28 May 2013

Call for papers: "Six Sigma Innovation and Design for Sustainability"

For a special issue of the International Journal of Six Sigma and Competitive Advantage.

Sustainability models and practices have been developing along a timeline similar to that of business excellence strategy and methods familiar to quality professionals that are characterised by the models and criteria of America’s Baldrige National Quality Award and the European Quality Award.

Business excellence criteria have in recent years moved from little to no emphasis on clear acknowledgement of the importance of environmental and social sustainability and the responsibility organisations bear with respect to these. Agreements and standards such as the United Nations Kyoto Protocol, ISO 26000, and the United Nations Global Compact further indicate widespread recognition of the importance of environmental sustainability and social sustainability.

The problems are large and regarded as being among the so-called “Grand Challenges of Our Time”. Their solutions are vital, and Six Sigma innovation and design has much to offer in the way of systemised, repeatable, intelligent and better solution derivation and deployment.

This special issue of IJSSCA aims to elevate awareness of sustainability challenges in the quality and Six Sigma communities, and to enhance engagement with sustainability professionals in order to speed delivery of Six Sigma solutions to these Grand Challenges.

Suitable topics include but are not limited to:
  • Six sigma contributions to enterprise level sustainability strategy
  • Design for six sigma: environmental sustainability strategy and applications
  • Design for six sigma: societal sustainability strategy and applications
  • Six sigma as a triple top line strategy
  • Six sigma for triple bottom line performance
  • Cradle-to-cradle through six sigma innovation and design
  • Making sustainability profitable through six sigma innovation and design
  • Nature-informed six sigma: bio-mimetic design for six sigma
  • Six sigma optimisation and supply chain sustainability
  • Enhanced enterprise resilience and robustness via six sigma
  • Six sigma as a driver of the next best sustainability practices
Important Dates
Submission of manuscripts: 15 December, 2013
Notification to authors: 15 February, 2014
Final versions due: 30 April, 2014

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