Lean application in student finance department within a learning institution can lead to high academic throughput: A case study

The knowledge of lean principles is just as applicable to offices and other work environments as it is to manufacturing plants. Lean is a theory that can help organizations to simplify and organize their working environment so that waste can be reduced, avoid high employee turnover and proper equipment and workspace is used. Although services can be consumed and perceived, they cannot be measured easily and objectively, like manufacturing products. An objective measurement is a critical aspect of lean, which requires data-driven decisions to eliminate defects and reduce variation. Waste and the misuse of time could cost the company and the clients´ money and time, and in an academic environment, this is known to be extremely valuable. The study focuses on the finance department supporting students in one of the leading South African institution. There has been a number of incidents of wastage and non-professionalism identified in that department, which led to some students not getting their tuition and study material on time and some unable to register for the current year. The research attempts to highlight these problems and provides a solution as to how they can be resolved in order to assist the university to reach its expected throughput.