Toward a theory of managing context in Six Sigma process‐improvement projects: An action research investigation

In this paper, field studies, extant literature, and domain knowledge are used to develop a theory of managing context in Six Sigma process‐improvement projects. By means of a participatory action research investigation involving ten projects in manufacturing and service firms, this paper examines the interrelationship among project context, elements, and success. Rich text‐based information for each project was analyzed for the underlying patterns and relationships using the NVIVO 8 qualitative data analysis software package. The insights gained from this in‐depth field investigation are presented in the form of 12 inductively derived research propositions that, when taken together, uniquely contribute to context‐based theory‐building in this area.