The university student as customer, supplier, actor, raw material and end product: analysing university teaching and learning processes using a soft systems approach 14th Annual Conference Irish Academy of Management 1st-2nd September 2011 National College of Ireland, Dublin Malcolm Brady DCU Business School, Dublin City University Tel.:

Soft systems: CATWOE CCustomer –victim or beneficiary of the transformation AActors –Those who carry out the transformation TTransformation Process –Conversion of input to output WWeltanschauung –The world view that makes T meaningful in context –(Paradigm/ premise under which you are examining) OOwner –Those who can stop the transformation EEnvironment –Elements outside the system, taken as given (ie. constraints) Checkland, 1985

SIPOC Build House House House-buyer Building materials Plans Concrete products Company Architect SupplierInputProcessOutputCustomer -Clear site -Dig foundations -Pour floor slab -Build walls -Construct roof -Install plumbing -Install electrics -Plaster walls -Landscape Pyzdek, 2003

SIPOC Create Mortgage Money Mortgage Agreement House-buyer House details Credit rating Loan applicant Credit rating agency SupplierInputProcessOutputCustomer -Record details -Check credit history -Approve loan -Arrange funds -Prepare contract -Sign contract -Issue mortgage

Programme development Programme specifications Module descriptors Lecturer Potential Student Programme requirements Programme Chair School SupplierInputProcessOutputCustomer world view: that there exists an accepted societal need for specific knowledge transmission and that universities are appropriate providers of such transmission

Course preparation Course materials Assignment requirements Exam paper Student Module descriptor Domain knowledge Lecturer Programme Chair SupplierInputProcessOutputCustomer world view: that the individual lecturer is the best person to define the specific content and develop the course

Lecture delivery Appreciation of course materials Student (Lecturer) Course materials Lecturer (and student) Lecturer SupplierInputProcessOutputCustomer world view: was that lecturers were the fount of knowledge and students received a transmission of knowledge from the lecturer, but this view now changing

Study Student Course materials Appreciation of course materials Student Consolidated learning SupplierInputProcessOutputCustomer world view: that students should largely be capable of studying by themselves with relatively little formal direction

Examination Assignment Exam script Lecturer Assignment requirements Exam paper Student Lecturer SupplierInputProcessOutputCustomer world view: that students must be forced or coerced into learning by having to complete some piece of work that they must hand up for formal assessment, and that the work must clearly have been carried out by themselves alone and unaided

Assessment Grade Student Assignment Exam script Lecturer Student SupplierInputProcessOutputCustomer world view: view that universities assess students on their academic abilities and not on other abilities: social, interpersonal, cultural, sporting, entrepreneurial and so on. Secondly, that the assessment grade is a reasonable representation of the academic ability of the student. Thirdly, that assessment is primarily via the written word or written symbols either in the form of questions or answers

Progression and Award Classification Transcript Student Grades Award Board Lecturers SupplierInputProcessOutputCustomer world view:

Graduation Graduates Employers Classified students President School SupplierInputProcessOutputCustomer world view: that the award itself certifies that the student has completed a full programme of study and the resulting degree confers status on the transformed student, the graduand. Secondly, that universities are seen as elite institutions

Conclusion In many respects students are customers –But students also play other roles The supplier of inputs The actual input itself The process owner and the person who carries out transformation The actual output itself The Customer Lecturers also have a multiplicity of roles The set of T&L processes is highly integrated When considering a process we need to consider the role that students and lecturers play –and act accordingly We need to recognise certain activities as genuine processes in their own right and give them appropriate time and attention eg. assessment