Master of Business in Lean Practice

Course details

The Master of Business in Lean Practice is a flexibly-delivered executive programme providing participants with the requisite knowledge, skills, and know-how in lean enterprise and operational excellence so that they can add value as recognised lean leaders and operational excellence champions within a modern, competitive manufacturing or services environment.

In addition to examining the "Hard" elements, including lean tools and techniques, and operational and business analytics, the factor distinguishing our Lean Masters programme from those elsewhere is that our participants attain an appreciation for wider organisational contexts, cross-sectoral applications, manufacturing and service orientations, and the critical “Soft" elements of Lean. The programme reflects on foundational learning from the Toyota Production System (TPS) and The Toyota Way; and we are distinctively aligned to the Shingo Model/Approach wherein we examine and synthesise the principles, systems, and culture and behaviours integral to lean enterprise excellence. Participants examine lean philosophy and thinking; lean leadership; lean strategy and hoshin kanri; systems thinking and the learning organisation; organisational culture, employee engagement, and lean transformation; and lean coaching and communications. Our programme provides a balanced approach between the academic and the practical, and includes extensive industry collaboration via live-laboratory assignment projects; site visits; guest speakers; and contributors to ongoing events.

This practical industry engagement via applied live-laboratory assignments entails student teams examining live real-world problems being experienced by particular companies, and then applying a lean mind-set and lean tools and techniques to analyse and understand those problems, as well as present recommendations to improve processes, reduce waste, and bring real gains to those companies.

The involves students undertaking a single module in Research Methods & Techniques during the first semester. Students then go on to engage in self-directed learning, supported by their assigned Supervisor, to research and write a research dissertation on their chosen area of interest. The Annual Lean Research Symposium provides our Lean Masters students with an opportunity to present their research in a scholastic and collegial environment, and receive feedback from their peers and faculty.

Programme Objectives

This programme aims to provide participants with the requisite knowledge, skills, and know-how in lean philosophy and lean management practice so that they can play a significant role in any organisation implementing, or planning to implement, lean enterprise and operational excellence. The following objectives reflect the identified skills gap in the area:

• To immerse students in lean thinking and its application in a wide range of business contexts.
• To give students a broad base of business skills and knowledge that can be used to advance their ability with respect to the application of lean principles.
• To inculcate systems thinking, as well as creative thinking and innovative ability, to engender cross-functional and silo-free perspectives.
• To develop the leadership and communications skills of individuals that combine to add value to organisations pursuing the adoption of lean strategies.
• To evaluate the essential role and importance of people, and soft skills, in lean.
• To provide critical insight into operational excellence in production and service provision across a range of industrial contexts.
• To apply knowledge of lean tools and techniques that will enable the student’s ability to design, deliver, and evaluate lean initiatives.
• To provide a mechanism for the professional development of individuals in an organisational change context.

Modules

Semester 1

• Lean Business Introduction
• Lean Operations 1
• Lean Quality 1
• Knowledge Management

Semester 2

• Lean Engagement
• Lean Operations 2
• Lean Quality 2
• Managing Change

Semester 3

• Managing Creativity in a Lean Environment
• Business Simulation
• Professional Development
• International Study

Semester 4

• Research Methods & Techniques

Semesters 5 & 6

• Research Project (Dissertation)

Programme Entry Requirements

To be considered for entry onto the Master of Business in Lean Practice applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

Entry Criteria

Hold a Level 8 Honours Degree in a Science, Engineering or Business discipline, and have at least 1 year of relevant industry experience; or if you don’t have a Level 8 Honours Degree qualification you may be considered on a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) basis provided you have at least 4-years relevant industry experience.

Applicants whose first language is not English must submit evidence of competency in English.