William K. Balzer, David E. Francis, Timothy C. Krehbiel and Nicholas Shea
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…
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.
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Sandra Meredith and David Francis
Competitive advantage increasingly rests upon a dynamic capability to compete successfully in an environment of frequent, challenging and, often, unpredictable change. Sustaining…
Abstract
Competitive advantage increasingly rests upon a dynamic capability to compete successfully in an environment of frequent, challenging and, often, unpredictable change. Sustaining competitive advantage through price alone is no longer a viable strategy for most firms. Firms need to succeed in markets where a range of non‐price advantages are expected by customers. Order‐winning criteria include rate of innovation, fitness for purpose, volume flexibility, variety, extreme customisation and, above all, rapid responsiveness. Increasing global and local competition mean that companies unable to respond to these customer demands are unlikely to survive. Deployment of the principles and practices of agile enterprise appears to offer a solution. This paper, based upon preliminary findings of the Agile Manufacturing Research Group (AMRG), discusses these issues and, through the introduction of the agile wheel reference model (AWRM), identifies the specific policies and practices that support agility.
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Zhenreenah Muhxinga, Corrine Douglas, David Francis, Mark Laville, Sidney Millin, Juliana Pamfield, Peter Smith and Raymond Smith
A group of African and Caribbean people decided to tell mental health workers and others in east London about their struggles to achieve mental health. They wanted to show that…
Abstract
A group of African and Caribbean people decided to tell mental health workers and others in east London about their struggles to achieve mental health. They wanted to show that black people with mental health problems are individuals, with different histories and different talents. They wanted to show that it is possible for African and Caribbean service users to rebuild their lives after a mental health crisis and even after years in and out of hospital. In this article, Zhenreenah Muhxinga describes how they produced a book of stories to challenge the familiar assumption that recovery is not an option for black people.
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B. Kim Barnes and Olivier LeCointre
– The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how to build and maintain an active network of innovators inside a large organization.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how to build and maintain an active network of innovators inside a large organization.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper describes the process used by a senior manager at a large pharmaceutical company in France to create a flexible structure that would enable innovators and seekers of innovation to connect and move interesting and promising ideas toward implementation.
Findings
One of the authors describes his approach, which included inviting graduates of a program in innovation management to design the structure of the network. He has successfully conducted about 30 problem-centered network sessions, based upon the process taught in the Managing Innovation program (a copyrighted program of Barnes & Conti Associates Inc. and David Francis, PhD) These sessions have successfully moved a number of practical and creative ideas forward.
Research limitations/implications
The authors believe that this type of innovation network could be replicated successfully in other large organizations. The process, however, requires a senior manager who is a very involved and invested sponsor/champion.
Practical implications
Problems that require innovative solutions can be brought to a diverse group of innovators who are interested in working on it. The format involves multiple, rapid prototyping, and saves considerable time and money while providing practical and vetted solutions or inventions.
Social implications
An innovation network provides an outlet for members to use their creative imagination to address a wide variety of problems. In this way, they can continue to build their own skills while contributing value to their organizations.
Originality/value
Leaders always hope to maximize the value of their investment in training and development. Creating a format that takes advantage of and continues to build skills in areas such as innovation management optimizes an organization's ROI in leadership development while providing a valuable service to the organization.
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The silhouette of the little fellow with baggy trousers, decrepit oversize shoes, undersize derby, frayed short cutaway, sporting a bamboo cane and jet black mustache is…
Abstract
The silhouette of the little fellow with baggy trousers, decrepit oversize shoes, undersize derby, frayed short cutaway, sporting a bamboo cane and jet black mustache is recognized worldwide. Charlie Chaplin's slight 5′ 4″ stature complemented that costume, his symbol for a lifetime. Hunched shoulders, sorrowful face, and frightened air made Charlie look all the more vulnerable. As early as 1916, the reputable English magazine Tatler commented, “The lineaments of Mr. Chaplin are known to the uttermost ends of the earth and his face may be described as one upon which the sun never sets.”
Jonathan S. Leonard, Benoit Mulkay and Marc Van Audenrode
Bruce J. Avolio, David A. Waldman and Francis J. Yammarino
The characteristics which differentiate transactional fromtransformational leadership are discussed, highlighting the differencesbetween managers and leaders. Four distinct…
Abstract
The characteristics which differentiate transactional from transformational leadership are discussed, highlighting the differences between managers and leaders. Four distinct characteristics – the Fours I′s – associated with transformational leadership are described with respect to their evolution and influence on follower development, effort and performance. The advantages of combining transactional and transformational leadership styles into an overall framework of leadership development for leading in the 1990s are also discussed.
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David Bell and Francis McErlean
The clustering of objects in a layered object storage system is by common consent an exceedingly difficult problem. Studies the performance of three heuristic placement…
Abstract
The clustering of objects in a layered object storage system is by common consent an exceedingly difficult problem. Studies the performance of three heuristic placement algorithms. A series of eight reasonably realistic case studies were used as a benchmark battery, and several hundred experiments were carried out to evaluate results of using the algorithms. Presents the results and the insights gained from the study.