Evaluating university leadership performance using Lean Six Sigma framework

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate university leadership performance using the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) framework. University leadership performance management (PM) framework incorporates strategy formulation, lecturers, administrative services and the learning outcomes to achieve service quality excellence. Design/methodology/approach: A theoretical investigation in literature was accomplished comparing PM and LSS frameworks. Through extant literature review, the authors identified five constructs (lecturers, administration staff, projects, programs and facilities) being offered by a university to evaluate the service quality excellence. Using these constructs, a student exit survey was conducted yielding a response rate of 56%. Five hypotheses were tested. The survey results evaluated reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity of the constructs and were found to be satisfactory. To test the model fit and hypotheses between the constructs, the authors used structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings: The LSS framework was found to be effective when compared with the PM framework, and for aligning university processes to achieve service quality excellence. The SEM result shows that there is a strong evidence to support the hypothesized model where facilities, projects and program had significant relationship with service quality excellence. The empirical evidence strongly supports that there is a relationship between the PM and the LSS frameworks. Research limitations/implications: This research is based on a cross-sectional exit survey; future research could explore a longitudinal survey with treatment conditions to consider different genre of university leadership. Practical implications: To achieve service quality excellence, university leadership will need to embrace LSS framework to satisfy their stakeholders. This could bring multifold organizational and social benefits. Originality/value: Not too many studies have used the PM and the LSS framework to evaluate university leadership performance in terms of service quality excellence. This study identified constructs associated with LSS and empirically validated the scales to build on theory.