Lean Six Sigma in manufacturing process: a bibliometric study and research agenda

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to develop a bibliometric study about Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in the manufacturing process and to conduct an analysis of sources of publication, authorship, citations and other bibliometric indicators. This paper also identifies the research agenda for future research related to the LSS approach in manufacturing processes. Design/methodology/approach - A total of 508 articles published during the period 2002 to 2017 were collected through an automated process from the Scopus and Web of Science databases and later analyzed using techniques such as data mining, bibliometric indicators analysis, cluster analysis, network analysis and word cloud. The boundaries of the study cover studies directed to the manufacturing processes. Findings - The research identified 1,110 authors from 54 countries and 15 most prolific journals among the 162 journals investigated. The study unveils relevant articles, authors and journals that have discussed LSS initiatives in the manufacturing process. Practical implications - The study findings can make practitioners aware of the state of the art and the specificities of the most prolific studies. Furthermore, this paper also intends to clarify the project themes and tools most used in these works. Originality/value - The geographical locations of influential articles and authors are revealed. Additionally, frequently used words are listed and helped to develop a research agenda that highlights relevant themes, methods and industries.