respect of several criteria such as goals, management style, size, experience, power and dependence. Based on the responses of 179 Singapore managers, we find that, in most respects, firms indeed seek symmetric partners. Our results are quite robust across sub-samples consisting of firms with different performance levels in previous alliances and having varying levels of prior alliance experience.