LEAN APPLICATIONS IN AN ENGINEERING RESEARCH LABORATORY
Learning activities within engineering disciplines take place in both teaching and research laboratories. While Lean principles, which focus on improving process efficiency by eliminating waste (i.e., activities that do not add value), have been used previously across several disciplines to improve...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Center for Quality, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Serbia
2025-03-01
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| Series: | International Journal for Quality Research |
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| Online Access: | http://ijqr.net/journal/v19-n1/15.pdf |
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| author | Jamison V. Kovach Farah M. Almatri Elizabeth L. Lakas |
| author_facet | Jamison V. Kovach Farah M. Almatri Elizabeth L. Lakas |
| author_sort | Jamison V. Kovach |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Learning activities within engineering disciplines take place in both teaching and research laboratories. While Lean principles, which focus on improving process efficiency by eliminating waste (i.e., activities that do not add value), have been used previously across several disciplines to improve the efficiency of learning activities in teaching laboratories, few studies have examined the implementation of Lean practices in engineering research laboratories. This study utilized an action research approach to examine the application of Lean methods in an engineering research laboratory to address operational aspects not previously explored using Lean. The specific issues addressed include reducing both inefficiencies in staff onboarding and the occurrence of material stock outs. Lean's "respect for people" principle ensured those who do the work (lab staff) were directly involved, and action research's cyclical, iterative approach ensured learning resulting from action in one phase of the investigation was used as the input to the next phase. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d795af8b7da840a9adcd2e5cf33c3fb8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1800-6450 1800-7473 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Center for Quality, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Serbia |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal for Quality Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-d795af8b7da840a9adcd2e5cf33c3fb82025-02-11T14:54:19ZengCenter for Quality, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, SerbiaInternational Journal for Quality Research1800-64501800-74732025-03-0119123323410.24874/IJQR19.01-15LEAN APPLICATIONS IN AN ENGINEERING RESEARCH LABORATORYJamison V. Kovach 0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2078-6007Farah M. Almatri 1Elizabeth L. Lakas 2University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America Learning activities within engineering disciplines take place in both teaching and research laboratories. While Lean principles, which focus on improving process efficiency by eliminating waste (i.e., activities that do not add value), have been used previously across several disciplines to improve the efficiency of learning activities in teaching laboratories, few studies have examined the implementation of Lean practices in engineering research laboratories. This study utilized an action research approach to examine the application of Lean methods in an engineering research laboratory to address operational aspects not previously explored using Lean. The specific issues addressed include reducing both inefficiencies in staff onboarding and the occurrence of material stock outs. Lean's "respect for people" principle ensured those who do the work (lab staff) were directly involved, and action research's cyclical, iterative approach ensured learning resulting from action in one phase of the investigation was used as the input to the next phase.http://ijqr.net/journal/v19-n1/15.pdfleanprocess improvementhigher educationresearch laboratorystaff onboardinginventory stock outs |
| spellingShingle | Jamison V. Kovach Farah M. Almatri Elizabeth L. Lakas LEAN APPLICATIONS IN AN ENGINEERING RESEARCH LABORATORY International Journal for Quality Research lean process improvement higher education research laboratory staff onboarding inventory stock outs |
| title | LEAN APPLICATIONS IN AN ENGINEERING RESEARCH LABORATORY |
| title_full | LEAN APPLICATIONS IN AN ENGINEERING RESEARCH LABORATORY |
| title_fullStr | LEAN APPLICATIONS IN AN ENGINEERING RESEARCH LABORATORY |
| title_full_unstemmed | LEAN APPLICATIONS IN AN ENGINEERING RESEARCH LABORATORY |
| title_short | LEAN APPLICATIONS IN AN ENGINEERING RESEARCH LABORATORY |
| title_sort | lean applications in an engineering research laboratory |
| topic | lean process improvement higher education research laboratory staff onboarding inventory stock outs |
| url | http://ijqr.net/journal/v19-n1/15.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jamisonvkovach leanapplicationsinanengineeringresearchlaboratory AT farahmalmatri leanapplicationsinanengineeringresearchlaboratory AT elizabethllakas leanapplicationsinanengineeringresearchlaboratory |