Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a maturity model for academic leadership teams to benchmark their ability to deliver a culture of continuous improvement through the use of Lean Six Sigma. Teams will also be able to use this model to develop strategic action plans to improve the culture of continuous improvement within their institution. In addition, this paper explains the journey the authors have taken in creating this model by using a mixture of literature review, questionnaires and case studies to build the model and the use of test cases to refine and improve the model.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a structured approach, focussing first on assessing the state of UK Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation and the, through the use of the case study method, the authors have designed a maturity model based on the classic capability maturity matrix approach. The final model has then been tested to refine the model into an improved version.

Findings

Key findings from interviewing the academic institutions that make up this paper highlight the current best practice in the UK and how far they still have to travel to become truly continuous improving organisations.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is limited to only focussing on UK institutions in the design and development of the maturity model. Future research should benchmark UK institutions more formally with international universities from North America and the Far East.

Practical implications

This paper present a final maturity model which can be used by academic leadership teams to both map their maturity at delivering continuous improvement projects and to act as an action plan to move the culture towards a quality-based, continuously improving institution.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first such model to be produced focussing on the leadership and sustainability of deploying LSS in academic institutions.

中文翻译：

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在学术机构中实施六西格码的领导成熟度模型——使用案例研究来构建理论

目的

本文的目的是为学术领导团队提供一个成熟度模型，以衡量他们通过使用精益六西格码来提供持续改进文化的能力。团队还将能够使用此模型来制定战略行动计划，以改善其机构内的持续改进文化。此外，本文通过结合文献综述、问卷调查和案例研究来构建模型以及使用测试用例来改进和改进模型，解释了作者创建该模型的过程。

设计/方法/方法

本文使用结构化方法，首先关注评估英国精益六西格码 (LSS) 实施的状态，并通过使用案例研究方法，作者设计了基于经典能力成熟度矩阵方法的成熟度模型。然后对最终模型进行测试以将模型细化为改进版本。

发现

采访构成本文的学术机构的主要发现强调了英国当前的最佳实践，以及他们还需要走多远才能成为真正持续改进的组织。

研究限制/影响

本文仅限于在成熟度模型的设计和开发中仅关注英国机构。未来的研究应该更正式地将英国机构与北美和远东的国际大学进行比较。

实际影响

本文提出了一个最终的成熟度模型，学术领导团队可以使用该模型来绘制他们在交付持续改进项目方面的成熟度，并作为将文化推向以质量为基础、持续改进的机构的行动计划。

原创性/价值

据作者所知，这是第一个专注于在学术机构中部署 LSS 的领导力和可持续性的此类模型。