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Maple Leaf Foods Six Sigma

Case 5: Maple Leaf Foods (A): Leading Six Sigma Change

Introduction: This case study investigates Maple Leaf Foods' (MLF), a highly successful diversified corporation, proactive approach to the implementation of the rigorous, culture penetrating and comprehensive measurement-based philosophy, Six Sigma. In fact, MLFs' change champions and "dynamic duo", Michael McCain, president and chief executive officer (CEO), and Bruce Miyashita, vice-president (VP) Six Sigma, unequivocal support, confidence, vision, and expertise in this process improvement and variation reduction strategy ignited the essential motivation and stakeholder loyalty that was paramount to the receptivity/achievement of their "well-thought out" conversion and implementation phases. Moreover, the Six Sigma method was utilized as a benchmark standard to catapult MLF's organizational processes and business functions to an unprecedented level; thus affording the company an unrivaled position and an unrivaled competitive advantage in its respective industries.

A database defines Olympian: as being majestic in manner or bearing; superior to mundane matters; far beyond what is usual in magnitude or degree; an exceptional memory . And surprisingly, Six Sigma quality control appeared under this definition. In fact, an analogy to the Six Sigma process, which is an all-encompassing development strategy, is a majestic Olympian athlete's pre and post calisthenics' strategies. Namely, both require: time; toolkits of resources; expert training/feedback and measurement strategies to plot their effectiveness; such as, coaches, mentors, and other stakeholders who consistently provide various means of monetary, emotional, physical, technical, and diverse supplementary support. Equally important, both entities embrace mindsets of continual process improvements and variation reductions strategies to tackle internal and external changes (for example, the Olympian has to cope with the residuals effects that...