Improving productivity in SMEs by the implementation of Six Sigma: human resource management implications

This paper analyses the implications that Six Sigma can induce in the management of human resources and in the quality of work organisation in SMEs, a field of investigation not yet adequately explored by the scientific literature. The case of two SMEs (a manufacturing and a service company) engaged in different phases of Six Sigma application and operating in different industries is reported. After initial reluctance and resistance, Six Sigma stimulated the creation of a culture of continuous HR motivation and accretion.