• EUCABETH A. ODERO
• XN IRAKI
• GITURO WAINAINA

The competitive environment of organizations the world over, coupled with constrained resources, ever increasing customer awareness and advances in technology, has forced manufacturing and service operations including Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to rethink their strategies and focus on removing “waste” from their processes. One strategy that has successfully been used in manufacturing and is increasingly being adopted in the service sector is “Lean thinking”. The study sought to explore the current state of application of lean thinking in chartered universities in Kenya; determine the relationship between lean thinking and performance of these institutions, and evaluate the possible intervening effect of leadership on this relationship. The study was underpinned by the Theory of Constraint (TOC) and Transformational Leadership Theory (TLT). A ross-sectional survey research design was employed and both primary and secondary data collected. From a purposive sample of 34 chartered universities (20 public and 14 private), a questionnaire was administered to academic registrars and 18 public and 10 private universities responded, giving response rates of 90 and 71 percent respectively for public and private universities. Results indicated that although no university in Kenya had implemented lean thinking, the concept was known and being applied in the institutions. Further, lean thinking had a significant effect on performance of chartered universities but with private universities showing stronger predictive power. In addition the study established a significant partial intervening influence of leadership on the relationship between lean thinking and performance of chartered universities in Kenya The study affirms that lean thinking can improve university performance but this could be enhanced by strong commitment and support of leadership. Policy makers may use these findings to formulate policies focused on efficiency, waste elimination and customer value. The findings could also stimulate lean thinking implementation in universities across Kenya and other developing countries. A holistic lean thinking implementation is recommended for chartered universities in Kenya. Future research may concentrate on waste identification and elimination in Kenyan universities.

Lean thinking, leadership, chartered universities, university performance

"LEAN THINKING AND UNIVERSITY PERFORMANCE: THE INTERVENING EFFECT OF LEADERSHIP AMONG CHARETERED UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 9, page no.a66-a84, September-2023, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2309011.pdf

"LEAN THINKING AND UNIVERSITY PERFORMANCE: THE INTERVENING EFFECT OF LEADERSHIP AMONG CHARETERED UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 9, page no. ppa66-a84, September-2023, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2309011.pdf