JMGT_V2_N4_A1 Jeanne D. Maes Kelly C. Woodford Alan F. Chow Journal on Management 2230 – 715X 2 4 1 11 Six Sigma, Accreditation, Business schools Six Sigma philosophy and methods have extended beyond the manufacturing arena. Like many industries, the quality of higher education is “controlled” through accreditation organizations. These organizations develop requirements with which all institutions must comply to become and remain accredited. Though applying continuous improvement to the development of courses and curriculums is not new, the application to accreditation compliance is a newer concept. With accreditation groups requiring quality management principles and concepts, business schools must establish and maintain systems of continuous improvement that will keep them ahead of the ever-changing requirements. Accreditation compliance can provide a school with credentials that potential students, and their future employers, will value. In addition, the implementation of continuous improvement principles will achieve the related goal of defining and meeting the needs of the university’s customers — both the students being educated and, importantly, the companies for which they go to work. In practicing what we preach, business schools must meet these customer requirements and provide value for their educational dollars to remain competitive in the higher education industry. While this paper focuses on compliance to university accreditation standards, the application of six sigma continuous improvement methods can be adapted and used for achieving compliance in any regulated industry. March - May 2008 Copyright © 2008 i-manager publications. All rights reserved. i-manager Publications http://www.imanagerpublications.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=304