What is the role of academic institutions for the future development of Six Sigma?

Purpose - This paper aims to present the role that leading engineering and business schools will play for the future development of Six Sigma. Design/methodology/approach - This is a viewpoint article and the material presented in this article is based on the author's experience in the field of Six Sigma. Findings - The findings of the paper reflect some of the major limitations of Six Sigma and the paper makes an attempt to address the importance of academic institutions to engage in Six Sigma research topics. Research limitations/implications - The points expressed in this paper are based on the author's experience. It is essential to collect data on this topic from a number of leading researchers and practitioners in the field and to set out a research agenda in the future. Originality/value - This paper provides an excellent resource for those people who are currently carrying out research in Six Sigma. Moreover, the paper is equally useful to practitioners to understand the major limitations of this powerful business strategy and the role of academic institutions to address these limitations in the future.