Search results

The purpose of this study is to improve the utilization of walk-in tutors at the University of Dayton.

This paper discusses the application of mixed methods participatory action research with the use of the lean six sigma (LSS) define-measure-analyze-improve-control (DMAIC) methodology combined with discrete event simulation to improve the tutoring processes at the University of Dayton.

The impact of these improvements provided a great balance between tutor utilization and student wait time, and as a result, an increase in pay was negotiated for tutors. Additionally, two schools within the University, Engineering and Business, have seen the value of the tutoring for their students and have provided additional financial support for tutoring services. Specifically, these schools now have dedicated by-appointment tutors for their students.

Incorporating simulation within the LSS methodology provides a “prototype” simulation of the potential solutions prior to changing the process in the real world. This approach can minimize the risk of implementing solutions that are costly or ineffective. The improvement of increased tutor pay helped to demonstrate the university’s commitment to tutors and tutoring. Through continuous improvement efforts, the tutoring department has tripled the number of courses that they support through these enhanced relationships, improved utilization and the overall culture and work environment. The LSS methodology and tools combined with discrete event simulation can be used as a guide for improving other repetitive processes within the university.

The following classified, annotated list of titles is intended to provide reference librarians with a current checklist of new reference books, and is designed to supplement the RSR review column, “Recent Reference Books,” by Frances Neel Cheney. “Reference Books in Print” includes all additional books received prior to the inclusion deadline established for this issue. Appearance in this column does not preclude a later review in RSR. Publishers are urged to send a copy of all new reference books directly to RSR as soon as published, for immediate listing in “Reference Books in Print.” Reference books with imprints older than two years will not be included (with the exception of current reprints or older books newly acquired for distribution by another publisher). The column shall also occasionally include library science or other library related publications of other than a reference character.

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of how ecological considerations can be integrated into campus strategic and statutory spatial planning. A process of developing ecological objectives and guidelines for inclusion in campus strategic and statutory spatial plans is presented.

This case study introduces a three-phase ecological assessment process developed and applied to the Technion – IIT campus. Ecological considerations are reviewed in multiple campus strategic and spatial plans (primarily in North America and Europe) and in institutional sustainability guidelines; biodiversity and ecosystem service surveys of the campus are conducted and considered with regard to planning; university administrative structures that enable the implementation of ecological planning guidelines are also assessed.

Ecological considerations (biodiversity conservation, habitat preservation and ecosystem integrity) play a relatively minor role in sustainability planning on university campuses. The concepts of connectivity and compactness are applied broadly, but generally refer to social and educational considerations. Physical planning provides an opportunity for integrating ecological priorities into the university’s mission.

Some of the insights may not be generalizable, so it is crucial to continue accumulating similar studies. It is crucial, too, to conduct follow-up research, reporting on the ecological outcomes of plan implementation.

Ecological stewardship is commensurate with the sustainability commitments of universities. Considering their spatial extent and diverse locations, universities can assume an important role in ecological conservation.

Relatively little attention has been given to ecological considerations (biodiversity, ecological integrity and ecosystem services) in campus plans and sustainability documents. This paper suggests how universities can move towards fulfilling a role as ecological stewards through strategic and spatial planning.

This study aims to investigate the impact of traditional teaching and active learning methods in lean management (LM) on the development of both soft and hard skills.

Through a longitudinal study, team members from two different organisations (the administrative sector of a public higher education institution and a public teaching hospital), each adopting different teaching methods to support their LM trainings, were systematically examined at four moments during an 18-month period. How teaching methods impacted team members’ development and knowledge was then assessed using multivariate data analysis techniques.

Results indicated that LM trainings can provide significant impacts when a combination of traditional teaching methods and active learning is adopted. Traditional teaching methods can be a good choice for learning hard skills depending on resources’ availability. However, it is recommended to include active learning methods to assist in the comprehension of more complex and abstract LM concepts (soft skills).

Although there exists a large number of publications on the relationship between LM implementation and teaching methods, the number of studies that consider the development of both hard and soft skills is rather limited. This study complements the existing literature on LM by identifying which teaching methods can support the development of hard skills and which the development of soft skills. Such identification facilitates the work of both scholars wishing either to begin or to dig deeper into this sphere and practitioners pursuing the best outcomes from LM.

This study aims to present an overview of leading research trends in the lean six sigma domain published in the International Journal of Lean Six Sigma (IJLSS) since its inception.

The study analyses articles published between 2010 and 2019 in IJLSS using the bibliometric technique. The results of data analysis identify the most prolific authors, their affiliation, citation trends and highly cited articles from the journal. Further, a graphical analysis involving bibliographic coupling and co-citation analysis of the corpus enriches the investigation.

The results of the bibliometric analysis suggest that the number of IJLSS’s publications and citations grew markedly over time (from 4 citations in 2010 to nearly 1,324 in 2019). The organizational diversity and collaboration among authors publishing in IJLSS are trending upwards. Case study and focus group are the two most common research designs in publications. In the study, three major themes emerged: implementation of lean on business, integration of lean and six sigma and the effects of lean six sigma on businesses.

The study finding informs and educates practitioners and scholars about various qualitative research tools, applications and methods of implementing lean six sigma tools in different industry sectors.

The study uses bibliometric analysis to propose a novel categorization of research published in IJLSS and to report on the utilization of various lean tools in the journal. The study provides guidance for new future research besides offering a thorough introspection of the lean and six sigma domains.