Lean Thinking: Theory, Application and Dissemination

This book was written and compiled by the University of Huddersfield to share the learnings and experiences of seven years of Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded projects with the National Health Service (NHS). The focus of these projects was the implementation of Lean thinking and optimising strategic decision making processes. Each of these projects led to major local improvements and this book explains how they were achieved and compiles the lessons learnt. The book is split into three chapters; Lean Thinking Theory, Lean Thinking Applied and Lean Thinking Dissemination

Strategies to Implement Efficient Closing Cycles

Many financial leaders lack strategies to make the timely fiscal reporting needed for business to obtain profitability, competitive advantage, and sustainability. The purpose of this single case study was to explore successful strategies used to complete efficient closing cycles to evaluate performance and support business decisions. The conceptual framework for this study was process improvement and the theory of constraints. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 5 purposively selected leaders; data were supplemented with information from the organization\u27s website and print materials. Financial leaders who had developed successful strategies to complete timely financial statements were selected to participate in the study from a U.S. healthcare organization. Data were analyzed using Yin\u27s 5-step approach, which included examining, categorizing, tabulating, creating a data display, and testing the data. Transcript review validated that emerging themes were in alignment with participant experiences. Four major themes emerged from data analysis: provide training and professional development, promote teamwork, engage in effective communication, and use information technology. Social change implications include potential process improvement in hospitals that could provide insight into specific system processes that contribute to the rising cost of global healthcare. Financial leaders achieving increased profitability through process improvement could enable administrators to make financial contributions to their communities, expand to new markets, and create new employment opportunities

Towards Lean Service sustainability: an action research approach

This thesis argues that the sustainability of Lean philosophy adoption depends on following a systemic and holistic thinking, combining Lean technical and social dimensions. Based on the constructivism research paradigm, the study was supported on the Action Research methodology (AR), particularly the Canonical Action Research method (CAR). Acknowledging on lessons learned from two research cycles, the evolving approach to applying and sustaining Lean in a financial services provider was performed. The result was positive and the innovative approach followed was coined as Lean Service System Approach (LSSA). It combines the standard roadmap in Lean Leap model with Lean Service Critical Success Factors, covering the four perspectives of organisation, people, process and customer, within continuous improvement cycles. This approach was able to anchor Lean in the organisation over time and answered the research question of how to sustain Lean thinking in service organisations. Future research perspectives were also identified to foster further contributions to the Lean community, practitioners and academia.Esta tese argumenta que a sustentabilidade da filosofia Lean nas organizações depende da adoção de um pensamento sistémico e holístico e da combinação das suas dimensões: técnica e social. A investigação foi baseada no paradigma científico do construtivismo, suportada na metodologia de Action Research (AR), particularmente no método de Canonical Action Research (CAR). Após os dois primeiros ciclos de CAR, com a incorporação das lições aprendidas e com o propósito de manter o Lean na organização, foi efetuada uma abordagem evolutiva aplicada na implementação do Lean em um fornecedor de serviços financeiros. O resultado foi positivo, tendo sido criada uma abordagem inovadora nomeada de Lean Service System Approach (LSSA). Esta combina o modelo Lean leap com os fatores críticos de sucesso do Lean Service abarcando quatro perspetivas: organização, pessoas, processos e clientes, em ciclos de melhoria contínua. Esta abordagem foi capaz de ancorar o Lean na organização e respondeu à questão de investigação de como manter o pensamento Lean em organizações de serviços. Foram igualmente identificadas perspetivas futuras de investigação para fomentar novas contribuições para a comunidade Lean, para a indústria e para a academia

Why do Process Improvement Projects Fail in Organizations? A Review and Future Research Agenda

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine the Critical Failure Factors (CFFs) linked to various types of Process improvement (PI) projects such as Kaizen, Lean, Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma and Agile. Proposing a mitigation framework accordingly is also an aim of this study. Design/ Methodology/ Approach: This research undertakes a systematic literature review of 49 articles that were relevant to the scope of our study and that were published in four prominent databases including Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science and EBSCO. Findings: Further analysis identifies 39 factors that contribute to the failure of PI projects. Among these factors, significant emphasis is placed on issues such as "resistance to cultural change," "insufficient support from top management," "inadequate training and education," "poor communication," and "lack of resources", as primary causes of PI project failures. To address and overcome the PI project failures, we propose a framework for failure mitigation based on change management models. We present future research directions that aim to enhance both the theoretical understanding and practical aspects of PI project failures. Practical Implications: Through this study researchers and project managers can benefit from well structured guidelines and invaluable insights that will help them identify and address potential failures, leading to successful implementation and sustainable improvements within organizations. Originality: This paper is the first study of its kind that examine the CFFs of five PI methodologies and introduces a novel approach derived from change management theory as a solution to minimize the risk associated with PI failure

Equity and Excellence: Creating a Socially Responsible Shared Vision of Academic Quality

The concepts of academic quality and social responsibility in post-secondary organizations are spacious yet becoming more intertwined. With stated organizational values grounded in excellence and diversity, this Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) seeks to intersect a quality management framework with the equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts at a multi-campus college in Atlantic Canada. Specifically, the problem of practice I aim to resolve is how a shared vision of academic quality may be created through an added lens of social responsibility among the academic leadership team. In order to achieve a shared vision of academic quality, there are two main goals central to this OIP: examine the newly developed APAE framework piloted through an international partner through a lens of local community and examine our quality standards through an EDI lens. Organizational learning theory provides insights into understanding how knowledge is created and used within the organization to accomplish these goals. Central to this initiative is a trianalogous leadership framework grounded in servant, transformational, and collective leadership ideologies used to guide the leadership team in a series of Academic Quality Leadership Lessons through a community of practice model. This process is supported by an appreciative inquiry modality which draws upon the strengths of current quality management initiatives and aims to bring about positive change by enhancing the leadership team’s knowledge of socially responsible quality management practices

Framework of Six Sigma implementation analysis on SMEs in Malaysia for information technology services, products and processes

For the past two decades, the majority of Malaysia’s IT companies have been widely adopting a Quality Assurance (QA) approach as a basis for self-improvement and internal-assessment in IT project management. Quality Control (QC) is a comprehensive top-down observation approach used to fulfill requirements for quality outputs which focuses on the aspect of process outputs evaluation. However in the Malaysian context, QC and combination of QA and QC as a means of quality improvement approaches have not received significant attention. This research study aims to explore the possibility of integrating QC and QA+QC approaches through Six Sigma quality management standard to provide tangible and measureable business results by continuous process improvement to boost customer satisfactions. The research project adopted an exploratory case study approach on three Malaysian IT companies in the business area of IT Process, IT Service and IT Product. Semi-structured interviews, online surveys, self-administered questionnaires, job observations, document analysis and on-the-job-training are amongst the methodologies employed in these case studies. These collected data and viewpoints along with findings from an extensive literature review were used to benchmark quality improvement initiatives, best practices and to develop a Six Sigma framework for the context of the SMEs in the Malaysian IT industry. This research project contributed to both the theory and practice of implementing and integrating Six Sigma in IT products, services and processes. The newly developed framework has been proven capable of providing a general and fundamental start-up decision by demonstrating how a company with and without formal QIM can be integrated and implemented with Six Sigma practices to close the variation gap between QA and QC. This framework also takes into consideration those companies with an existing QIM for a new face-lift migration without having to drop their existing QIM. This can be achieved by integrating a new QIM which addresses most weaknesses of the current QIM while retaining most of the current business routine strengths. This framework explored how Six Sigma can be expanded and extended to include secondary external factors that are critical to successful QIM implementation. A vital segment emphasizes Six Sigma as a QA+QC approach in IT processes; and the ability to properly manage IT processes will result in overall performance improvement to IT Products and IT Services. The developed Six Sigma implementation framework can serve as a baseline for SMEs to better manage, control and track business performance and product quality; and at the same time creates clearer insights and un-biased views of Six Sigma implementation onto the IT industries to drive towards operational excellence

A Six Sigma-Based Approach to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance

abstract: With increasing interest in sustainability and green building, organizations are implementing programs such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (LEED-EB) in order to focus corporate sustainability goals on the operations of a facility and the practices of the building occupants. Green building programs help reduce the impact of a facility and bring about several environmental benefits including but not limited to energy conservation, water conservation and material conservation. In addition to various environmental benefits, green building programs can help companies become more efficient. The problem is that organizations are not always successful in their pursuits to achieve sustainability goals. It frequently take years to implement a program, and in many cases the goals for sustainability never come to fruition, when in the mean time resources are wasted, money is spent needlessly and opportunities are lost forever. This thesis addresses how the Six Sigma methodologies used by so many to implement change in their organizations could be applied to the LEED-EB program to help companies achieve sustainability results. A qualitative analysis of the Six Sigma methodologies was performed to determine if and how a LEED-EB program might utilize such methods. The two programs were found to be compatible and several areas for improvements to implementing a LEED-EB program were identified.Dissertation/ThesisM.S. Technology 201