Prof. Dr. Dr. Thomas Münster
"Wer mit der Seele nicht dabei ist, der hat keinen Beruf, sondern nur eine Beschäftigung." Charles TschoppInstitute of General Mechanical Engineering
Campus Gummersbach
Steinmüllerallee 1
51643 Gummersbach
Mailing address
+49 2261-8196-6339
thomas.muenster@th-koeln.de
Teaching disciplines
- With two doctoral degrees in both economics and engineering, I combine profound economic expertise with technical know-how. In my teaching, I provide practical instruction in Lean Management, Six Sigma, holistic Business Excellence, as well as software-supported value chain optimization throughout the entire lifecycle – from development to service.
- The average evaluations of my courses in the "Business Excellence" module over the past five years (Winter Semester 21/22 to Winter Semester 25/26) are as follows: - Course conditions: 1.3 - Instructor: 1.2
Research fields
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Research at the intersection of economics and engineering. My focus is on developing holistic concepts for the Business Excellence of the future – integrative, digital, and sustainable.
Publications
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Publikationsschwerpunkt: Integrale QM-Systeme für zukunftsfähige OrganisationenHolistic Six Sigma
I combine classical quality management methods such as Six Sigma and Lean with integral approaches, in particular AQAL – All Quadrants, All Levels – as well as Spiral Dynamics, in order to design processes in a holistic, systemic, and future-oriented way. In my second doctoral dissertation, I achieved the first scientific integration of Six Sigma with AQAL and Spiral Dynamics, representing a novel contribution to the field of integral process optimization. My publications demonstrate how traditional quality management approaches can be combined with modern technologies such as AI-supported quality assurance, digital twins, and augmented reality, as well as with agile and integral organizational models. The focus is on developing resilient, learning organizations in which process optimization is understood across technical, human, cultural, and organizational dimensions. For my contributions to the further development of quality management and business excellence, I was awarded the German Six Sigma Honorary Award for Business Excellence in Gold.
Other information
Practice-Oriented Quality and Process Optimization with Lean, Six Sigma, and Digital Methods – Theory Meets Real Results.
As a holder of both a PhD in economics (Dr. rer. pol.) and a doctorate in engineering (Dr.-Ing.), I combine the best of both worlds. This combination enables me to take a holistic approach to inquiries, supporting both students and companies in efficiently and sustainably mastering complex challenges.
Industry Practice Overview: • Ensuring competitiveness with approximately 20% cost reduction. • Process optimization, efficiency enhancement, and acceleration of business operations. • Coaching, training, and interdisciplinary project management as a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt. • Rapid achievement of corporate goals such as cost reduction, revenue, and profit increase. • Total Cost / CAPEX / OPEX considerations. • Around 15 years of worldwide technical and commercial project experience. • Highly experienced in internationally operating matrix organizations. • Business fluent in English.