Personnel perceptions of Six Sigma as a preparation tool for facilitating change: a case study

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Date
2017
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Publisher
University of Alabama Libraries
Abstract

The higher education setting is a unique environment in which individuals are tasked with facilitating change. Numerous internal and external factors are causing institutions to need to change how they perform tasks and deliver educational opportunities to students. Therefore, institutional leaders must explore techniques for facilitating change. Within institutions, the people are the ones who lead change initiatives. However, there is limited empirical research on how personnel within institutions perceive change management programs. This study provides empirical research regarding how personnel in higher education institutions perceive change management initiatives. More specifically, this study was a program evaluation of personnel at a single institution with a Six Sigma change management program. Document analyses as well as one-on-one and focus group interviews were used to evaluate the Six Sigma program. The interviews were used to understand how personnel perceive the Six Sigma program in the higher education setting and its ability to prepare them to facilitate change. The themes developed from the interviews allowed for the conclusion to be drawn that Six Sigma does help prepare individual to facilitate change. Although, participants found the program in its entirety to help prepare them to facilitate change, they also acknowledged many shortcomings of the program. The helpful aspects included: the training program, the trainer(s), providing a process to follow, started the change conversation, knowledge can change, and confidence to lead change. The challenges included were rigidity of the program, statistical calculations, ability to influence change, and scope of the program. Additionally, participants did not perceive Six Sigma to align with the types of problems found in the higher education setting.

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Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
Keywords
Educational administration
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