Driving Operational Excellence in Higher Learning Institutions: Integrating Shingo Model, Lean Six Sigma, Hoshin Kanri

PurposeThis study aims to describe how the Hoshin Kanri (HK) strategic methodology facilitates implementation of lean management (LM), achieving greater integration of the strategic and operational levels, resulting in higher performance level.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted an in-depth case study of a top-10 Spanish food retail company with experience in HK and LM. First, the authors conducted 17 semi-structured interviews with the management team. Second, the authors analyzed all minutes from meetings of the key management entities for HK monitoring over a period of 3 years (2016–2019). Third, the authors evaluated the reports and key scorecards for the same period. Finally, authors visited the operating facilities and attended multiple team management meetings.FindingsThis study demonstrates that deploying HK creates the strategic ecosystem for operations management that facilitates successful implementation of LM. By sharing common cultural concepts, both methodologies generate faster transformation of the organization and thus push it towards its strategic objectives with more determination and better performance.Originality/valueThe lack of strategic alignment is one of the most important reasons for LM failure. Although HK is a strategic methodology that facilitates this alignment, a gap exists in the literature on the benefits of HK for implementation of continuous improvement initiatives such as LM. Our research shows how HK enables a participative connection between the strategic and operational areas of the firm that reinforces the fundamental elements of LM. Employee involvement, widespread use of plan-do-check-act (PDCA) methodology and multidisciplinary work (among other effects) make HK a key element for successful implementation of LM.

Objective: This review is to explore the role of education information technology in the construction and management of modern Institutions of higher learning and modern high education, and how to use information technology to promote the development and management of Institutions of higher learning and Higher education. Methods: The relevant education information and data at home and abroad were collected from the Internet, and the Institutions of higher learning and Higher education and management of the modern Institutions of higher learning were compared and analyzed to compare the role of education information of the Institutions of higher learning and Higher education.
 Results: After the effective implementation of education information in the Institutions of higher learning, the technical level and efficiency of the Institutions of higher learning management technology in the modern Institutions of higher learning were obviously improved, so that students could communication with teacher more conveniently, and teacher and staff could have a higher level of communication of education.
 Conclusions: The use of education information can significantly improve the overall management level of the Institutions of higher learning and Higher education.
 Improve the construction and management of modern the Institutions of higher learning which is of great significance to the improvement of the level of education and management technology in the Institutions of higher learning and Higher education.
 Educational information is the way to promote the development of colleges and universities, and also an important way to modernization.
 The comprehensive use of modern information technology based on network communication and computer multimedia is conducive to the cultivation of students' innovative spirit and practical ability. Under the network environment, the teaching content, teaching means and teaching forms can be improved and innovated, which can serve for the high quality completion of teaching tasks, the optimization of teaching process and the rapid achievement of teaching objectives, so as to continuously improve the school-running efficiency and adapt to the new needs and requirements of the information society for the development of education.

One of the most difficult tasks in higher educational institutions is to implement effective and constructive changes within already functioning system. Resistance and unwillingness of the institutional members are the main barriers for an institution to implement a required change. This paper intends to describe how to facilitate the flow of knowledge and adopt an innovation mindset in the context of higher education or higher learning institutions. In addition, this paper also discusses three domains of a comprehensive implementation or change management plan: structure, culture, and strategies. The change management plan presented in this paper demonstrates how a change initiative can be undertaken in a higher educational institution in the context of knowledge flow and adoption of the innovation mindset. The main outcome of the paper is that institutional mission, vision and priorities need to be clearly understood by every member of the staff in order to support and facilitate change and innovative thinking.

Hoshin kanri (HK), or strategy deployment, has been an integral part of the company management practices of some of the most successful Lean-practicing organizations. The purpose of this note is to give a very quick introduction to how it has been successfully used in small and medium-sized value streams to inject strategic meaning and tactical understanding to operational strategies and improvement plans. Done well, HK is an extraordinary tool to help a team develop, adjust, and communicate strategy to meet robust, long-term goals. Excerpt UVA-OM-1710 Nov. 30, 2020 A Brief Note on Hoshin Kanri: Strategy Deployment Hoshin kanri (HK), or strategy deployment, has been an integral part of the company management practices of some of the most successful Lean-practicing organizations. Done well, it is an extraordinary tool to help a team develop, adjust, and communicate strategy to meet robust, long-term goals. Hoshin (loosely translated as policy, plan, purpose, or target) is meant to encompass strategic alignment across the organization. The organization can be as large as the entire company or as small as an individual value stream. Kanri (loosely translated as control or management) is meant to indicate that this management tool is a disciplined manner of continuous improvement execution. Hoshin can be thought of as the skeleton that holds the strategy together while kanri can be thought of as the muscle that performs the task. Both must be exercised in order to have and maintain a strong body. Most importantly, HK must be grounded at gemba, intent on creating customer value, and built around continuous improvement. It should not take on a bureaucratic air of driving strategy. Mark Reich has described HK as “a mechanism, a management system that allows the organization to quickly and effectively adjust its priorities while engaging the team,” and “a systemic approach for defining a strategy, and, more importantly, a management system that engages all people to support that strategy while building horizontal and vertical alignment.” One of the keys to HK's success is its simple, easy-to-understand construct. Fundamentally, a few pages help develop and communicate what the long-term goals are, what and how the value stream plans on accomplishing them, as well as who the responsible leader is and how progress will be measured. Done well, this will end with more engagement, ownership, and accountability by all levels of the organization. . . .

PurposeThis paper builds on the debate regarding the application of Lean strategy principles and tools in modern organizations, specifically focusing on the healthcare (HC) sector. The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to highlight the potential role played by Lean strategy tools for strategic planning and management, particularly in reference to the Hoshin Kanri policy deployment system and the “focus, alignment, integration, and review” (FAIR) method; second, to discuss how Lean strategy can be operationalized, specifically relying on the X-Matrix reporting tool; and third, to explore how simulation techniques, in the form of role-playing (RP), may support the aforementioned operationalization of Lean strategy while at the same time promoting policymaking and knowledge sharing.Design/methodology/approachThis research adopts a case study approach. Specifically, the paper relies on the use of a RP Lean strategy project developed in a HC setting.FindingsThe paper highlights the potential for the Hoshin Kanri policy deployment process in HC, also emphasizing the main strengths of X-Matrix reporting and the usefulness of the RP technique to support learning acquisition and decision making.Practical implicationsThe paper demonstrates how a Lean strategy simulation project may be effectively used for strategic planning/management and to train professionals in HC. To achieve these aims, a methodology to design and implement simulation-based Lean strategy projects in HC is presented and discussed.Originality/valueA review of the academic literature indicates that Lean strategy is still an emerging research topic addressed by only a limited number of articles. The paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of Lean strategy (particularly Hoshin Kanri and X-Matrix) with particular reference to the HC sector.

Propose of the study: This paper intends to explore the concept of sustainable higher education leadership and to develop a propose conceptual approach of leadership for higher institutions of learning from the perspective of the functionalist paradigm. The Methodology: The paper critically analyzed the concept of sustainable higher education leadership, explore the functionalist paradigm, and their relevance in leading higher institutions of learning. The paper have methodologically selected the three main concepts of the paradigm and link them with higher institutions of learning and work out a plan and modalities on how they could be applied in practice. Main Findings: The main findings and the contribution of the paper were identified in the two main sections. The first, explore the definitions and features of various functionalist paradigm and its dimensions within the cycle of leadership. While the second part of the paper synthesized the theories and discuss their relevance with sustainable leadership in higher education and systematically come up with a framework/model that is practically applicable within the context of higher educational institutions of learning. Applications of this study: This research can be applicable to the higher institutions of learning including Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges as well as Moto-technics. Novelty/Originality of this study: This research paper has critically analyzed the functionalist paradigm with a specific focus on leadership and systematically come up with a framework/model on how such can be applied in the leadership of higher educational institutions of learning.

Orientation: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brought on a surge of mass changes globally, and academic institutions were not exempted from these changes. Many institutions of higher learning in Namibia transferred and modified most of their courses from the traditional face-to-face mode of learning to online platforms or a combination of both.Research purpose: This study investigated the role of the transformational leadership style and co-worker support and their influence on employee engagement and work motivation of academic staff at institutions of higher learning in Windhoek, Namibia.Motivation for the study: To investigate whether transformational leadership and co-worker support have a bearing on employee engagement and work motivation of academics.Research approach/design and method: Data were collected from 106 academic staff from various institutions of higher education in Windhoek using a purposive sampling technique. Data collected were analysed using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 27.0.Main findings: The results showed that there is a positive relatedness between transformational leadership and employee engagement as well as transformational leadership and work motivation, even though not statistically significant. Co-worker support was statistically significantly related to employee engagement and work motivation.Practical/managerial implications: Institutions of higher education should manage and capitalise on employee relations in a manner that adds value to the institutions.Contribution/value-add: Institutions of higher learning in Namibia should work on trainings and interventions that allow for the development of positive co-worker relations and support at different organisational levels.

PurposeAs markets, economies and institutions are increasingly globalized, there is a growing understanding of the need to introduce intercultural learning alongside business learning. Participating in a study abroad program is potentially one of the most important experiences for any college student. Such programs provide students the opportunity to immerse themselves in different cultures and gain new perspectives. The purpose of this paper is threefold: to identify the main factors that students consider when selecting a program; to integrate quality function deployment (QFD), benchmarking and Hoshin Kanri in the analysis of student expectations and to examine the implications for research and practice.Design/methodology/approachThe study was based on primary data collected from 180 students at four universities. To design an approach that helps students in the selection of a program that best satisfies their expectations, a self-designed questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using the techniques of QFD/benchmarking. Finally, a long-term strategy is proposed based on the Hoshin Kanri theory.FindingsThe great variability in student expectations presents a challenge in designing a methodology of selection; however, it does help in identifying the most important student expectations. A key, balanced relationship among academic quality, having fun and cost cannot be ignored in this study because they represent the factors that are altogether influential in the decision to study abroad. In the current literature, the key variables of study abroad programs are discussed; however, most studies fail to incorporate student expectations. This paper will fill this gap by incorporating both key academic variables and the voice of the customer (student).Research limitations/implicationsGiven the diversity of the population, the authors developed several methodologies to standardize the array of student responses to the questionnaire. Using this standardization along with several total quality management (TQM) tools allows us to simplify and categorize the different student expectations. The gathering of students’ expectations directly provided by students (voice of the customer) allows international programs to focus on the real problems and expectations that have been acknowledged, thus yielding student satisfaction with their experience, most importantly, in their field of study.Practical implicationsFor universities, the current study identifies new means by which to improve the quality of international programs with the use of TQM tools including QFD, benchmarking and the Hoshin Kanri Planning Process with an evidence-based real case.Originality/valueThis paper presents a conclusive application of QFD, benchmarking and Hoshin Kanri and an analysis of how these tools can help international programs with future improvements incorporating the needs of students in their programs. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first application of these techniques to improve the international experience for business undergraduate students.

Subject Index

The Missed Fork in the “Forked-Road Situation”

The study investigated the innovative strategies for enhancing online learning in higher education institutions in Zambia. The objectives of the study were; to establish measures the Government of Zambia has put in place to ensure fast, accessible and affordable internet service in all higher learning institutions, to investigate what Internet Service Providers were doing to enhance internet connectivity in higher learning institutions for the benefit of all learners and educators; and to evaluate the support which higher learning institutions offered to educators and learners involved in online learning in Zambia. The study was guided by the Constructivist Learning Theory and Social Cognitive Theory. The researcher employed a pragmatism paradigm and a descriptive research design. The sample was made up of 180 educators who were purposely selected from four universities. Additionally, 4 Directors of Distance Education in charge of Online Learning in the four universities, 1 ICT Director from the Ministry of Technology and Science and 1 ICT engineer from the Internet Service Provider in the selected universities were also purposely selected. Four research instruments were used to collect data; a questionnaire which was used to collect quantitative data from educators and three interview guides which were used to collect qualitative data. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to validate the constructs and to create new items where need arose. Qualitative data was analysed thematically, while descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data. The findings of the study showed significant steps taken by the Government of Zambia to enhance online learning such as introduction of 5G technology, connection of Zambia to satellite internet via Star Link, and mandating and funding of ZAMREN to provide cheaper and quality internet connectivity. Furthermore, the study showed efforts made by Internet Service providers to enhance online learning in higher education institutions in Zambia through provision of learning management systems such as zoom and Big Blue Button for free. Additionally, the study revealed that educators were generally satisfied with the computer expertise they acquired from the trainings conducted by the respective universities, but were not satisfied with the resources and the ICT support provided. Generally, educators had a negative perception of the online learning pedagogy. In view of the findings, the study recommends development of a regulation framework of online learning by the Government of Zambia through Ministry of Education and introduction of mandatory ICT training courses for both learners and educators in the training curriculum by Higher Learning Institutions.

: The increasing use of energy by humans is affecting the climate change. In light of the pressing nature of this issue, it is imperative that comprehensive and integrated efforts be undertaken with the involvement of multiple stakeholders, including higher education institutions. Universities, as institutions of higher learning, bear the responsibility of fostering greater comprehension and awareness among the younger generation regarding the management of energy and the mitigation of climate change. This study aimed to analyze student sustainability awareness to initiatives establishing a sustainable higher education environment, with a focus on energy management issues and climate change mitigation in campus. A total of 426 respondents from four universities in East Java, Indonesia, participated in this survey research. The data were collected using an online questionnaire that measured several indicators of student sustainability awareness, including environmental knowledge, pro-environmental behavior, environmental attitudes, and environmental behavior intentions. The data analysis technique employed descriptive statistics in conjunction with the statistical software package SPSS version 22 for analyzing the relationship between variables. The findings indicated that the level of student sustainability awareness at the four universities was classified as "very good," with a percentage of 55.35%. The results indicate that male students have a higher score (80.38) than female students (80.2) based on the demographic characteristics of the respondents. The findings of this research are intended to serve as a reference for higher education institutions seeking to enhance students' comprehension and engagement in energy management and climate change mitigations.

In this research, we aim at exploring the critical factors causing failure in the implementation of the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Relevant literature indicates the existence of critical failure factors (CFFs) in the implementation of ERP systems that support different organisation levels. As the CFFs do not go through data collection verification from the organisations that implement ERP systems, we endeavour to contribute to the ERP studies by presenting valid findings obtained from a survey on top management, ERP project managers, key users and end users from companies in Taiwan. Our results identify time frame and project management, personnel training and change management as the CFFs in the implementation of ERP systems in Taiwan. If firms can focus and improve on their management of these failure factors, they can increase the rate of success in the implementation of the ERP system.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic significantly affected the mode of delivery in higher education worldwide, with Zimbabwe not being an exception. The goal of this study was to understand how the coronavirus pandemic positively and negatively affected teaching and learning in higher education in Zimbabwe. Literature on how higher education in Zimbabwe has been operating before the pandemic was reviewed. A further attempt was made to understand how COVID-19 changed teaching and learning in higher education institutions in Zimbabwe. In order to understand this, firstly an effort was made to appreciate how the Government reacted in a bid to control the spread of the pandemic. Secondly, the effects of the actions of the government on teaching and learning in higher education institutions were assessed. Thirdly, adaptation techniques adopted by higher learning institutions in order to survive in the new normal situation were probed. The inevitable, new strategies, which include an increase in the use of distance education, e-learning, online teaching, were appraised in order to realize their positive and negative effects on the achieving of student outcomes. The study concluded that the most significant effects of COVID-19 on teaching and learning in higher education in Zimbabwe are delayed syllabus coverage by instructors, compromisation of students’ right to quality education, lack of sufficient resources for standardised learning of students, level of literacy in the computer technology on both instructors and learners and additional costs in learning such as acquiring e-learning gadgets, WIFI and internet accessibility. However, higher education benefited from the emergence of COVID-19 in advanced use of ICT, globalisation in networking by students in various Institutions through online learning and innovation by students through opening of learning forums such as Google classroom and student mobile libraries. The study advocates for continued use of E-learning methods in teaching and learning to counter COVID -19 consequences, adoption of all teaching strategies in Higher and tertiary education and maximum use of ICT in teaching and learning for sustainability. The findings will benefit Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Universities and other institutions of higher learning and research boards in Academic Institutions. Being only based on the review of literature carried out as a snapshot of an ongoing situation, the study recommends an empirical inquiry for further research, to potentially more deeply interrogate the effects of COVID-19 on both students and educators.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss improvement of the business of health care delivery through the application of systematic problem solving. This was strengthened by recurrence prevention through standardization at every level transforming into culture.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology utilized is set derived from the true fiber and fabric of Toyota, the Toyota Business Practice (TBP) or eight-step problem solving and its translation into health care thinking by aligning to the process of clinical diagnosis of patients. The methodology that gives energy and direction to TBP is Hoshin Kanri, a Japanese approach to strategic planning. When you combine focus and purpose through strategic direction alongside a culture of systematic problem solving you get results.FindingsThe application of the Toyota mindset resulted in a cultural shift which built on the strength of the current organizational culture. This approach had a broad impact on the program impacting leadership and management roles, improved employee engagement, complete visibility of organizational priorities, improved system performance, visibility and awareness of the vision and defined measures that drive the health care system. This has also resulted in cost diversions of approximately five million dollars CDN.Originality/valueA grass roots application of real-time problem solving through strategic alignment.