Is six sigma a management fad or fact?

Purpose - This paper aims to present the results of a study carried out by the author in the form of a panel discussion on the topic - "Is Six Sigma another management fad or fact?" Design/methodology/approach - The approach taken for this paper was to form a panel of leading academics and practitioners who are familiar with the six sigma topic as well as general quality management/improvement fields. Findings - The findings of this panel discussion was quite stimulating and the author believes that this will be extremely useful to both researchers and practitioners of six sigma. Research limitations/implications - One limitation of this panel discussion was that majority of the people who participated in this study come from the USA. It would have been better to have different views from other parts of the world such as China, Sweden, Hong Kong, Australia, The Netherlands, Germany, etc. Originality/value - The paper provides an excellent resource for those people who would like to know whether six sigma is just a management fad or fact. The people who had participated in this panel discussion were carefully chosen by the author.