Six Sigma methodologies have become increasingly popular in Taiwanese manufacturing industries in the recent years. When used, the Six Sigma methodology focuses mainly on the enhancement of manufacturing spot inspections rather than the enhancement of such supportive activities as the turn around time of inventory. The Soft Systems methodology (SSM) is a style of “systems thinking” that allows us to understand the various perceptions that exist in the minds of those involved in complex management systems; it seeks to evaluate as many different options as possible. We proposed an approach which integrates SSM into the Six Sigma methodology in order to demonstrate the continuous movement of such supportive activities as the turn around time of inventory. The results showed our proposed method as being effective not only in the improvement of supportive activities but also in the improvement of manufacturing spots.
