BUS366 ECA (End-of-Course Assessment) SUSS : July Semester 2024 -Lean Six Sigma, Singapore

Section A

Question 1

Background and overview of report

The World Health Organisation has recently declared the end of the COVID-19 global health emergency. It marks the end of a 3-year pandemic that has created new business norms. One of the lessons learned from the pandemic is to prepare oneself for the next pandemic. The manufacturers are thinking about making their supply chains far more flexible, agile and resilient while the service and health providers are thinking of relying more on technology and digital solutions to replace labour and resource shortages. Lean Six Sigma is a useful approach to realise the objectives. The methodology has been recognised as a useful approach to improve business processes that meet customers’ expectations and business performance targets.

Consider the organisation you are working in or one that you are familiar with. You are asked to identify a business process in this organisation where “pandemic-proof” measures are recommended. You may discuss with your supervisor or experienced colleagues to select this process. You are going to lead a Lean Six Sigma project to improve the process under the new norm. Submit a report on how you would identify the process issues, analyse the problem, recommend and implement ideas to improve the process and establish control plans to sustain the improved process using the Lean Six Sigma DMAIC approach. We shall thereafter call your selected organisation as the “subject organisation” and the selected business process as the “subject business process”.

This ECA focuses on the process centric approach and qualitative analysis of the DMAIC model. Collecting extensive data and performing data analysis for this ECA are not required.

Question 1 – Organisation background

Question 1a

Introduce the subject organisation, including its name (use a pseudonym if it is sensitive to provide the real name), its major businesses and customers, its products/services. Provide the website or real address of the organisation.

Question 1b

Discuss how the organisation’s businesses have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including its financial and operational performance, and its value/supply chain, e.g., customers, suppliers, and/or the processes in the production or the service delivery, etc., and the reasons for “future-proofing” against a new wave of pandemic.

Question 1c

Appraise the suitability of Lean Six Sigma in improving the business process in the subject organisation post COVID-19 pandemic. You must relate the discussion to the business process of the subject organisation.

Question 1d

Describe the role/function of the subject business process, the issues or challenges the subject organisation faces post COVID-19 pandemic and its benefits of pandemic resilience.