Dr. Andy Bargerstock is in the top left-hand corner of this group photo of the MUM Accounting MBA class, January 2009 Entry

Maharishi University of Management Professor wins national award
by Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, IA, USA, The Review
4 November 2009

Management professor Andy Bargerstock recently won a national award for "advancing lean and lean accounting concepts in the classroom and beyond."

The award, the LEI Excellence in Lean Accounting Professor Award, was presented by the Lean Enterprise Institute at the 5th Annual Lean Accounting Summit last month.

The recognition came as a result of Dr. Bargerstock's implementation of lean principles in the classroom for the academic year 2008-2009. Faculty attendees from last year's summit were invited to submit applications
documenting what they had implemented.

Dr. Bargerstock's initiatives included creating a graduate-level mini-course for Accounting MBA students called "Lean Accounting Transformation"; organizing field trips to regional companies that have implemented lean
management concepts; developing a 12-credit post-MBA certificate program in lean accounting for graduates of the Accounting MBA program; presenting a workshop attended by 47 accounting professionals for the Cedar Rapids chapter of the Institute for Management Accounting; and engaging a consultant to teach a course in "Business Process Modeling" that enables accountants to analyze business flow programs and develop visual maps that serve as engines for simplifying and streamlining.

"This recognition by a national organization for implementing lean concepts in the classroom helps to put Maharishi University of Management (MUM) on the map as an institution that is leading the way in lean management transformation," Dr. Bargerstock said.

According to Dr. Bargerstock, lean thinking consists of the success principles from the Toyota Production System, concepts that can be applied universally to any organization.

"Lean management is an important and growing niche," Dr. Bargerstock said. "Companies worldwide are adopting it. Students need to be prepared to participate in the transition that's taking place. More specifically, accountants need to learn different methods for presenting data to internal decision-makers, methods that typically are not taught at most universities.

At MUM, students learn about the limitations of traditional internal costing systems. They also learn how to develop sustainable performance metrics, value stream accounting income statements, and how to streamline accounting processes."

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