A Six Sigma‐based method to renovate information services: Focusing on information acquisition process
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe a Six Sigma‐based method to renovate library and information services with great emphasis on the information acquisition process.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper conducts a case study into a corporate research library of a telecom company in Korea to identify and remove ineffective components and unnecessary steps in library works and services. Specifically, it uses Six Sigma's DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, and control) methodology to improve the process of purchasing overseas academic/scientific information and to enhance user satisfaction with information utilization.
Findings
The paper identifies 12 key factors, which have a great effect on information acquisition time and information utilization, and then proposes the improvement plans for those identified factors. Thanks to the successful implementation of Six Sigma, information acquisition time has been reduced from 25.9 days to 8.1 days, and the level of user satisfaction with information utilization has been greatly increased from 6.74 points to 8.46 points on the Likert scale.
Originality/value
This study is very meaningful in that it is the first attempt in Korea to apply Six Sigma to library and information services. In this work, Six Sigma has been applied only to an information purchase process, but can be extended to a variety of other library processes such as loan, cataloging, etc. for the purpose of raising the efficiency of library works and improving the quality of other information services.
Keywords
Citation
Kim, Y., Jeong Kim, E. and Gyo Chung, M. (2010), "A Six Sigma‐based method to renovate information services: Focusing on information acquisition process", Library Hi Tech, Vol. 28 No. 4, pp. 632-647. https://doi.org/10.1108/07378831011096286
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited