Process improvement and organizational development: the synergies between six sigma and seam

Consultants and managers often employ explicit quantitative protocols like Six Sigma to assess and improve processes in an organization. Combining a comprehensive protocol like the Socio-Economic Approach to Management (SEAM) with the highly quantitative approaches of Six Sigma (SS) expands the contextual lens of the consultant. This paper discusses how these qualitative and quantitative methodologies can be complementary. We also discuss how an integration of SS and SEAM approaches can make consulting engagements more effective.