Here is a summary of my significant original contributions to the body of Lean knowledge over the last 20 years as author or co-author. My primary focus has been Lean leadership and Lean management, but also includes Lean in higher education, Lean in supply chain management, and the history of … [Read more...] about Summary of Contributions to the Body of Lean Knowledge
Why University Teaching Rarely Improves
In higher education, the job of a professor is well-defined. It consists of three things: teaching, research, and service to the university and one's profession.Teaching involves three tasks: preparation (of the course), execution (delivering the course), and follow-up (guiding students' work, … [Read more...] about Why University Teaching Rarely Improves
The Rewards of Teaching
I have been a professor for close to 20 years now, after having spent the previous 15 years in industry where I worked in engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain management. There are many positives associated with teaching that I would like to share with you, as well as a few … [Read more...] about The Rewards of Teaching
The Toxic University
John Smyth, the author of The Toxic University, talks about his book in this interesting article: "Author discusses ideas in his new book, 'The Toxic University'" (IHE, 12 July 2017)My key takeaway is that those responsible for pricing tuition and fees bear full responsibility for the toxic … [Read more...] about The Toxic University
Excellence in Teaching
Excellence in teaching? Not quite.The results of the U.K.s 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) have been released. Click here to view the results of the Gold, Silver, and Bronze university awards (official government results are here).The purpose of TEF is to "...shin[e] a spotlight on … [Read more...] about Excellence in Teaching
It’s Time for Colleges to Cut Costs
Higher education thought leader Jeffrey J. Selingo has a new thought: It’s time for colleges to cut costs. Hasn't this been obvious for the last 10 or 20 years? (See my 2005 article, "Lean in Higher Education").In his 26 May 2017 article in The Washington Post, "Forget the marketing gimmicks: It’s … [Read more...] about It’s Time for Colleges to Cut Costs
Higher Education’s Ultimate Failure
Who would have ever thought that tenure's undoing in public higher education would be caused by higher education's failure to achieve one of its most fundamental objectives: Teach people how to think critically.There is a growing push to eliminate tenure for faculty in public higher education. … [Read more...] about Higher Education’s Ultimate Failure
Evidencing Improvement
In my view, the United Kingdom has led the world in the advancement of Lean management in higher education (click here to learn more) - but with two important qualifications:Application has been mainly in administrative processes, not in teaching and other academic processes. An emphasis on … [Read more...] about Evidencing Improvement
New Mindset for Higher Ed Leaders
Higher education has been steadily moving from it's long-term position as a sellers' market to a buyers' market. College and university leaders seem slow to grasp this fact. They, as well as those who do grasp this fact, would be wise to adopt this mindset given current market conditions and to lead … [Read more...] about New Mindset for Higher Ed Leaders