A survey among 352 companies revealed that companies applying BPM and Six Sigma as an integrated approach are more successful. About 70% use BPM, about 30% have Six Sigma initiatives. There is a significant overlap between the two groups: 22% use both approaches. In some of these companies, BPM and Six Sigma are not interconnected, but 12% have combined the two methods into an integrated approach.
Some interesting findings: The integrated BPM/Six Sigma approach is mainly used by large companies. In most cases, Six Sigma tools are used for supporting BPM. So BPM is regarded as a comprehensive approach, and Six Sigma provides useful tools and methods which can be used within BPM. In many cases, the BPM/Six Sigma combination was connected with organizational changes, i.e. new cross-departmental teams and new positions.
Most companies using either BPM or Six Sigma or both reported that important performance indicators have been improved by these initiatives. Companies with a combination of the two methods reported higher improvements than other companies.
The effect on the profit margin was also investigated: In average, companies using either BPM or Six Sigma have a higher Return on Sales than those without such an initiative. Those with an an integrated approach are the most successful ones.
A summary of the findings can be downloaded from http://tiny.cc/bpm6sigma (in German).
