Process integration and improvement in a higher education institution in South Africa

Process utilised in service organisations are justly regarded as crucial resources. Each process utilised in rendering a service appreciably play a role in the cost of managing the organisation. Processes impacts on the service levels customers expects and experience from the service provider. Higher Education providers are not immune from poor performing and costly processes. The researched institution is as a result not an exception. Due to the business model of the institution, Open Distance Learning, it is imperative for the organisation to have effective and efficient processes to service 350 000 students. Due to failures of critical processes at inopportune moments, management decided processes should be improved utilising scientific and systematic improvement tools. The researcher was requested to investigate processes and affect changes that would improve the performance of said processes. Various lean change methodologies was utilised in investigating, mapping and improvement of processes. Some of the lean methodologies utilised was the Ishikawa diagram, seven service wastes, the five why principle and root cause analysis. The purpose of the study was to create processes fit for purpose, effective integration and acceptance of the improved processes and ensuring processes was effectively engineered. Standard Operating Procedure was produced for each of the improved processes.