A review and perspective on Lean in higher education

Abstract

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the accumulated body of research on Lean in higher education, draw conclusions to help guide successful Lean implementations and propose future research directions to establish a rich base of knowledge that informs both practice and research. Design/methodology/approach-This literature review examines the academic literature regarding the use of Lean in higher education across 64 publications. EBSCO definitions were used to assess and present the synthesized results, which are detailed at the department/unit level and at the organizational level. Findings-Overall, Lean appears to have significant and measurable value when used to improve academic and administrative operations in higher education. Such improvements are effective at the department/unit level or throughout the entire institution. However, implementing Lean within an institution is a serious undertaking that is most impactful if it involves long-term, strategic planning. Research limitations/implications-The groundwork has been established for the development of conceptual frameworks to further guide Lean initiatives in higher education. Such frameworks, together with further integration of organizational development and change management literature will define best practices when implementing Lean locally and throughout the institution. Originality/value-At the time of this writing, there has been no systematic review or integration of the published literature about Lean in higher education. This review provides a highly useful starting point for researchers interested in further developing theory about quality in academic institutions.

A Continuous Improvement Journey in the Higher Education Sector: A Case Study of a University in Ireland

“…Increased interest in the potential of LSS in the HEI environment is evident in pioneering work by Emiliani (2004;2005), Waterbury and Holm (2011) and Hines and Lethbridge (2008) and more recently through cases studies, evaluations and reviews Waterbury, 2015;Balzer, et al, 2016;Bateman et al, 2014). While early work in pioneering institutions reflect the experimental nature of the such initiatives, more recent work has endeavoured to identify key characteristics of the HEI environment that impact on deployment of LSS and identify key challenges faced by HEIs (Radnor and Bucci 2011;Thirkell and Ashman, 2014;Antony et al, 2012;Waterbury, 2015).…”

“…While is increasing evidence of the potential LSS in the Higher Education Sector (Balzer, et al, 2016), there is need learn from strategies and practice within the universities themselves. This paper focuses on the deployment of Lean Six Sigma in a university environment.…”

exploration of the application of lean continuous improvement in higher education

“…Researchers have studied the application of LCI in manufacturing since 1988, and a few academics have done so in higher education since 2000. However, too little is known about the effectiveness of applying LCI to higher education (Balzer, Francis, Krehbiel, & Shea, 2016;Paris, 2007;Waterbury, 2011).…”

“…Lean Continuous Improvement (LCI) is one method of quality improvement that is commonly used in manufacturing to improve processes, create efficiencies, increase the quality of products, and save money (Dennis, 2007;Waterbury, 2011;Wiegel & Brouwer-Hadzialic, 2015;Womack and Jones, 2003). Researchers have studied the application of Lean in manufacturing since 1988, and academics have done so in higher education since 2000 (Balzer, Francis, Krehbiel, & Shea, 2016;Comm, 2005). This theme reviews the literature that explains what Lean is, and how it developed, and explores its use in manufacturing and higher education.…”

“…Academics have studied the application of Lean in higher education since Dahlgaard and Østergaard's first reference in 2000. However, application is often limited to the department level, particularly in the United States (Balzer, Francis, Krehbiel, & Shea, 2016;Radnor & Bucci, 2011). The purpose of this case study is to understand the conditions and environments that are present during the institution-wide application of Lean Continuous Improvement at the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI).…”