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AJQ
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100

Examining the implementation of

Six Sigma training and its
relationships with job satisfaction
and employee morale
Jung Lang Cheng
Department of Engineering and Management, Cheng Shiu University,
Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
Abstract
Purpose The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of implementing Six Sigma system on job
satisfaction and employee morale, and how job satisfaction, employee morale and Six Sigma
implementation are to support each other.
Design/methodology/approach The paper builds a research framework which includes the
variables of Six Sigma, job satisfaction, and employee morale. The research methodology is the use of
a field survey questionnaire of a Taiwanese company.
Findings The paper finds that the method of Six Sigma implementation in Taiwanese company was
by a top-down approach, where is the managers received the training and then were expected to pass
on the relevant knowledge to their subordinates. It also reveals that one key issue in Six Sigma
implementation is which organizational departments should first receive the Six Sigma training. the
field study found that the first departments related to logistics management, and then onto production
line departments. Implementing Six Sigma training has impact on organizational job satisfaction
and employee morale. The performance of Six Sigma training was able to achieve job satisfaction and
employee morale, but the employees who participated in Six Sigma training were more positive with
regard to job satisfaction and employee morale.
Originality/value Every organization has their special characteristics in relation to the Six Sigma
system, job satisfaction and employee morale. The organization should aim to better understand the
relationship and content of job satisfaction and employee morale with regard to successful Six Sigma
implementation.
Keywords Six Sigma, Job satisfaction, Employee morale, Taiwan
Paper type Research paper

Asian Journal on Quality

Vol. 13 No. 1, 2012
pp. 100-110
r Emerald Group Publishing Limited
1598-2688
DOI 10.1108/15982681211237851

1. Introduction
The Six Sigma approach has now been applied to many businesses around the world,
and its implementation can lead to improvements in quality and productivity and
reductions in cost and waste (Harry and Schroeder, 2000). Six Sigma quality of
experiential learning, during which teams worked with businesses to affect significant
cost-savings, provides proof of its value and highlights pros and cons of an hands-on
teaching approach (Box, 2006). A Six Sigma approach can ensure an accurate job
match of the right jobs to the right people, improve succession planning, provide high
levels of job satisfaction, and correctly identify training needs (Stevens, 2008).
While the Six Sigma methodology provides a number of improvement approaches
to increase organizational performance, little work has been done into examining its
effects of on either job satisfaction or the employee morale within firms. The aim of this
research is to study the relationships in the Six Sigma system between job satisfaction
and employee morale. Six Sigma is becoming more widely applied in Taiwan, and thus
paper explores this issue by undertaking a field survey of one company. The paper first

aims to understand the Six Sigma implementation and its interactions between job
satisfaction and employee morale using an empirical study of a Taiwan enterprise.
Consequently, the purposes of this paper are as follows:
(1)

to review the literature pertaining to the main features of Six Sigma and the
key characteristics of its related job satisfaction and employee morale, and to
develop an exploratory framework;

(2)

to explore the factors relationship between the employees who participated or

did not participate in Six Sigma training with job satisfaction and employee
morale, via a questionnaire survey and multiple regressions analyses; and

(3)

to find out the key principal factors of Six Sigma, job satisfaction and employee
morale using the factor analysis approach and scree plot criteria.

Six Sigma
training

101

2. Literature review
The author will review the Six Sigma literature relationship with quality management
(QM) and cultural changes (CC). The QM factors are about the employees
understanding of what Six Sigma really is. The CC factors will explore the
requirements needed to implement Six Sigma successfully.
2.1 Factors of QM
Zu et al. (2006) stated that quality management programs have been extensively applied
around the world, as companies seek to attain and sustain a competitive advantage. Six
Sigma is the newest QM program which helps companies increase both customer
satisfaction and financial benefits. To make Six Sigma operationally efficient and
strategically effective, three factors as a methodology for QM are as follows (Figure 1):
(1)

Implementing Six Sigma training: Six Sigma training should provide

employees with tools and mechanisms, and the concepts such as
reengineering, lean manufacturing, just-in-time, statistical process control,
and operations enhancement (Bigelow, 2002). Sutton (2006) analyzed that
putting employees through problem-solving training may provide an
understanding of the concepts involved, asking the right questions in the
proper sequence is a disciplined skill. Training is the communication process in
which the employees ensure that they apply and implement the Six Sigma
techniques effectively (Kwak and Anbari, 2006).

(2)

Teach Six Sigma by example: teaching Six Sigma by example so that every
person in the organization understands customer requirements, and has a
general idea of how the process will assist in satisfying the customer. The
example may transfer to the Six Sigma documentation, which is process flow
diagrams, product performance, appearance, finished products, and customer
requirements (Oke, 2007).
Teach six sigma
by example
Implementing six
sigma training
Six sigma learning
in different ways

Figure 1.
The process of cultural
change factors

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102

(3)

Six Sigma learning in different ways: Six Sigma learning in different ways
involves many variations based on a concentrated classroom approach where
instructor and student interact in real time (Breyfogle, 2008). A well-developed
Six Sigma learning program can ease this transition and address the what
and how of the new work arrangement (Schultz, 2008).

2.2 Factors of CC
Sousa-Poza et al. (2001) argued that for an organization to realize the value of
implementing quality practices, it must have a culture that is capable of fully
supporting their implementation. Six Sigma as a methodology for CC must have
successful programs that become cultural revolutions which involve every member of
the organization. Three factors as a methodology for CC are as follows (Figure 2):
(1)

Customer-focussed: being customer-focussed is the major requirement in

applying Six Sigma, which is highly sensitive to requirements for customer
satisfaction. The principle of Six Sigma is a customer-focussed, qualityimprovement initiative that enables organizations to make rapid decisions
based on accurate information (Rylander and Provost, 2006).

(2)

Management commitment: the Six Sigma approach requires more direction

and leadership from top management (Foster, 2007; Treichler et al., 2002). Top
management must commit to providing opportunities and incentives for
the involvement of employees (Jeffery, 2005). Once Six Sigma has been
deployed in an organization, top management needs to decide it is time to
address the problem as a DMAIC project to improve customer satisfaction
(Mukherjee, 2008).

(3)

Project selection: the key ingredient for successful Six Sigma implementation
is project prioritization and selection (Pande et al., 2000; Banuelas and Antony,
2002). Project selection is the process of evaluating individual projects or
groups of projects, and then choosing to implement a set of them so that the
objectives of the organization will be achieved (Meredith and Mantel, 2003).

2.3 Impact on job satisfaction and employee morale

Job satisfaction refers to a positive affective reaction by individuals to their jobs.
Bounds (1995) advocated the empowering of employees with increased authority
and responsibility, thus allowing them to be innovative in implementing their own
solutions to problems, and fostering a heightened recognition of the need for
cooperation, communication, and teamwork. A Six Sigma approach can ensure an
accurate job match of the right jobs to the right people, improve succession planning,
provide high levels of job satisfaction, and correctly identify training needs (Stevens,
2008).
Six Sigma practices can create a culture that encourages employees to work
together across the company, improve personal responsibility, and enhance a sense of
accomplishment in job tasks. TQM requires maximum participation of employees at all
Customer-focussed
Cultural changes

Figure 2.
Research framework

Project selection

Management
commitment

levels, and employees who have a greater variety of tasks and who deal with a greater
variety of people at work feel more involved in their jobs (Sila and Ebrahimpour,
2002). TQM practices are an important aspect of successfully involving employees in
processes that lead to improvement in company performance (Mohrman et al., 1996).
High levels of job involvement (JI) enhance job satisfaction, career satisfaction, and
organizational commitment (OC) (Udo et al., 1997).
3. Research framework
Figure 3 displays the research framework. The items to measure the quality practices
associated with Six Sigma implementation were adapted from prior empirical research
on evaluating quality practices (Douglas and Judge, 2001; Flynn et al., 1994; Kaynak,
2003) and practitioner publications about Six Sigma (Breyfogle et al., 2001; George,
2003). The measures of Six Sigma variables are divided into two main factors: QM
and CC. Each factor is explored using three objectively formulated questions
(presented in Figure 1). Finally, job satisfaction and employee morale refers to the
extent that a company achieves Six Sigma as a measure of the Six Sigma
implementation organizational cultural performances.
QM factors are made up of the following items: teach Six Sigma by example the
degree to which the organization has Six Sigma practical teachings; Six Sigma
learning in different ways the degree to which the Six Sigma learning is effective and

Six Sigma
training

103

Demographic factors
1. Sex
2. Age
3. Level of education
4. Tenure in company
5. Department
6. Management position
7. Participated in six sigma training or did not participate in
six sigma training

Six sigma variables

Quality management factors

Cultural change factors

1. Teach six sigma by example

1. Customer-focussed

2. Six sigma learning in different ways

2. Management commitment

3. Implementing six sigma training

3. Project selection

Organizational performance
Job satisfaction

Employee morale

1. Intrinsic satisfaction

1. Organizational commitment

2. Extrinsic satisfaction

2. Job involvement

3. General satisfaction

3. Team work

Figure 3.
The process of quality
management factors

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104

efficient; implementing Six Sigma training the degree to which the Six Sigma
training has been effective and efficient.
The elements that need to be evaluated for the CC are follows: customer-focussed
the ways that employee within the organization focus on customer satisfaction;
management commitment an evaluation based on how well the Six Sigma leadership
shapes the strategic elements of Six Sigma; project selection the effectiveness of
Six Sigma project management.
This study used a discrete, five-point Likert scale with end points of strongly
disagree ( 1) and strongly agree ( 5) to measure the constructs. Using SPSS 17.0
statistical software, the statistical approaches included sample descriptions, reliability
analysis, t-test, regression analysis, and factors analysis. The research approaches are
as follows.
3.1 Sample and data collection
The data collection process will use the cross-table skills of descriptive statistics to
explore the relationship management position and organizational department with
Six Sigma training.
3.2 Regression analysis
The regression analysis approach uses the model to formulate the relationship
between response variables (the employees who participated or did not participate in
Six Sigma training) with job satisfaction and employee morale.
3.3 Factors analysis
The aim of factor analysis is to analyze the interrelationships among a large number of
variables and to explain these variables in terms of their common underlying
dimensions (factors).
4. A field study in Taiwan
Gloria Material Technology Corporation (GMTC) is the first specialty steel
manufacturer in Taiwan to engage in the manufacture of special alloy materials.
Founded in 1988, is located in the south of Taiwan. Gloria has set up a continuous
production process with melting, LD refining, electro slag remolding, forging, rolling,
quenching-tempering factories, and finishing facilities. GMTC provides high-quality
material worldwide such as Ti-alloy, tool steel, high-speed steel, P/M high-speed steel,
stainless steel, quenched-tempered steel and various ESR materials, etc.
GMTC gains business performance and competitiveness after implementing Six
Sigma system from 2000 years. However, although the implementation of Six Sigma
has achieved improved business performance in GMTC, its impact on job satisfaction
and employee morale must be explored. Specifically, does implement Six Sigma have a
positive relationship with job satisfaction and employee morale? This question is of
some interest, as if Six Sigma has a positive impact on business performance, but have
a negative results on job satisfaction and employee morale, then it must be considered
some specific characteristics in QM system.
5. Research results and findings
The investigation used Cronbachs a value to weight the parameter consistency, and a
Cronbachs a lying between 0.9135 and 0.9476 indicates acceptable reliability (Wortzel
and Robert, 1979). Table II shows the results of basic data analysis. The GMTC had

200 workers in its plant, and we sought the respondents who were familiar with
implementation of QM programs in the workplace. The respondents included the
operation managers, quality managers, continuous improvement managers, Six Sigma
Master black belt, Six Sigma black belt, or the line workers. A total of 200
questionnaires were issued to employees, of which 153 were returned, and the final
number of usable responses was 119. Consequently, recovery rate for the
questionnaires was 76.5 percent (153 retrieved samples/200 total samples) and the
rate for usable questionnaires was 59.5 percent (119/200) (Tables I and II).

Six Sigma
training

105

5.1 Sample and data collection

The relationship between management position and Six Sigma training. Table III shows
that most employees in management positions such as managers (100 percent),
assistant managers (75 percent), and assistants (100 percent), participated in Six Sigma
training. In contrast, a lower percentage of line operators received Six Sigma training
(56.3 percent). These data indicate that Six Sigma training at GMTC adopted a topdown approach, based on the belief that if the middle and top management
understands the Six Sigma system, they will transfer it to their subordinates.
The relationship between organizational department and Six Sigma training. The
rankings of the organizational departments that received the most Six Sigma training
are as follows: the information management department (70.6 percent), engineering
improvement department (67 percent), R&D center department (66.7 percent), and
production management department (60 percent). The data show that the main
departments to receive Six Sigma training are those related to logistics and
management (the departments such as information management, engineering
improvement, and so on), and then those related to the production line control
department (such as forging and steel-making).
5.2 Regression analysis
The procedure fits a model relating response variables of Six Sigma training to
multiple predictor variables such as QM, CC, intrinsic satisfaction (IS), extrinsic
satisfaction (ES), general satisfaction (GS), OC, to JI, and team work (TW). There are
four models of regression analysis, which are discussed below:
The employees who participated in Six Sigma training. Model 1 (0.073)  QM
(0.078)  CC (0.184)  IS 0.026  ES 0.734  GS (0.067)  OC (0.025)
 JI (0.228)  TW.
The multiple correlation coefficients (R) is 0.555, i.e. the multiple determination
coefficient (R2) is 0.308. If we integrate the variables of job satisfaction (IS, ES, and GS)
and employee morale (OC, JI, and TW):
Model 2 0.052  QM (0.155)  CC (0.248)  JS (0.206)  EM, the R is
0.192, and the R2 is 0.037.
The employees who did not participated in Six Sigma training. Model 3
(0.130)  IS (0.183)  XS 0.851  GS 0.138  OC (0.361)  JI 0.127  TW.

Six Sigma

Job satisfaction

Employee morale

0.9135

0.9476

0.9328

Table I.
Cronbachs a

AJQ
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Basic data

Items

1. Six Sigma training

1: None
2: Yes
1: Male
2: Female
1: Below 20 years old
2: 21-25 years old
3: 26-30 years old
4: 31-35 years old
5: 36-40 years old
6: 41-50 years old
7: Over 51 years old
1: High school
2: Colleges
3: University
4: Masters
1: Below 3 years
2: 3-6 years
3: 6-9 years
4: 9-12 years
5: 12-15 years
6: 5-19 years
1: Human resources
2: Engineering improvement
3: Quality assurance
4: Information management
5: Production management
6: Business planning
7: R&D center
8: R&D
9: Purchasing
10: Marketing
11: Steel-making
12: General affairs
13: Forging
14: Finishing
1: Technician
2: Technical personnel
3: Technical expert
4: Line operator
5: Staff
6: Assistant manager
7: Manager

2. Sex

106

3. Age

4. Level of education

5. Tenure in company

6. Department

7. Management position

Table II.
Basic data analysis

Samples

Percent

62
57
77
42
0
8
50
28
17
16
0
8
24
54
33
60
18
5
10
14
12
6
3
15
17
15
3
3
13
2
19
7
1
4
11
10
16
0
72
14
4
3

52
48
65
35
0
7
42
24
14
13
0
7
20
45
28
51
15
4
8
12
10
5
3
13
13
13
3
3
11
2
15
6
1
3
9
8
13
0
61
12
3
3

The R will be 0.730, i.e. the R2 is 0.533. If we extract the variables of QM and CC, then
the standardized regression is:
Model 4 0.060  JS 0.062  EM, the R is 0.115 and the R2 is 0.013.
5.3 Factors analysis
KMO and Bartletts test. We use the type of principal component analysis and to
varimax rotation. Table IV gives the results of the KMO and Bartletts test of the Six

Sigma. The KMO value of Six Sigma, job satisfaction, and employee morale is 0.848,
0.922, and 0.923, respectively, which means that the research framework in Figure 1 is
suited for factor analysis (i.e. the value is over 0.5).
Scree plot. We next to applied scree plot criteria of which the value of the cumulative
percentage of variance is over 60.069. The author applied to two principal factors of
Six Sigma variables and the cumulative percentage of variance is 61.974 (Table V),
three factors of job satisfaction variables and the cumulative percentage of variance is
Six Sigma training
No (%)
Yes (%)
Management position

Manager
Assistant manager
Assistant
Line operator
Technical personnel
Technician

0 (0%)
1 (25%)
0 (0%)
45 (62.5%)
7 (43.8%)
9 (90%)
62 (52.1%)

Total

3 (100%)
3 (75%)
14 (100%)
27 (37.5%)
9 (56.3%)
1 (10%)
57 (47.9%)

3
4
14
72
16
10
119

Six
Sigma

Job
satisfaction

Employee
morale

Kaiser-Meyer-Olk in measure of sampling adequacy

Bartletts test of sphericity
Approximate w2
Degree of freedom
Significance

0.848
389.128
66
0.000

0.922
1,569.272
190
0.000

0.923
1,189.049
120
0.000

Items

Training
process

Periodical training
Continuous improvement
Consensus of corporate value
Continuous education and training
Meet the customers requirements
Learning from practice process
Management participate

Training Training in diversification

approach
Matched with project requirements
Improvement of processes
requirements
Fit the requirements of
organizational situation
Different approaches to the
training course

107

Total

Variables

Factors

Six Sigma
training

Table III.
Cross-analysis of
management position and
Six Sigma training

Table IV.
KMO and Bartletts test

(%) of Cumulative (%)

Component Eigenvalue variance
of variance

0.772
0.738
0.726
0.712
0.643
0.638
0.548

3.972

52.514

52.514

0.875
0.823

3.465

9.460

61.974

0.724
0.653
0.495

Table V.
Principal factor analysis
of Six Sigma

AJQ
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63.992, three factors of employee morale variables and the cumulative percentage of
variance is 60.849.
6. Conclusions and management implications
6.1 Conclusions
.

Six Sigma training is a top-down approach. Six Sigma training is an important

factor with regard to implementing a Six Sigma system, and may take a topdown or bottom-up approach. The case of our field study shows that the
methodology of Six Sigma implementation at GMTC was a top-down approach
(Table III), in that managers received the training and then were expected to pass
on the relevant knowledge to their subordinates.

The main departments for Six Sigma training are related to logistics management.
One key issue in Six Sigma implementation is which organizational departments
should first receive the Six Sigma training. Our field study found that at GMTC
this was first the departments related to logistics management (such as
information management, engineering improvement, and so on), and then onto
production line departments (such as forging and steel-making). This is because
the logistics management related departments are responsible for business
strategy and development, and thus their Six Sigma performances are more
tangible to the organization.

The performance of Six Sigma training was able to achieve job satisfaction and
employee morale. Model 3 has the best accumulated multiple determination value
(R2 0.533). This value means that the employees who did not participate in Six
Sigma training had 0.533 accumulated variables to predict job satisfaction and
employee morale, i.e. employees who did not participate in Six Sigma training
were still able to attain job satisfaction and employee morale.

Job satisfaction and employee morale have different meanings for the organization
and employees. Model 1 (R2 value 0.308) has better accumulated multiple
determination value than better Model 2 (R2 value 0.037). If we want to explore
how Six Sigma implementation influences job satisfaction and employee morale,
we need to understand what the contents of these two items are. Job satisfaction
and employee morale have different meanings for the organization and employees,
and in order to upgrade the performance of Six Sigma implementation, we must
thus first define job satisfaction and employee morale (Table VI).

Six Sigma training is a key successful factor to Six Sigma implementation. It is

necessary to understand the key successful factor for implementing Six Sigma
successfully. Table V displays training process (how the Six Sigma training
process is) and training approach (what the Six Sigma approaches are), which
are two successful factors via factor analytic techniques. The Six Sigma training
process must meet the customers requirements to attain organizational
performance, and the Six Sigma training approach emphasis must fit the
requirements of the organizational situation to root Six Sigma qualities.

108

6.2 Managerial implications

Six Sigma has a positive impact on employee morale, inspiring change in the
workplace culture because teams see the results of their efforts put to work almost
immediately. The employees who did not participate in Six Sigma training were still

Six Sigma
training

Six Sigma training

Yes

No

Standardized coefficient\variable

Model 1

Model 2

QM
CC
JS

0.073
0.078
0.184
0.026
0.734
0.067
0.025
0.228
0.555
0.308

0.52
0.155
0.248

EM
R
R2

IS
ES
GS
OC
JI
TW

0.206
0.192
0.037

Model 3

Model 4

0.130
0.183
0.851
0.138
0.361
0.127
0.730
0.533

0.060

109

0.062
0.115
0.013

able to attain job satisfaction and employee morale, but the employees who participate
in Six Sigma training will have better value to predict job satisfaction and employee
morale.
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Corresponding author
Jung-Lang Cheng can be contacted at: chengLL@csu.edu.tw

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