Critical success factors are key elements that enable the success of projects. This research work proposes the design and validation of an instrument to evaluate the implementation of six sigma critical success factors during improvement projects in higher education institutions. Eleven critical success factors were selected from the literature on the six sigma methodology, including managerial participation and commitment, six sigma linkage with the institutional strategy, six sigma linkage with suppliers, communication, and team member selection, among others. The instrument was validated among Mexican higher education institutions, from which 743 surveys were collected. Namely, the instrument was administered to experienced improvement project developers. Then, the collected data were analyzed, first by means of an exploratory factor analysis, and later with a confirmatory factor analysis using software program SPSS Amos R. Our results demonstrate that the proposed instrument is statistically valid, so it can be used by higher education institutions to evaluate how Six Sigma critical success factors are handled during improvement projects development. Similarly, the survey can help universities detect areas of opportunity when adopting the six sigma methodology and fit models to evaluate how critical success factors interact among them to achieve the expected results of improvement projects. INDEX TERMS Confirmatory factor analysis, construct validation, higher education, improvement projects, six sigma.

El presente trabajo analiza los proyectos de mejora que se desarrollan en las Instituciones de Educación Superior en México, para evaluar la posible incorporación de la metodología Seis Sigma como una estructura para la realización de dichos proyectos. Para esto se aplicó una encuesta en la región noroeste de México y la información obtenida sugiere que la mayoría de las universidades basan sus esfuerzos en la norma ISO 9001, en los sistemas de acreditación externos y en menor medida utilizan otras estrategias. Sin embargo, en el desarrollo de estos proyectos se utilizan algunas herramientas fundamentales de Seis Sigma. También se observa que se cumplen algunos factores básicos que facilitan su implementación. Esto hace suponer que la integración de la estructura de la metodología DMAMC (Definir, Medir, Analizar, Mejorar y Controlar) a las estrategias de mejora que ya se utilizan es factible. Esto podría impactar positivamente en los procesos de las Instituciones de Educación Superior.

Improvement projects (IPs) are a fundamental element in any quality management system from any organization. In Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), IPs are constantly implemented to maintain excellence in academic and administrative processes. In this study, we propose a model for IP implementation that is based on the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program (BPEP). As a part of the model, we propose a series of research hypotheses to be tested. The data used to test the hypotheses were gathered from a questionnaire that was developed after an extensive literature review. The survey was administered to Mexican public HEIs, and more than 700 responses were collected. The data were assessed in terms of convergent and discriminant validity, obtaining satisfactory results. To test the proposed relationships between the model constructs, we utilized Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using the software IBM SPSS Amos. The analysis confirmed the statistical validity of both the model and the hypotheses. In conclusion, our model for IP implementation is a useful tool for HEIs that seek to attain excellence in their processes through IPs. (2020) Improvement project in higher education institutions: A BPEP-based model. PLoS ONE 15(1): e0227353. https://doi.

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