International conference on Six Sigma opens in Dubai

The conference, titled "Organizational Excellence through Six Sigma Approach," is the first of its kind in the Middle East and seeks to examine the strategic value of the Six Sigma approach in creating organizational excellence. The conference is sponsored by TECOM Investment as the main sponsor, Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and Eastern Networks.

The two-day conference has drawn participation from a host of leading international quality gurus, thinkers and academicians in TQM, Business Management and Customer Relationship Management (CRM), many of them members of e-TQM College Advisory Board.

"As pioneers in promoting quality principles in the Arab world, e-TQM College is proud to bring a conference of this importance to Dubai," said Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Vice President, e-TQM College.

"The conference provides organizations a rare opportunity to interact with globally renowned TQM experts, and develop a closer understanding of the Six Sigma principles and its best practices. Since its establishment, e-TQM College has been leading the way in raising awareness about the principles and best practices of TQM."

"As many organisations from the Arab world are evolving into multi-national enterprises, it has become vital to adopt rigorous quality management measures such as the Six Sigma approach. By focusing on quality and reducing the margin of error, companies get to derive multiple benefits, improved customer loyalty and enhanced market repute," Dr. Al Awar added.

The conference covers various aspects of Six Sigma centred on themes of Competitiveness, Reality, Leadership and Management Support, Tools and Techniques, Team Dynamics, Deployment and Performance Measurement and Cultural Change. Four workshops will be held during the event's two-day span - "Strategic imperative of Organizational Excellence through Six Sigma Approach", "Organizational Excellence through Six Sigma Approach in Healthcare", "Organizational Excellence through Six Sigma Approach in Education," and "Organizational Excellence through Six Sigma Approach in Public Sector".

The Six Sigma approach was pioneered by Bill Smith, a former Vice President and Senior Quality Assurance Manager for the Land Mobile Products Sector of Motorola in 1986. Motorola has reportedly saved over US$ 17 billion by implementing Six Sigma till date. The Six Sigma approach gained wide acceptance after GE, one of the early adopters achieved benefits of US$ 300 million, during first year of its application. Major corporations such as Ford, Microsoft, Caterpillar, Raytheon, Siemens, Merrill Lynch and 3M among many others are reported to have benefited from implementing Six Sigma at various levels.