Purpose–Many organizations have reported significant benefits after the implementation of Lean SixSigma (LSS). Embracing LSS requires asking some important questions: How Lean Six Sigma Readiness(LESIRE) can be measured? How can an organization identify the barriers for LESIRE? Answers to thesequestions are critical to both academicians and practitioners. The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approach–This study illustrates the development process of a Lean Six SigmaReadiness (LESIRE) evaluation model to assess an organization’s readiness for LSS deployment using thefuzzy approach. The model was developed from 4 enablers, 16 criteria and 46 attributes of LSS, identifiedthrough a literature review.Findings–To demonstrate the efficiency of the model, this study testing the LESIRE evaluation model inthree Indian SMEs. Using experts’ratings and weight, the researchers calculated the Fuzzy Lean Six Sigmaindex (FLSS) which indicates the LESIRE level of an organization and the Fuzzy Performance ImportanceIndex (FPII) that helps to identify the barriers for LESIRE.Research limitations/implications–The main limitations of this study are that it did not consider thefailure factors of LSS for model development and the LESIRE was only tested in manufacturing industries.Thus, future researchers could focus on developing a model with failure factors. The results obtained from theSMEs show that LESIRE is capable of assessing LESIRE in an industrial scenario and helps practitioners tomeasure LESIRE for the future decision making process.Practical implications–The LESIRE model is easy to understand and use without much computationcomplexity. This simplicity makes the LESIRE evaluation model unique from other LSS models. Further,LESIRE was tested in three different SMEs, and it aided them to identify and improve their weak areas,thereby readying them for LSS deployment.Originality/value–The main contribution of this study it proposes a LESIRE model that evaluates theorganization for FLSS and FPII for LESIRE, which is essential for the organization embarking on an LSSjourney. Further, it improves the readiness of the organization that is already practicing LSS.
