An exploratory study of best lean sustainability practices in higher education

Purpose - Because of the ever-expanding commercialization and marketing of higher education, a need now exists to apply the concepts of business process improvement to colleges and universities. Aims to explore this issue. Design/methodology/approach - An open-ended qualitative questionnaire was developed, administered to 18 public and private university representatives and analyzed. Findings - The participants at these surveyed universities shared with the interviewers the institutional lean "best practices" that they feel will contribute to the sustainability of their universities. Research limitations/implications - This is a preliminary study with a sample size of 18 universities in the Northeastern USA. Future research should include more universities in the USA, as well as in other countries. Practical implications - Other institutions of higher education may learn from the successful implementation of the lean sustainability efforts at the institutions in this study. Originality/value - Very little past research, except in the area of green marketing, has focused on lean sustainability concepts in higher education. In a recent article by the same authors, a quantitative approach was taken in assessing lean sustainability practices in higher education. This current study explores the application of lean sustainability practices using a more in-depth qualitative approach.