Shannon Flumerfelt

Are agile and lean manufacturing systems employing sustainability, complexity and organizational learning?

Purpose – This paper aims to peruse theories and practices of agile and lean manufacturing systems to determine whether they employ sustainability, complexity and organizational learning.Design/methodology/approach – The critical review of the comparative operational similarities and difference of the two systems was conducted while the new views and issues of emerging vital scenarios were analyzed in detail.Findings – In spite of their differences, the two systems of agile and lean manufacturing can co‐exist in one system. The concepts of sustainability, complexity and organizational learning for agile and lean systems highlight outputs of differences in the output of operationalization but there can be substantial alignment in the input of intentions. The two excel at the three areas of consideration.Practical implications – The organizations of today must consider the applicability of designing both agile and lean systems within one organization for the purposes of achieving fast response time, high le...

A Study of Higher Education Student Achievement Based on Transformative and Lifelong Learning Processes.

The advantages of transformative learning approaches in graduate education parallel the tenets of mentoring and lifelong learning. Under this theoretical framework, adult student achievement in leadership programming can be assessed as a developmental and individualized process. The mixed methods study presented here illustrates that it is possible to measure knowledge construction, disposition development and performance acquisition from the classroom to leadership practice through taxonomy use. The purpose of the study is to use a standards‐based taxonomy to understand the effectiveness of an educational leadership graduate degree program of two student subgroups. Based on transformative and lifelong learning theories that emphasize understanding student learning processes, students’ holistic achievement is examined in order to identify differences in student subgroup learning outcomes. The taxonomical approach used to evaluate student achievement in this study is helpful in gaining a phenomenological perspective of learning processes when evaluating the appropriateness of program design, teaching methodology and program content.

Lean engineering education: driving content and competence mastery

Recent studies by professional organizations devoted to engineering education, such as Vision 2030 (ASME) and Vision 2025 (ASCE), highlight the need for the restructuring of engineering education. Deficiencies of many engineering graduates include poor systems thinking and systems analysis skills, lack of sensitivity for sustainability issues, poorly developed problem solving skills and lack of training to work in (multi-disciplinary) teams, as well as a lack of leadership, entrepreneurship, innovation, and project management skills. The book’s contents include an analysis of current shortfalls in engineering education and education related to professional practice in engineering. Further, the authors describe desirable improvements as well as advocacy for the use of lean tenets and tools to create a new future for engineering education. This book presents, for the first time, an outside-in lean engineering perspective of how this commonly accepted and widely practiced and adapted engineering perspective can shape the direction in which the engineers of the future are trained and educated. By its very nature, lean engineering demands systems thinking and systems analysis as well as problem solving skills. In this sense, “Lean Engineering” immediately talks to sustainability of operations. Hence, this book adds to the body of knowledge regarding engineering education. It blends the perspectives and expertise of mechanical, industrial and production engineers and academics and the perspective from social sciences on the challenges encountered in engineering education. Because of the unique mix of authors, the book presents a well-rounded perspective of how lean thinking can address shortcomings in engineering education.

Benefits of Lean Teaching

Lean Engineering has matured into a credible and useful set of tools and philosophies to satisfy customer demand. Almost all applications of lean have been in commercial settings where increased value can easily be measured by increased sales, less defects and generally a higher output. The authors of this paper report on their experiences of teaching lean engineering to engineering students. The focus is on how these students were enabled to develop problem solving skills, to think in systems and to consider sustainability of their designs or engineering interventions. Further, the authors describe the metrics used to assess student learning, and what were the lessons learned for the course conveners in communicating Lean Principles. The authors will demonstrate that teaching Lean to engineering students enhance their understanding of engineering professional practice.Copyright

Systems competency for engineering practice

Affecting holistic development of the early engineer practitioner is a topic of concern emanating from the Academy, the workplace and engineering organizations alike. For example, concerns over gaps in ethics competency, communication abilities, and team management have been documented. The gap between the rapidly growing body of knowledge in the engineering profession and the effectiveness of early engineering practice does exist. This means that while early career engineers generally know enough about engineering sciences, they are lacking in the ability to connect that information to effective engineering practice in the workplace. The shortfall in the holistic development of the early career engineer, therefore, is based in the problematic technical-behavioral relationship expressed in differences in engineering knowledge versus workplace practice. This problem has been recognized by many organizations such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (V2030), the National Academy of Engineering (Grand Challenges for Engineering; Engineer of 2020; Educating the Engineer of 2020; and Changing the Conversation), the Royal Academy of Engineers, and the National Science Foundation/University of Michigan (5XME Project).Copyright

What lean teaches us about ethics in engineering

This theoretical paper provides a comprehensive examination of the need for the ethical development of the engineering student. A review of the literature regarding the need for the teaching of ethics in the Academy and of the need for ethics in the engineering workplace is described. The Toyota Education Model based on respect for people is presented as a viable method for the Academy’s consideration.Copyright

Why Require Ethics in Engineering

This theoretical paper will provide a review of the literature regarding the need for ethics in the workplace and how taxonomical ethical development can be used in engineering education. In fact, advocacy to educate for ethics in engineering education by design is discussed as a solution to this problem. By spiraling ethical competency development into engineering education as a body of practice, rather than as a theory of knowledge, it is possible to integrate engineering “hard science” content with engineering “soft science” competency. This means that current programs’ scopes and sequences may remain in place, with recommended changes in pedagogy.Copyright

Transdisciplinary perspectives on complex systems: new findings and approaches

The present author would like to thank the Faculty of Science and Technology of the New University of Lisbon (UNL) and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the Strategic Project no. UID/EMS/00667/2013. Their support helps make our research work possible.

The möbius strip of lean engineering and systems engineering

The authors wish to express their gratitude to ASME for access to Vision 2030 data and for a constrictive exchange of their meaning and follow-up steps. Prof Alves is grateful to the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under Strategic Projects PEst-OE/EME/UI0252/2011.

Comparing engineering education systems among USA, EU, Philippines and South Africa

Prof. Alves is grateful to the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under Strategic Projects PEst-OE/EME/UI0252/2011.