LOGAN, Utah – January 13, 2025 – The Shingo Institute, part of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, is proud to announce that Values and Behaviors of Effective Lean Managers: Mixed Methods Exploratory Research has been named the recipient of the Shingo Research Award. This groundbreaking study, published in the European Management Journal, was authored by Dr. Desirée H. van Dun (University of Twente), Dr. Jeff N. Hicks (University of Texas), and Dr. Celeste P.M. Wilderom (University of Twente).
The research provides valuable insights into the core values and behaviors that define effective Lean managers, making a significant contribution to the field of enterprise excellence. The study addresses a critical gap in Lean leadership research, which has been relatively limited despite the widespread application of Lean principles across industries.
Lean Management, a philosophy focused on enhancing customer value by eliminating non-value-adding steps in work processes, has gained renewed importance in today’s economic landscape. The study explored leadership traits and behaviors through an extensive review of existing literature, input from expert practitioners, and a field study involving Lean middle managers. As part of the field study, the researchers uniquely used video observations of regular team meetings and detailed coding of real-life Lean leader behaviors, leading to novel and at the same time practical insights. The findings highlight key leadership qualities that drive success and provide a compelling foundation for further research into Lean leadership. In particular, the study demonstrated the importance of real, active listening by Lean leaders to stimulate employees’ continuous process improvement.
“Receipt of the Shingo Research Award signifies an author’s significant impact and contribution to advancing the body of knowledge regarding organizational excellence,” said Ken Snyder, executive director of the Shingo Institute. Since its publication in 2017, the study has sparked a whole new strand of research on Lean leadership at multiple organizational levels, including effective teamwork and organizational culture.
Authors van Dun, Hicks, and Wilderom will be recognized at the Awards Gala on April 29, 2025, held during the 37th Annual Shingo Conference in Provo, Utah. The event will include workshops, site tours, and keynote speakers, all designed to inspire and educate organizations striving for excellence.
About the Shingo Research Award
The Shingo Research Award is given to research that significantly extends understanding of the philosophy, principles, or methods of enterprise excellence consistent with the Shingo Model™. Redesigned in 2022, the award now exclusively recognizes academic research, with recipients selected by the Shingo Research Advisory Committee.
About the Shingo Institute
The Shingo Institute is home to the Shingo Prize, an award recognizing organizations that demonstrate an exceptional culture fostering continuous improvement. Part of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, the Shingo Institute is named after Japanese industrial engineer and Toyota adviser Shigeo Shingo. Dr. Shingo distinguished himself as one of the world’s thought leaders in concepts, management systems, and improvement techniques known as the Toyota Production System.
Drawing from Dr. Shingo’s teachings and years of experience working with organizations worldwide, the Shingo Institute developed the Shingo Model, the basis for its various educational offerings, including workshops, study tours, and conferences. Workshops are available in multiple languages through the Institute’s Licensed Affiliates. For more information on workshops and affiliates or to register to attend an event, please visit www.shingo.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mary Price, Events and Marketing Director
Shingo Institute
Phone: +1.435.760.0711
Email: mary.price@usu.edu
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