You will be graded on the accuracy and thoroughness of your responses and on your ability to communicate. Please write in complete sentences unless otherwise directed. You should work on this assignment as you go through the assigned readings and chapters in your textbook. Be careful not to copy text directly from the book. You should answer in your own words, with your own thoughts, opinions, interpretations, examples, and conclusions.

Any intentional or unintentional plagiarism may result in an F in this assignment and an F in the course. If you do take text directly from our book, you must put this text in quotation marks and cite our book as your source.

Grading Criteria

• 65% Content: Accurate, organized and thorough responses that demonstrate recall, critical thinking and analysis.

• 35% Written Communication: Clearly and concisely written, proper sentence and paragraph structure, grammar and spelling.

Chapter 1

1. Describe in one paragraph the concept of Six Sigma.

1. What is meant by the term key process and how are key processes identified? Using a hotel as an example, describe two of their key processes.

Chapter 2

1. Describe the key aspects of Feigenbaum’s definition of quality.

1. Recently, a customer in a store purchased over $100 worth of household cleaning supplies. As the clerk bagged the purchases, the customer notice that the bags were flimsy and the items (laundry soap, detergent, cleanser, furniture polish, bleach, ammonia, etc.) were rather heavy. The customer requested that the items be separated into several different bags and double-bagged to avoid ripping the bags.
   Though the store was not busy and no one else was waiting in line, instead of complying with the customer’s request, the clerk hefted the bag in the air and said “it should hold up”. The customer insisted, but the clerk refused to double-bag or provide more bags. As the customer left the store, several of the bags ripped. The customer ended up returning for bags and re-bagging the items without the aid of the clerk. The customer has decided not to patronize the tore in the future.

   How does Feigenbaum’s definition of quality apply here?

   Chapter 3

2. Deming said “Your job as a leader is to manage the change necessary.” In one or two well developed paragraphs, explain what this means.

1. Why is a well-thought-out strategic plan critical to the success of a company implementing the Six Sigma methodology?

Chapter 4

1. Describe two benefits of creating and using a QFD matrix.

1. Answer the following questions about your own work environment or that of a friend or family member:

1. Describe the business.
2. Who are your customers? These may be customers you directly serve (internal to your organization) or they may be customers of the overall company.
3. How are the needs, requirements, and expectations of your customers identified and recorded?
4. How does your customer recognize quality?

1. Explain in detail why a focus on customers is so important to the success of an organization.

1. Define the term benchmarking and describe the steps for benchmarking.