An exploratory study of best lean sustainability practices in higher education

Comm, Clare L.; Mathaisel, Dennis F. X.

doi:10.1108/09684880510607963

Cited by 52 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Financial stability and sustainability are now viewed as requirements for survival. In order to increase operating margins and profits, HEIs have implemented initiatives to reduce or control costs (Comm and Mathaisel, 2005). One such strategy is the implementation of lean principles and practices.…”

Section: The He Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Waste identification and elimination in HEIs: the role of Lean thinking

Douglas

Antony

Douglas³

2015

International Journal of Quality &Amp; Reliability Management

108

121

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Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to translate the eight wastes of Lean for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), identify some examples of each waste and to propose appropriate Lean solutions to those wastes.Design/methodology/approach -To identify wastes within HEIs a combination of observation and cause-and-effect analysis utilising brainstorming were employed using a convenience sample of HE academic staff.Findings -Once all eight wastes were successfully translated for HEIs a range of examples were identified in both academic and support services, including excessive movement of people, over production of materials, excessive inventory and waste of human resources. Appropriate Lean solutions to the identified wastes include the use of 5S, point-of-usestorage, process mapping/value stream mapping and level scheduling.Research limitations/implications -The cited examples come from a limited number of observationsin only a few HEIs. More valid and reliable data would come from a more extensive sample of HEIs.Practical implications -In order to improve bottom-line performance in times of constrained resources HEIs can reduce waste and hence costs of poor quality by using Lean thinking and accessing, what Joseph Juran (1962) called, "The gold in the mine". This can be done without reducing the level of services.Social implications -Particularly in a recession, HEIs need to show that they are using government funding (public money) in the most efficient and effective way possible. Lean thinking can help achieve both these objectives.Originality/value -Previous papers on Lean thinking applied to HEIs have concentrated on individual processes such as curriculum design or student assessment. This paper takes a holistic view demonstrating how Lean thinking theories can be practically applied across both academic and administrative areas of HEI operations.

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Section: The He Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Waste identification and elimination in HEIs: the role of Lean thinking

Douglas

Antony

Douglas³

2015

International Journal of Quality &Amp; Reliability Management

108

121

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Ini bermakna, tanpa mengira sama ada hospital tersebut milik kerajaan (awam) atau individu (swasta), campur tangan kerajaan di dalam strategi operasi kedua-duanya tidak mempengaruhi kejayaan operasi organisasi. Walaupun hasil kajian ini bercanggah dengan beberapa pendapat sebelum ini yang melihat campur tangan kerajaan memberi kesan negatif terhadap penggunaan amalan penambahbaikan kualiti (Comm & Mathaisel 2005;Hooijberg & Choi 2001), namun jika dilihat semula kepada paradigma Pengurusan Awam Baru (New Public Management) ianya adalah selari. Menurut beberapa penyelidik dalam Pengurusan Awam Baru, ciri-ciri sektor kerajaan adalah terarah kepada organik dan pendekatannya mengenai penggunaan amalan penambahbaikan kualiti lebih terbuka.…”

Section: Perbincangan Dan Kesimpulanunclassified

Faktor Kejayaan Pemikiran Lean dan Pencapaian Operasi di Sektor Perkhidmatan

Hamid¹,

Ismail²

2016

Pengurusan

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“…Asset management was less robust but there was evidence of process mapping and a drive towards ensuring staff were working to their design intent (although this was better managed in HEI 1 than in HEI 2). Comm and Mathasisel (2005a) Hines and Lethbridge (2008) Comm and Mathasisel (2005b) Questionnaire to 18 public and private universities in the USA and analysed Semi structures interviews with client universities in the USA along with a comprehensive literature review to provide an understanding of various…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comparative study of Lean implementation in higher and further education institutions in the UK

Thomas

Antony

Francis

et al. 2015

International Journal of Quality &Amp; Reliability Management

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Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to investigate and understand the differences that exist between educational institutions in the methods and practices employed in the development and implementation of Lean projects. Whilst many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are now starting their journey towards effectively implementing Lean, Further Education Institutions (FEIs) have treaded this well worn path many years previously and so the aim of this paper is to find what key features and issues FEIs have put in place to assist them in implementing Lean projects and whether HEIs can learn from such institutions. Design/methodology/approach -The paper applies two research methods in an attempt to understand the differences between the institutions and hence understand the key features that can be used to better implement Lean initiatives. First, through a series of focus groups, the authors employ a low-level form of Group Consensus Theory in an attempt to understand the organisational dynamics surrounding the adoption of Lean. This is used to understand whether Lean improvement teams within FEIs implement such initiatives with the autonomy and support from senior management. Second, the same group members, detailed interviews were held in order to identify further and more specific information around the tools and techniques employed in the implementation of Lean initiatives in both HEI and FEIs. Findings -The study found that although FEIs had much more experience in the design, development and implementation of Lean initiatives, the organisational infrastructure and dynamics towards driving Lean in FEIs was less well embedded in to the culture of the respective institutions than first thought and, that Lean had been developed and driven initially by a consultancy-based approach and around a tool-driven mentality. It was seen that whilst HEIs were generally slower in getting off the mark, there seemed to be more enthusiasm and willingness to drive such initiatives forward and in a more systematic and holistic manner even though some of the projects were in their very early stages of implementation. Research limitations/implications -Whilst this work provides key information on how Lean initiatives are implemented across different institution types, the work has only looked at a very small sample of two teaching focused HEI and two FEIs. The work will need to be extended much more widely to incorporate a larger set of HEIs (both research and teaching focused) in order to provide a more complete map of Lean development in HEIs.Practical implications -The aim of the paper is to provide Lean project leaders in HEIs with some additional key insights towards the cultural and organisation dynamics that exist in educational institutions other than HEIs in order to assist them in developing further and more comprehensive Lean programmes. Originality/value -This paper is the first of its kind to study the organisational and cultural dynamics that exist between differing educational institutions in their approaches towar...

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An exploratory study of best lean sustainability practices in higher education

Cited by 52 publications

References 6 publications

Waste identification and elimination in HEIs: the role of Lean thinking

Waste identification and elimination in HEIs: the role of Lean thinking

Faktor Kejayaan Pemikiran Lean dan Pencapaian Operasi di Sektor Perkhidmatan

A comparative study of Lean implementation in higher and further education institutions in the UK

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