Barriers and waste in the research grant application process in higher education through a lean six sigma lens

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dc.contributor.authorDempsey, Mary
dc.contributor.authorBrennan, Attracta
dc.contributor.authorMcAvoy, John
dc.date.accessioned2021-11-30T18:57:27Z
dc.date.available2021-11-30T18:57:27Z
dc.date.issued2020-09
dc.date.updated2021-11-30T15:05:07Z
dc.description.abstractHigher education institutions (HEIs) typically generate income from two main sources; student fees and research income. In contrast, the predominant waste streams in HEIs tend to include; (1) assignment/examination mark submission process, (2) photocopying process and (3) the funding application process. Unintended internal process complexities and barriers typically aggravate the challenges already inherent, in the research grant application process. Although Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has been adopted by a number of HEIs in Ireland, very few have adopted an integrated LSS approach for waste reduction in the research grant application process. To identify barriers and waste in the research grant application process within an Irish HEI in an EU environment, the authors used an online survey deployed to 240 academics and researchers. The survey response rate was 13%. The participating HEI in this pilot study generated an annual income (including student fees and research income) exceeding (sic)240 million for the academic year 2017/2018. Using an LSS lens, this paper identified the primary waste in the research grant application process from an academic and researcher perspective to be; editing and revising applications, liaising and communicating with collaborators and waiting for information. Organised thematically, the main barriers were strategic thinking, collaborator identification and co-Ordination, eligibility, process, time and support & mentoring. The results from this study can be used to inform the next stage of the research where empirical studies will be carried out in other HEIs to develop a practical roadmap for the implementation of LSS as an operational excellence improvement methodology in the research grant application process.en
dc.description.statusPeer revieweden
dc.description.versionPublished Versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.citationDempsey, M., Brennan, A. and McAvoy, J. (2020) 'Barriers and waste in the research grant application process in higher education through a lean six sigma lens', Management and Production Engineering Review, 11(3), pp. 119-127. doi: 10.24425/mper.2020.134938en
dc.identifier.doi10.24425/mper.2020.134938en
dc.identifier.eissn2082-1344
dc.identifier.endpage127en
dc.identifier.issn2080-8208
dc.identifier.issued3en
dc.identifier.journaltitleManagement And Production Engineering Reviewen
dc.identifier.startpage119en
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/12293
dc.identifier.volume11en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherPolska Akademia Nauken
dc.rights© 2020, the Authors.en
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en
dc.subjectLSSen
dc.subjectGrant applicationen
dc.subjectBarriersen
dc.subjectDMAICen
dc.subjectWasteen
dc.subjectHigher educationen
dc.subjectOperational excellenceen
dc.titleBarriers and waste in the research grant application process in higher education through a lean six sigma lensen
dc.typeArticle (peer-reviewed)en
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