Criticality assessment of the barriers to Lean Construction

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study seeks to identify the critical barriers for the deployment of Lean Construction (LC).

Design/methodology/approach

In order to identify the barriers of Lean Construction, a systematic review of the scientific literature was carried out, in addition to analysis of the content of papers presented at a major Lean Construction conference. After the barriers were identified, a Lawshe study was conducted with experts in Lean Construction to verify the criticality of each of the barriers encountered.

Findings

This study identified 83 potential pre-deployment barriers in the literature, of which eight were considered critical by the experts. The results of Lawshe study pointed that critical barriers refer to leadership characteristics, cultural aspects and structural aspects.

Research limitations/implications

Variations in the assessment of the criticality of the barriers may occur from one country to another due to regional differences in the construction sector.

Practical implications

The implications of this study are recognizing and identifying the characteristics of an organization that can hinder Lean Construction allows these issues to be resolved before beginning the Lean journey.

Originality/value

This article is the first of its kind to assess the criticality of barriers to Lean Construction using a quantitative technique. Knowledge of this set of barriers provides both practical and theoretical readers with an increased chance of success in the deployment of an LC project.

Citation

Mano, A.P., Gouvea da Costa, S.E. and Pinheiro de Lima, E. (2021), "Criticality assessment of the barriers to Lean Construction", International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 70 No. 1, pp. 65-86. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-11-2018-0413