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Mapping the lens of Lean Six Sigma in human resource management: a systematic review of literature and bibliometric analysis

Mahender Singh Kaswan,Gayatri Panda,Rekha Chaudhary,Shilpee Aggarwal

Published 2026 in International Journal of Lean Six Sigma

ABSTRACT

Human resource activities are one of the key factors that lead to improved organisational performance. Still, many organisations overlook this primary aspect of performance and focus solely on tangible activities. Lean Six Sigma (LSS) support different activities of human resource management (HRM) and lead to the development of an ecosystem of continuous improvement through collaborative learning and problem solving. But it is imperative to establish the linkage of LSS with HRM, so that the performance of the employee and organisation productivity can be enhanced. For this, the present study aims to review existing studies on LSS within HRM and provide the present status quo. Further, this study also aims to present emerging themes related to LSS-HRM and develop a future reference model that leads to improved organisational performance. This study used bibliometric analysis and a systematic literature review (SLR) to identify and analyse publications in the relevant research area from 2010 to 2024. After identifying an initial set of 323 articles using the SCOPUS database, 47 articles were chosen for additional analysis based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The present study provides a time-phased thematic evaluation to understand evolving research themes. It also presents the theories, context, characteristics and methodology (TCCM) framework. Furthermore, this study presents a future research model for integrating LSS within the HRM field, aiming to enhance organisational efficacy and sustainability. Despite its valuable contributions, this study is not devoid of constraints. Firstly, as the landscape of LSS within HRM is increasing day by day, and considering this study’s scope up to 2024, there is a possibility that some of the latest articles related to the field may not have been included in this study. Secondly, as the scope of this study is narrow, other quality management methods, such as total quality management (TQM), benchmarking and just-in-time (JIT), especially their linkage with LSS, have not been considered in the study. Thirdly, as most studies related to the considered research field are descriptive, studies on the practical implementation of LSS within HRM can be included to validate the applications of LSS within HRM. Practitioners and managers can utilise the various aspects of LSS and HRM presented in the review to enhance their employees’ knowledge base regarding LSS-HRM, thereby improving their abilities and facilitating the effective implementation of LSS within HRM. Further, the future reference model presented in the present study facilitates HR managers at both strategic and tactical levels. LSS reduces waste and fosters a culture of collaboration and ownership, resulting in improved employee retention. At the strategic level, the future reference model developed facilitates that LSS leads to improved training programs, identification of key areas of training and exploration of key performance indicators that lead to improved system capability and performance evaluation system. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the present study is one of the first to provide a TCCM model of LSS and HRM, as well as a future model of integrated LSS and HRM, for improved organisational performance. Furthermore, the study’s uniqueness also lies in a thematic, time-framed evaluation model that facilitates a better understanding of the potential themes within the research realm.

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