Potential, Competitiveness and Strategies for Implementing Lean Construction in the Construction Industry in Pakistan

Abstract

Lean Construction is one of the major change efforts in construction industry that has been successfully employed in most of the developed countries. It has offered efficient construction practices by reducing the wastes tremendously that have ultimately led to the high quality works being completed in shortest time and cost. Lean construction is inspired from lean production developed by Toyota Motors in Japan after Second World War. However, standardization in lean construction has not still reached its final shape but its effectiveness especially in construction industry has been proved significantly. This thesis determines the potentials and competitiveness of lean construction in the construction industry in Pakistan with strategies to implement. A questionnaire based on the lean construction model is used to survey the lean construction practices through which lean construction conformance was measured in the construction industry in Pakistan. The questionnaire was designed based on the models presented by the researchers which included 5 topmost principles and 16 sub-principles of lean construction. For each sub principle, questions based on lean practices and their anticipated importance in the construction industry, were developed to assess the lean conformances and importance level based on the likert scale. The importance for lean practices in the construction industry and lean conformance explored the potential available in Pakistan for lean construction. The questionnaire was pilot tested after discussing with the experts in the construction industry as well as Academia. The sample size was selected basing on the equation proposed by Dillman (2000) which came to be 87. To get responses, random sampling was adopted and questionnaire was distributed by hand, online, visiting ongoing construction sites and companies involved in civil engineering works in Pakistan. A total of 92 valid responses were analyzed. Various statistical tests were performed on the gathered data to make necessary inferences. Results demonstrate that 54% lean practices are followed with a population mean as 52.7% ≤ μ ≤ 55.6% in the construction industry. Nonetheless, results indicated that lean practices are very important with mean ranging from 81.3% ≤ μ ≤ 86.1%. The partial fulfillment and high importance levels given to the lean construction indicates that the construction industry possesses moderate potential (44.4%) and is recognizing the competitive advantages that lean construction practices can offer. The results indicated that awareness, training and commitment from top management are most important factors which are particularly needed for successful implementation of the lean construction philosophy. The study emphasized the role of educational institutions, Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), and government entities in promoting the lean construction concept in Pakistan. Adoption of lean construction practices by an efficient management can enable the industry to remove abundance of wastes inherited in the construction process and would ensure delivery of quality projects at reduced cost and time.