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This paper aims to identify the relationships among critical success factors (CSFs) for lean six sigma (LSS) implementation in higher education institutions (HEIs).

An extensive literature review was conducted to design the survey instrument, which the authors later administered in Mexican public HEIs to identify the existing relationships among the CSFs and their impact on the benefits obtained from implementing LSS projects. The data were empirically and statistically validated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Additionally, the authors applied the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique on SPSS Amos to validate the nine hypotheses supporting the research.

The results suggest that the success of LSS projects in HEIs is highly bound to a serious commitment from top management and several interrelated factors.

The main limitations of the study are that the research is cross-sectional in nature and regional in focus. Namely, the data used to validate the structural model were gathered from a small representative subset of the study population – i.e. Mexican public HEIs – and at a specific point in time.

The results reported here represent a reference framework for HEIs worldwide that wish to continuously improve their processes through LSS improvement projects.

This study proposes a statistically validated model using the SEM technique that depicts the relationships among LSS CSFs in HEIs.

The learning outcomes of the study are to analyze the launch of a new business line for Trend at the commercial and market levels; identify the potential of the green consumer in Peruvian emerging market; and apply strategic tools to analyze the viability of launching a new business line in a new market.

José Luis Galindo planned to launch a new line of toilets in the Peruvian market called EcoTrend, based on the analysis of the responsible consumption trend and the presence of a new green consumer. Therefore, he carried out a series of studies and estimates to define the feasibility of the value proposition of his ecological toilet. However, Galindo doubted if these studies and estimates were enough to carry out the launch and commercial success of the EcoTrend line. Galindo, founder and current general manager of a company called Cerámica Industrial Trend S.A.C, is broadly knowledgeable about the construction sector in Peru and has more than 30 years of work experience in the ceramic bathroom fixtures industry. Throughout his professional career, Galindo has managed three of the leading bathroom fixture companies in Peru. However, it was when he started Trend, a company focusing specifically on the manufacture of toilets, that his dream of becoming an entrepreneur came true. Trend is focused on its one-piece toilet line. These toilets are characterized by their high-quality workmanship, which is achieved through the efficient and distinctive production process of Trend’s workforce. The workforce stays on its toes due to constant, thorough training, a key to Trend’s market competitiveness. In addition, the new EcoTrend line sowed in Galindo uncertainty in the commercial viability because the product was new in the market and was going to bring a great challenge.

Depending on the scope of the course, different teaching objectives could be oriented toward entrepreneurship, management sciences, strategy and green marketing. The case can be used to teach higher level undergraduate marketing and management courses.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 8: Marketing.

The purpose of this paper is to establish a Process-aware FMEA (PAFMEA) development environment in order to face the main Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) deficiencies concerning failure analysis in maintenance.

The proposed framework integrates Delphi methodology to obtain consensus of specialists’ opinions, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to perform multiple criteria-based risk assessment and a business process management system to instantiate the development cycle. A conceptual model is presented and analyzed through a case study.

PAFMEA reveals a new perception in the evaluation and prioritization of failure modes during maintenance failure analysis, such as risk definition and resource availability, dealing with conflicting characteristics in decision-making approaches.

The PAFMEA environment includes requirements that are grouped with a process instantiation of an AHP structure, providing a high degree of applicability and performance to the development cycles of the FMEA. The new method confronts the classical risk assessment approach and contributes to the literature, adding new perspectives to the FMEA analysis.

PAFMEA brings new and promising perspectives to the FMEA development cycle, which, in short, means adding on a multi-criteria failure analysis method (AHP) through a process-aware platform, with performance impacts in FMEA knowledge sharing, decision making and delivery.

While multinational companies develop meta-level policies to address grand sustainability challenges and CEOs are increasingly showing their social activism, the hard work of concretely defending communities’ rights and the environment from business exploitation is often left to powerless individuals, known as human rights defenders (here defenders), who face severe risks for their advocacy. According to some statistics, between 2015 and 2022, defenders worldwide have been subject to over 4,000 attacks, including killings, tortures, and intimidation. In this chapter, the authors discuss the relevance of defenders to the promotion of the sustainable development goal (SDG) agenda and develop a conceptual model to predict CEOs’ reactions to defenders.