The use and application of lean has continued to diffuse across industrial sectors and in the past decades has begun to attract increased interest in the public sectors in general and in higher education institutions in particular. This paper is a case study of the adaptation of lean principles and practices to drive improvement efforts in an HR function at a large public university. The study identifies how HR was able to successfully adapt lean principles and practices to improve organisational processes and systems.

The use and application of lean has continued to diffuse across industrial sectors and in the past decades has begun to attract increased interest in the public sectors in general and in higher education institutions in particular. This paper is a case study of the adaptation of lean principles and practices to drive improvement efforts in an HR function at a large public university. The study identifies how HR was able to successfully adapt lean principles and practices to improve organisational processes and systems.