Lean practices toward a balanced sustainability in higher education institutions: a Brazilian experience

Abstract

Purpose As few studies have explored the causal relationship between both the triple bottom line (TBL) of sustainability and the lean practices in higher education institutions (HEIs), the purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationships between lean practices and sustainable practices in Brazilian HEIs. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted with 454 public and private HEIs workers in Brazil. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equations modeling were used for data analysis. Findings The results support the hypotheses of the study that HEI lean practices are positively related to environmental, economic and social practices in HEIs. Practical implications HEI managers must evaluate the use of lean practices in the organizational processes, to identify their weaknesses and to improve the aspects that influence a balanced TBL of sustainability practices. Social implications The findings highlight the importance of leadership as a support for the workers, as a continuous improvement practice on a daily basis and a focus on the student as a basic principle of HEI success. Originality/value This article provides new measurement and structural models to analyze Lean thinking practices as the predictors of sustainability practices. The work could assist any HEI in prioritizing its strategies and actions and to contribute to excellence in decision-making. This study could contribute as a source of empirical data for transferability in other contexts for HEIs.

The Influence of Lean Management Practices on Process Effectiveness: A Quantitative Study in a Public Institution

“…Both management systems take the customer as a basis to improve processes through continuous improvements procedures and thus make them more “clean,” objective and effective. By mapping processes, the organization can identify value adding activities (and non-value ones), delays, and resources employed in the system (Tiso et al, 2021) what becomes essential to optimize continuous improvements and waste elimination practices (Klein et al, 2021a). These elements interact in the Lean System to the pursued objective of higher quality and valued activities (Al-Aomar & Hussain, 2019; Rodgers & Antony, 2019) generating effectiveness.…”

“…The realization of actions and plans with a long-term focus, even if it leads to financial losses in the short term, is essential because the application of Lean requires changes in culture and in the relationship with all stakeholders, which ends up leading to long-term commitments (Ingelsson & Mårtensson, 2014;Womack et al, 2004). Klein et al (2021a) found in their study that long-term thinking composes a set of Lean practices that influence positively economic practices, which in turn envolve strategies and actions that improve efficiency and effectiveness. Dave (2017) exposes the necessary equilibrium within people, technology, and process, and the integration with suppliers to achieve a trusty and mutual long-term relationship to obtain as a result a stronger process improvement.…”

“…Waterman and McCue (2012) state that to encompass this alignment about their values and practices, the Lean system can be seen as a management philosophy that includes the use of various tools and practices. Some of them are long-term thinking, waste elimination, continuous improvement, leadership support, supplier involvement, focus on clients, operational excellence, supply chain management, system view, etc, described by Womack et al (2004), Liker (2004), Scherrer-Rathje et al (2009, Shamah (2013), Marodin et al (2017), Gómez-Luciano et al (2018, Hussain and Malik (2016), Juliani and de Oliveira (2020), and Klein et al (2021a). To the development of this study, those practices applicable to the public sector and for the studied organization were specified in the next paragraphs.…”

“…This practice is very well aligned to the pursuit of making organizational activities more effective, since it involves internal and external processes, management or operational improvements, and low or high levels to optimize organizational activities, redraw flows, reduce waste, and generate lower costs (Fiorillo et al, 2021; Klein et al, 2021a; O’Reilly et al, 2019). By continuously improving daily tasks, processes become “clearer” and more effective and the achieving of greater organizational effectiveness with less resources is allowed (Rymaszewska, 2017).…”

“…Klein et al (2021a) found in their study that long-term thinking composes a set of Lean practices that influence positively economic practices, which in turn envolve strategies and actions that improve efficiency and effectiveness. Dave (2017) exposes the necessary equilibrium within people, technology, and process, and the integration with suppliers to achieve a trusty and mutual long-term relationship to obtain as a result a stronger process improvement.…”