Modeling critical success factors of lean six sigma in higher education institutions

Purpose This paper aims to identify the relationships among critical success factors (CSFs) for lean six sigma (LSS) implementation in higher education institutions (HEIs). Design/methodology/approach An extensive literature review was conducted to design the survey instrument, which the authors later administered in Mexican public HEIs to identify the existing relationships among the CSFs and their impact on the benefits obtained from implementing LSS projects. The data were empirically and statistically validated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Additionally, the authors applied the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique on SPSS Amos to validate the nine hypotheses supporting the research. Findings The results suggest that the success of LSS projects in HEIs is highly bound to a serious commitment from top management and several interrelated factors. Research limitations/implications The main limitations of the study are that the research is cross-sectional in nature and regional in focus. Namely, the data used to validate the structural model were gathered from a small representative subset of the study population – i.e. Mexican public HEIs – and at a specific point in time. Practical implications The results reported here represent a reference framework for HEIs worldwide that wish to continuously improve their processes through LSS improvement projects. Originality/value This study proposes a statistically validated model using the SEM technique that depicts the relationships among LSS CSFs in HEIs.