Six Sigma, the statistical approach focused on increasing profitability by improving efficiency, has been part of the engineering world since the 1980s. Now, new innovative online and on-campus programs at Arizona State University are shaking up the way people all over the globe are doing business. Former ASU alumni Mikel Harry, a founder of Six Sigma at Motorola; and ASU Professor Doug Montgomery of the Center for Professional Development the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, have combined to create a group of online, comprehensive Six Sigma professional certifications.

The programs feature Harry’s third-generation concept of Six Sigma and Montgomery’s global expertise in statistics. This new application combines older Six Sigma techniques, including defect and cost reduction, with the modern metric in Six Sigma success: value creation. Students can conveniently pursue professional Six Sigma Green Belt, White Belt and black belt programs through the Internet. In addition, ASU offers online academic programs (Online Graduate Certificate in Statistics and Online Master of Engineering with an area of study in quality and reliability) and an aggregated Six Sigma Black Belt curriculum, so students receive both an academic credential and Six Sigma Black Belt professional certification.

"With this Six Sigma education, the school’s objective is to expand globally with innovative program delivery and a breakaway strategy to reach companies and individuals around the world, including in our own backyard," says Jeffrey Goss, assistant dean and executive director of the ASU Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering’s Center for Professional Development.

ASU is well on its way to that goal. In the fall of 2003, the reputation of the ASU Six Sigma Black Belt program brought 30 Korean executives to ASU from POSCO, the fourth-largest steel manufacturing company in the world and one of the top 400 global companies listed by Forbes magazine.

Headquartered in the southeastern port city of Pohang, South Korea, POSCO employs approximately 19,200 people and generated net earnings of approximately $671.3 million in 2001. With high goals for continuous innovation in improving efficiency, POSCO executives came to ASU for three weeks to obtain Master Black Belt certification in Six Sigma.

"After completing the program, our Master Black Belts became very confident in their abilities and the relationship between POSCO and ASU grew, providing a synergy that is benefiting both institutions," says Dong Mo Ahn, POSCO education support team leader.

POSCO will send 150 managers and executives to ASU for Master Black Belt, Champion and executive leadership training through the end of 2004. In June 2004, through a collaboration with ASU, Harry’s Six Sigma Management Institute (SSMI) and the Korean Standards Association, promoted a Six Sigma Executive Summit in Seoul, South Korea, that attracted more than 400 Six Sigma executives.