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Authorized generic drugs can lead to lower medicine prices and overall savings to the health care system, according to a new study commissioned by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and prepared by IMS Consulting. An authorized generic is a drug that is distributed by…
CIGNA HealthCare Corp. recently launched a lab that will develop integrated Six Sigma-level end-to-end service for its medical, dental, pharmaceutical and behavioral health plan participants. The "Innovation Lab" will be staffed with 100 specially trained consumer advisers representing…
A Canadian bread company used Six Sigma to determine how to maximize efficiencies on its delivery operations. Before it selected CHEP to provide delivery pallets, Canada Bread Frozen Bakery had experienced costly delays and occasional difficulties with the inbound flow of pallets,…
A new partnership between two software organizations highlights Six Sigma’s use in the mining industry.An Aug. 9 webinar will introduce the partnership between OSIsoft and BESTECH, and explain the use of their software by BHP Billiton, one of the world’s largest mining companies. The…
The use of Six Sigma in sales and marketing applications will be the focus of an upcoming WCBF conference. The 3rd annual Six Sigma in Sales and Marketing conference will be held Aug. 23–24 in Chicago. It will include a keynote address entitled “Applying Six Sigma to Sales and Marketing…
Boston Centerless Inc. has been named a 2006 Silver Medal recipient in the Northeast Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing contest.Referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Manufacturing” by Business Week magazine, the Shingo Prize is recognized as a premier manufacturing award and…
An International Organization for Standardization subcommittee has called for the development of a standard that would identify, assess, eliminate or reduce the risks associated with consumer products in the supply chain. According to the Consumer Policy Committee (COPOLCO), rapid changes…
The National Committee for Quality Assurance recently called for better public information about consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) and other forms of insurance. The white paper "Protecting Consumers in an Evolving Health Insurance Market" also examines the rapid growth in enrollment…
If you’re an upwardly mobile professional male, you probably know more about ISO 9001 registration than your female, blue-collar peers. Such were the findings of a study performed in the United Kingdom. Study authors James Tannock, of Nottingham University Business School, and Henry Brown…
The number of applications to the 2006 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award significantly increased, with 86 applicants compared to 64 from last year’s event.A major gain in the number of health care organizations applying for the award, along with the addition of a new nonprofit award…
Lean Six Sigma consulting firm Bellwether Services was recently awarded a five-year support agreement by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). NAVSEA is the Navy’s umbrella command for its comprehensive quality-improvement and efficiency programs. The Navy has implemented Six Sigma, lean…
An upcoming conference for financial services professionals interested in Six Sigma will be held in Hong Kong. "Building Profitable Platforms for Growth in Financial Services," will be held Sept. 26–27 at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Preconference workshops will be held…
Two research companies are partnering to discover the real reasons professionals quit their jobs, and they’re asking for your help.dxResearch and The Benchmarking Exchange report that the purpose of the study is to benchmark the nature and degree of dissatisfaction with an organization…
A new book explores the dual use of lean and Six Sigma, and offers tips on how best to synch the methodologies for maximum benefit and minimum risk. In Using Lean for Faster Six Sigma Results: A Synchronized Approach (Productivity Press, 2006), authors Mark Nash, Sheila Poling and Sophronia…
The Asia Pacific Quality Organization and the Australian Organisation for Quality will host an upcoming conference. QUALCON-APQO 2006 will feature sessions for many industries as they relate to quality, including occupational health and safety management, environmental management systems…
DNV Certification and the Project Management Institute will launch the Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3) ProductSuite Certification Program. PMI has nearly 220,000 members in more than 15 countries and is the leading trade group for the project management profession.…
Omnex Inc. and the Automotive Industry Action Group have formed a global training partnership to provide lean and Six Sigma training to AIAG members. As part of the agreement, Omnex—which has offices in several Indian cities—will represent AIAG in India. Omnex will provide training to AIAG members…
Rath & Strong recently joined Decisioneering Inc.’s Crystal Ball Six Sigma Partner Program. As a new Six Sigma partner, Rath & Strong will work with Decisioneering to promote Crystal Ball simulation and optimization tools throughout its Six Sigma initiatives. Crystal Ball is…
Value-Train will host a live, instructor-led webinar on MINITAB software this fall. The company recently held a prototype course on the subject and decided to schedule the training again after it received such positive reviews from it, the company reports. The next class will be held Sept…
Jill M. Considine, chairwoman and CEO of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corp. (DTCC) received the top honor as Six Sigma CEO of the Year at the Global Six Sigma Summit & Industry Awards, held June 28. Considine was honored for her leadership and implementation of Six Sigma at…
Kohler Co. recently selected InfinityQS to provide statistical process control software and services for select plants in the United States. Kohler has used InfinityQS’ SPC software at a plant in Kohler, Wisconsin, for many years. Based on positive results achieved there, the company opted…
Solectron Corp., a provider of electronics manufacturing and integrated supply-chain services, recently received Stratus Technologies’ 2006 Supplier Excellence Award. Solectron’s Columbia, South Carolina, plant was honored for its outstanding performance in support of the introduction of…
Kevin Caldwell recently joined the Juran Institute as its vice president for enterprise assurance. Caldwell, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, has more than 30 years of experience in operations, business performance and quality management, for a variety of industries in international and U.S.…
The Shanghai Association for Quality Management and Shanghai Mobile Communication Corp. recently formed a Scientific Research Base of Quality.The Scientific Research Base of Quality will lead the Shanghai Mobile Performance Excellence Management project, which will help Shanghai Mobile improve its…
Stelex University recently provided a training session for the Food and Drug Administration’s National Center for Toxicology Research (NCTR) that focused on computer systems validation. Stelex University is Stelex’s professional education and technical training department. Its training…