Lean Six Sigma Practices in Small and Medium Enterprises: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

This research focuses on an extensive exploration of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) following a bibliometric analysis. The Scopus, a well-recognized scholarly database, was used to identify the publications encompassing the years from 2007 to 2024. The procedure of selecting articles adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Bibliometric analysis was conducted utilizing the Biblioshiny, a software platform within R Studio, specifically version 4.4.1. This method facilitated the identification of prominent articles, journals, countries of origin, authors, and thematic areas within the study field. The results show that research relating to implementing LSS in HEIs are continuing to grow. An analysis of the research performance according to publication output, distribution of words in article title, author keywords, performances of countries, institutes, and authors, including total, single, collaborative, first author, and corresponding author publications was conducted. Topics related to work simplification, process monitoring, critical success factors, and process engineering are likely to feature in the domain of implementing LSS within HEIs in future. The adoption of LSS strategy into the SMEs improve the quality of small and medium businesses and add value that continuously enhances the satisfaction of the customers. This paper can serve as a guide for various practices in the literature on implementing Lean Six Sigma in SMEs. Furthermore, this review provides guidance on how Lean Six Sigma approach can be applied to improve the quality of SMEs.