Abstract
A study carried out by the market research company International Data Corporation (IDC) suggests a company loses nearly a third [20-30%] of its revenue due to inefficiencies every single year (IDC, 2021). In order to stay competitive, modern organisation must introduce continuous improvement methodology to eliminate inefficiencies, one such methodology is Lean Six Sigma (LSS). The implementation of LSS requires a specific framework depending on the type of organisation.
The purpose of this study is to develop a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) framework to address business process inefficiencies in the case company in the aviation sector. From the literature review, it was established that different LSS frameworks has been designed and implemented within different industry to eliminate inefficiencies however none has been developed specifically for company in the aviation regulatory sector.
Through the review of the literature and qualitative study conducted in the case company to source different inefficiencies, a specific conceptual LSS CT-DMAICV framework was designed. The framework is based on DMAIC with the inclusion of the management commitment stage, the training stage, and the verification stage. Although the framework was not tested, this paper will contribute significantly to the understanding of designing the LSS framework in general. The management of the case company can use the information obtained from this research to solve some of the pertinent issues that create poor service delivery, low productivity, and employee frustration. The outcome of this paper will also close a literature gap concerning LSS in aviation, specifically in South Africa and the African continent in general.
Keywords: Critical Failure Factors, Critical Success Factors, Frameworks, Inefficiencies, Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Six Sigma