Business process reengineering: critical success factors in higher education

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the critical success factors of business process reengineering (BPR) in higher education (HE). Design/methodology/approach Empirical case studies collected from three private higher education institutions in Malaysia, which have embarked on BPR successfully. Findings Seven factors were found to be critical to BPR implementation success. The factors are teamwork and quality culture, quality management system and satisfactory rewards, effective change management, less bureaucratic and participative, information technology/information system, effective project management and adequate financial resources. Research limitations/implications The paper provides a framework for future research to explore organisational development in making BPR happen successfully. Originality/value This research contributes to studies of BPR in HE context, by considering the soft issues in its implementation.