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Identifying critical challenges to lean construction adoption

Arpit Singh (Department of Information Systems and Analytics, Jindal Global Business School, O. P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India)
Vimal Kumar (Department of Information Management, Chaoyang University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan)
Ankesh Mittal (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Asra College of Engineering and Technology, Sangrur, India)
Pratima Verma (Department of Strategic Management, Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode, Kozhikode, India)

Construction Innovation

ISSN: 1471-4175

Article publication date: 12 April 2023

Issue publication date: 9 January 2024

758

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to set out to identify and evaluate potential obstacles to successfully implementing lean construction (LC) as a result.

Design/methodology/approach

Several indicators were recognized as major obstacles following an exhaustive assessment of the literature and a multicriteria decision analysis based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) of information obtained from a questionnaire survey that was directed to practitioners in the Indian construction industry.

Findings

The results of this AHP model suggest that “Managerial” and “Inadequate resources” categories with a priority weight of “0.361” and “0.309” have the highest levels of influence, respectively, while “Inadequate knowledge” and “just in time (JIT)” categories with a priority weight of “0.053” and “0.034” have the lowest levels of influence, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

Construction companies can use the study’s findings as a guide to determine whether they are ready to embrace LC, learn more about the components needed for implementation or investigate any challenges that may arise. These businesses can then create plans to promote the adoption and application of the lean philosophy.

Originality/value

The Indian construction industry may see great success with LC management initiatives. LC concepts have been adopted by many nations, but during the past 20 years, there has only appeared to be a limited amount of lean implementation in the Indian construction industry. It seems that several structural and cultural barriers are preventing its effective implementation. Organizations will not be able to determine what improvement efforts are required, where these efforts should be directed or which initiatives could provide the best outcomes if they are unaware of the elements that influence the effective implementation of LC.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the three anonymous reviewers, Associate Editor, and Editor-in-Chief for their valuable comments and suggestions that helped to improve the manuscript.

Funding: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Citation

Singh, A., Kumar, V., Mittal, A. and Verma, P. (2024), "Identifying critical challenges to lean construction adoption", Construction Innovation, Vol. 24 No. 1, pp. 67-105. https://doi.org/10.1108/CI-09-2022-0229

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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