Albertsons Inc. has started a major roll-out of a companywide Six Sigma quality program designed to reduce management layers, increase leadership spans, improve customer focus, drive new format leadership and formalize its quality program.

CommerceQuest Inc. and Savvi International have announced an alliance that expands the effectiveness of Six Sigma throughout the subscribing business enterprise by leveraging business process management (BPM) information technology.

Breakthrough Management Group, a provider of Six Sigma training, consulting and software, has signed a strategic reseller agreement with Iowa-based GeoLearning Inc., a developer of learning management platforms and Web-based training solutions.

Microsoft Corp. has released new enhancements for its Microsoft Office Solution Accelerator for Six Sigma.

Minitab Inc. has agreed to include Rath & Strong’s two latest publications--Who’s Fault Is It Anyway?, and Rath & Strong’s Guide to MINITAB: Release 14--in Minitab’s companion textbook list, available on the Minitab Web site.

PowerSteering Software, the leading provider of Six Sigma enterprise program management software, has announced the availability of PowerSixSigma, its first software solution designed exclusively to meet the advanced requirements of Six Sigma quality initiatives.

Using Six Sigma initiatives to focus on improving the performance of business and manufacturing processes isn’t a new concept.

The Lean Learning Center will co-sponsor the "Benchmarking Best Practices in Lean Manufacturing" conference with Clemson University, May 25-27 in Charleston, South Carolina.

Supplier management is one of the most troublesome disciplines within a management system. There’s nothing inherently difficult about it, though. Companies make it difficult by instilling the process with lots of unwieldy bureaucracy.

Do not ever, ever, do anything just to please an auditor. This is quickly becoming one of my new favorite mantras.