INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN

A RESEARCH WORKSHOP ON LEAN THINKING IN SERVICE INDUSTRIES

(WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR)

Venue: Monash University Prato Centre,Prato (near Florence), Tuscany, ITALY

Dates: 1-2 September 2011

There has been a growing use of Lean Thinking by service organisations operating in many sectors including Banking, Call Centres, Healthcare, Education and Government. In developed countries, the Healthcare sector consumes a substantial amount of private and government spending. There is an urgent need to improve efficiencies and reduce waste through process redesign and the use of information technologies leading to improved patient care and employee engagement and satisfaction.

There are many challenges facing service organisations, especially Healthcare providers, in adopting Lean. Some of these are:

  • Linking Lean to organisational strategy and justifying investment and effort for implementing a Lean program
  • Understanding the drivers for change and adopting the tools and techniques of Lean
  • Developing and applying appropriate methodologies for implementing Lean
  • Understanding implications of Lean for employees and managers and their roles in introducing and sustaining Lean
  • Use of modelling and simulation techniques in redesigning processes
  • Use of information technology as part of a Lean program
  • Developing and applying the most appropriate evaluation frameworks for measuring performance
  • Sustainability of Lean programs, especially senior management leadership, employee engagementand union views.

We invite participation in this workshop from leading researchers from around the globe. One aim is to present current work at this workshop that we are hoping will lead to the publication of a Special Issue of a leading journal.

The organisers are currently in negotiation with the editors of a leading journal and will be able to make an announcement shortly. Papers for the proposed Special Issue would all be subject to blind refereeing as usual.

The aim of the journal Special Issue is to develop a body of knowledge. We encourage authors to challenge existing Lean theories/frameworks, and where appropriate, draw on other disciplines to present new frameworks and models of Lean in Service.

This workshop is jointly being organised by the following institutions and we invite other institutions (or individuals) to join us:

  • MINT (Management of Innovation and New Technology) Research Program, Department of Management, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
  • Warwick Business School, England
  • Toulouse Business School, France
  • Cardiff University Business School, Wales
  • Loughborough University School of Business and Economics, England
  • Newcastle University Business School, England

If you areinterested in participating in this workshop as an individual or as an institution, please contact Professor Amrik Sohalby 15 June 2011 by email:

  • Registration fee for individuals (other than those participating from partner institutions) is Euro 300 which will include a welcome reception, catering for the two days of the workshop and a workshop dinner. All participants will be responsible for their own travel, subsistence and accommodation arrangements and costs.
  • A modest hotel offers special rates if you mention Monash University: including breakfast and internet access: Art Hotel Milano, Via Tiziano, 15, 59100 Prato, Italy.
  • Tel. +39 0574 23371
  • Fax +39 0574 27706
  • For more information about Monash University Prato Centre including travel and other accommodation, visit:

Amrik’s Tel: +61 (0)414 805 606 (Australia) or +44 (0)756 133 8012 (United Kingdom).

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