SWOT analysis of Lean Six Sigma: a review

Abstract

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is a continuous improvement methodology that aims to reduce the costs of poor quality, improve the bottom-line results and create value for both customers and shareholders. The purpose of this paper is to explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for LSS in different sectors, such as manufacturing, services, etc. The following research is based on a systematic literature review of various papers that were published on lean, Six Sigma and LSS in well-known academic databases of the last 20 years. Systematic SWOT analysis of LSS is cited in this paper. In this paper the gaps and limitations of common factors and the many opportunities of LSS in the near future are discussed including the need to explore this topic in future research. The paper is one of the first systematic literature reviews to explore the critical failure factors of LSS and discuss the top failure factors from different angles, i.e., countries' evolution, organisations' size (small- and medium-sized enterprises and large organisations) and industry nature.