Abstract

Six Sigma philosophy and methods have extended beyond the manufacturing arena. Like many industries, the quality of higher education is “controlled” through accreditation organizations. These organizations develop requirements with which all institutions must comply to become and remain accredited. Though applying continuous improvement to the development of courses and curriculums is not new, the application to accreditation compliance is a newer concept.

With accreditation groups requiring quality management principles and concepts, business schools must establish and maintain systems of continuous improvement that will keep them ahead of the ever-changing requirements. Accreditation compliance can provide a school with credentials that potential students, and their future employers, will value. In addition, the implementation of continuous improvement principles will achieve the related goal of defining and meeting the needs of the university’s customers — both the students being educated and, importantly, the companies for which they go to work. In practicing what we preach, business schools must meet these customer requirements and provide value for their educational dollars to remain competitive in the higher education industry.

While this paper focuses on compliance to university accreditation standards, the application of six sigma continuous improvement methods can be adapted and used for achieving compliance in any regulated industry.

Abstract

Risk management has been around longer than quality — at least in the field of finance and insurance. Recent events from the Natural to man-made, have given a new boost to risk management. So much so that some speak of training quality managers to complement their skills with those of risk management. Risk managers may interpret this wrongly, assuming that risk is taking over from quality. This is not the view advocated in this paper. As specialists in both fields the authors believe that there is a ground for symbiosis. Risk has no doubt shaken the semi-religious total confidence in quality making concepts such as uncertainty and ‘preoccupation with failure’ more acceptable. On the other hand the literature advocating quality assurance as a main preventative measure against risk is taking off. Risk management education too is taking interest in quality assurance (UEL and some other British universities). It is likely that a similar integrative trend is taking place outside the academia. To identify such a development we shall review the literature on quality and risk, teaching of risk management at UEL, and the experiences of quality assurance in a London-based subsidiary of a fire alarm company and its customers.

Abstract

The present scenarios in engineering education are passing through a critical phase as they are facing a global competition. Today’s engineering community is concerned with and attuned to improve the processes and outcomes of educating the future engineers. Students’ satisfaction is important for an institution because it promotes and strengthens its image and emphasizes the expectations and needs of the students [2]. Measuring student satisfaction by emphasizing on service quality delivered to students is an effective performance evaluation index. The present paper attempts to study the measures of the student’s satisfaction in an educational institution which integrates service quality and improves engineering education by introducing and strengthening its commitment to assess specific approaches to teaching, learning, and student learning outcomes.

Abstract

The aim of this research paper is to provide a new model to carry out an effective workforce training programme in the Lean Manufacturing (LM) environment which will benefit manufacturing companies. A questionnaire survey has been undertaken in order to identify problems that British manufacturing companies are facing with training. Further to the questionnaire, an in-depth investigation took place within two UK based manufacturing companies. Moreover, company visits and interviews were conducted in Japan to collect information in relation to workforce training so that comparative studies between British and Japanese manufacturing company could be done. Subsequent to the analysis of questionnaire responses and information collected from company visits, a training model was proposed. This model was subsequently implemented and evaluated in the two UK manufacturing companies.

It was evident from the literature search, questionnaire survey and company visits that UK manufacturing companies have an interest in LM; however, they have difficulties in adapting it due to lack of skills in workforce training. The advantages and disadvantages are presented in this paper. Nevertheless, it is acknowledged that further case studies would be useful in order to confirm and extend the proposed model for the purpose of generalising it so that it can be adapted in any manufacturing company.

It is recognised that no structured workforce training framework has been previously suggested or designed for the lean environment. In light of the literature search, this proposed training model will contribute to manufacturing companies in UK attempting to adapt LM into their practices.

Abstract

This case study focuses on Innovative Wireless Solutions.

Abstract

This case study focus on Challenge at Technow.

Abstract

For almost every type of enterprise operating in the context of today’s global economy, success requires a substantial investment in business process enabling information technologies (IT). As a consequence of these circumstances, IT budgets have grown substantially, even as corporate management questions the real value of such investments. For their part, the IT vendor community have recognized the obvious opportunities but have all to often overstated the return on investment (ROI) and understate the difficulties in bring major information technology enablement projects to fruition.  For the corporate IT unit caught somewhere in the middle, the challenge as always is how to satisfy the customer, given real-world resource constraints, the actual limitations of available IT solutions, and most importantly, the business process and organizational barriers posed by the enterprise itself. To survive — let alone succeed and prosper — IT management must demonstrate consistency and economy in the day-to-day delivery of IT services and project work.  But how is this to be achieved? The purpose of this essay is to provide a partial answer by offering a practical and proven methodology for managing information technology service and project commitments within large, global enterprise. The author’s approach focuses on the need for effective communications, customer expectations management, and the measurement of outcomes for continuous service improvements to deliver positive results. Whatever the size of the reader’s own organization, he/she may readily size the author’s approach to appropriate complement the needs of his/her own organization.