Six Sigma, quality management systems and the development of organisational learning capability: evidence from four business process outsourcing organisations in India

Purpose: This paper analyses the impact of Lean Six Sigma and a firm’s quality management capabilities in developing its organisational learning capability (OLC), especially in the business process outsourcing (BPO) environment of a developing country. Design/methodology/approach: Using a multiple case study incorporating embedded design, findings from four Indian BPO firms are analysed. Findings: Findings confirm the critical and relatively unexplored role that firms’ Lean Six Sigma and quality management capabilities play in developing OLCs. Research limitations/implications: Owing to its qualitative case study design, findings from this study are not able to be generalised to the wider population, instead, the findings are generalised to relevant theory for future development. Originality/value: The above relationship is examined in a novel research setting and the study also looks at which elements of Six Sigma and TQM content, if not well developed, hinder the development of OLCs.