Evolution of Six Sigma at Motorola and ABB

In the late 1980s, Doctor Michael Harry was working at Motorola, where he was instrumental in the development of Six Sigma, a statistical-based methodology for improving quality. This was the beginning of a journey that would redefine the importance of quality in business success. However, it was during his tenure at Asia Brown Bovari (ABB), where the true potential of Six Sigma began to take shape.

At ABB, Doctor Harry, in collaboration with Richard Schroeder, recognized that the success of a business hinged on the quality of its products and services. This led to the shift of Six Sigma’s focus towards financial objectives, marking a significant turning point in its evolution.

Six Sigma: The Financial Shift

This shift laid the groundwork for a more financially driven approach to quality improvement. As the 1990s progressed, Doctor Harry moved to Allied Signal under the leadership of CEO Larry Bosssid. Here he pioneered executive education in Six Sigma, instilling the methodology’s principles into the minds of leaders who would then drive its implementation across the organization. This was a monumental step towards integrating Six Sigma into the fabric of an organization’s culture. Around the same time, General Electric CEO Jack Welch was beginning to see the value in Six Sigma.

Six Sigma at GE

While Welch didn’t contribute directly to the development of Six Sigma, his decision to embrace it was a game changer. He integrated Six Sigma into every facet of GE’s culture and tied it to employee incentives. This strategic move propelled GE to significant financial gains and established a model for the adoption of Six Sigma across entire organizations.

So, in retracing the career of Doctor Michael Harry, we can see the evolution of Six Sigma from a quality improvement methodology at Motorola to a financially focused strategy at ABB, to an integrated part of organizational culture at Allied Signal and GE. In summary, the evolution and impact of Six Sigma have been profound.

Key Points to Remember:

• Welch’s integration of Six Sigma was pivotal.
• Six Sigma became embedded in GE’s culture and linked to employee incentives.
• This approach yielded significant financial gains for GE.
• It set a precedent for organizational adoption of Six Sigma.

Six Sigma’s Transformational Impact

It began as a quality improvement methodology, but with Doctor Harry’s vision and leadership it evolved into a strategy that puts financial objectives at the forefront. The integration of six sigma into executive education and organizational culture marked a significant shift in how businesses approached quality. And with the adoption of six sigma by giants like GE, it became clear that quality does indeed play a crucial role in business success. That’s the power of quality and that’s the legacy of Doctor Michael Harry and Six Sigma.