Techniques and benefits of implementing the last planner system in the Gaza Strip construction industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 1424-1436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bassam A. Tayeh ◽  
Khalid Al Hallaq ◽  
Hafiz Zahoor ◽  
Abdulla H. Al Faqawi
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Gaza Strip ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Similar Work ◽  
Look Ahead ◽  
Last Planner System ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Gaza Strip ◽  
Last Planner

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to prioritize the vital tools/techniques for the effective implementation of the last planner system (LPS) in the cross-cultural setting of a developing country, i.e. Gaza Strip. Besides, the potential benefits of implementing LPS are prioritized. Design/methodology/approach The significant techniques and likely benefits of LPS implementations were identified through comprehensive literature, followed by their verification through a pilot study. The quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire survey from 89 companies, operating in the Gaza Strip construction industry. The relative important index was calculated for prioritizing the significant tools/techniques (16) which support the effective LPS implementation, and highlighting the potential benefits (10) achieved through LPS implementation. Findings The results showed that the “use of visual devices to spread information in the construction site,” “attendance of key actors” and “look ahead plan” are the most important tools/techniques supporting LPS implementation. The top three potential benefits of implementing LPS include: “allows a better understanding of the program control,” “maximizes the co-operation and confidence among team members” and “allows the manager to better visualize the work program.” To prevent any waste in project time and to ensure the material supply and continuity of works, the study recommends advance supply and storage of demand materials, and early availability of the shop-drawings for acceptance by the superintendent. Practical implications The study’s findings are expected to guide the key construction stakeholders to prioritize their energies toward effective LPS implementation in the Gaza Strip. Originality/value Though this study pertains to Palestine, its methodology can be generalized in other countries and regions, having a similar work environment, after making necessary cultural adjustments.

scholarly journals Success Factors and Barriers of Last Planner System Implementation in the Gaza Strip Construction Industry

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 389-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bassam A. Tayeh ◽  
Khalid Al Hallaq ◽  
Abdulla H. Al Faqawi ◽  
Wesam S. Alaloul ◽  
Soo Y. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Gaza Strip ◽  
System Implementation ◽  
Last Planner System ◽  
The Gaza Strip ◽  
Last Planner

Job stress, job burnout and safety performance in the Palestinian construction industry

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adnan Enshassi ◽  
Yasmine El-Rayyes ◽  
Suhair Alkilani
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Gaza Strip ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Job Burnout ◽  
Safety Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Organizations ◽  
The Gaza Strip

Purpose – The purposes of this paper are to identify the most significant job-related stressors that influence construction project professionals’ safety, identify the form of stresses and job burnout experienced by construction professionals and investigate the impact of stress and job burnout on safety performance from the perception of construction project professionals in the Gaza Strip construction industry. Construction is characterized as a stressful industry, which influences the safety performance of construction personnel, especially when the stress transfers into burnout. Design/methodology/approach – The views of a variety of construction professionals operating in Gaza Strip were sought using a questionnaire survey. Project managers, project coordinators and site engineers were targeted. Of the 45 questionnaires distributed, 33 were returned. Data were analyzed using the relative importance index (RII), Pearson correlation and regression analysis that used one-way ANOVA test. Findings – Findings revealed that an organizational stressor is the major contributor to physical stress, behavioral stress and job burnout. In addition, the findings showed that construction professionals suffered from emotional stress and invisible burnout. Of significance, the findings revealed that job stresses and job burnout did not affect safety performance in the Gaza Strip construction industry because the first priority for most construction professionals was to maintain permanent employment and, therefore, stresses were often hidden. Research limitations/implications – This study is limited by its small sample size. However, the findings represent novel results, which can be taken into consideration by construction organizations. Practical implications – The findings may help construction organizations in the Gaza Strip to understand job stressors’ factors, which affect construction project professionals to help minimize or eliminate their impact on safety performance and, hence, improve productivity in construction projects. Furthermore, the study promotes personnel health and safety and enhancement of the quality of work and construction workers’ personal life. The recommendation of this study may also apply to other developing countries. Originality/value – The study contributes to the overall body of knowledge relevant to job stress and burnout in the construction industry of developing countries. It draws attention to the interrelationship between stressors, stresses, burnout and safety performance, and it illustrates a new form of burnout that is invisible burnout.

Integrating critical chain project management with last planner system for linear scheduling of modular construction

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarek Salama ◽  
Ahmad Salah ◽  
Osama Moselhi
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Control Procedure ◽  
Modular Construction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Linear Scheduling ◽  
Last Planner System ◽  
Critical Chain Project Management ◽  
Last Planner ◽  
And Control ◽  
Critical Chain

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a new method for project tracking and control of integrated offsite and onsite activities in modular construction considering practical characteristics associated with this type of construction. Design/methodology/approach The design embraces building information modelling and integrates last planner system (LPS), linear scheduling method (LSM) and critical chain project management (CCPM) to develop tracking and control procedures for modular construction projects. The developed method accounts for constraints of resources continuity and uncertainties associated with activity duration. Features of proposed method are illustrated in a case example for tracking and control of modular projects. Findings Comparison between developed schedule and Monte Carlo simulation showed that baseline duration generated from simulation exceeds that produced by developed method by 12% and 10% for schedules with 50% and 90% confidence level, respectively. These percentages decrease based on interventions of members of project team in the LPS sessions. The case example results indicate that project is delayed 5% and experienced cost overrun of 2.5%. Originality/value Developed method integrated LPS, LSM and CCPM while using metrics for reliability assessment of linear schedules, namely, critical percent plan complete (PPCcr) and buffer index (BI). PPCcr and BI measure percentage of plan completion for critical activities and buffer consumption, respectively. The developed method provides a systematic procedure for forecasting look-ahead schedules using forecasting correction factor Δt and a newly developed tracking and control procedure that uses PPCcr and BI. Quantitative cost analysis is also provided to forecast and monitor project costs to prove the robustness of proposed framework.

Prospect of lean practices towards construction supply chain management trends

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phuoc Luong Le ◽  
Nguyen Thi Duc Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Architectural Engineering ◽  
Planning And Control ◽  
Last Planner System ◽  
Last Planner ◽  
And Control

Purpose To deal with the present situation and recover after the COVID-19 pandemic, construction firms are required to recognise the trends in construction supply chain management (CSCM) for the upcoming years and determine the appropriate practices towards the trends for the improvement of construction activities in terms of strategy, tactic and operations. This paper aims to recognise key trends in CSCM and uses these trends as strategic criteria for the evaluation and prioritisation of lean construction (LC) tools at different project phases including design and architectural engineering, planning and control, on-site construction and safety management. Design/methodology/approach The integrated analytic hierarchy process–Delphi method is used to collect and analyse the data from construction experts to evaluate the importance levels of the CSCM trends and recommend the appropriate tools for LC practices to improve project performances. Findings Seven key CSCM trends are identified: lean supply chain management (SCM), supply chain (SC) integration, SC standardisation, SC problem-solving, SC information-sharing, SC flexibility and SC sustainability. Based on these trends, a set of prioritised lean tools are suggested for LC practices, in which “virtual design construction” (VDC) and “last planner system” are considered as the central tools. These two LC practices can be integrated with other effective tools to support the strategic, tactical and operational targets in construction supply chain (CSC) projects. Research limitations/implications This study gives the managerial implications by developing an application framework of LC practices for CSC projects. The framework promotes “VDC” as a strategic tool for the phase of design and architectural engineering and considers “last planner system” as the central LC practice for the phase of project planning and control. The framework also focuses on the improvement of efficiency in construction operations by taking into account the aspects of on-site collaboration, problem-solving, improvement and safety. Originality/value Up to date, there is still a lack of researches in classifying and prioritising the significant LC tools for each project phase to deal with CSC issues in both breadth and depth. Thus, this study is performed to provide construction managers with the awareness of CSCM trends on which they can focus to have strategic criteria for selecting LC practices to improve CSC performances.

The Last-Planner-System’s impact on project culture

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunnar Jürgen Lühr ◽  
Marian Bosch-Rekveldt ◽  
Mladen Radujković
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Assessment Instrument ◽  
Mutual Understanding ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Last Planner System ◽  
Project Culture ◽  
Last Planner

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the Last-Planner-System’s impact on project cultures in terms of partnering. Design/methodology/approach A case study was performed using multiple data gathering approaches. The project cultures of three projects not applying the Last-Planner-System were compared with three projects that apply the Last-Planner-System. In total, 30 participants were involved in the study. Semi-structured interviews were held and analysed by applying qualitative content analysis. Also, the “organizational culture assessment instrument”, which belongs to the “competing values framework”, was used by means of an online survey. Findings The Last-Planner-System leads to increased levels of mutual understanding and control about the tasks and issues of the other parties. This detailed overview leads towards a more distinguished evaluation of the trustworthiness of individuals. This does not necessarily lead to a partnering project culture. Originality/value The contribution to research is that higher levels of transparency and mutual understanding do not necessarily lead to a high level of trust. Rather, transparency could be seen as a controlling mechanism that leads to better-founded estimations about the trustworthiness of others in the project.

Post-conflict housing reconstruction in the Gaza Strip

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-330
Author(s):  
Ghassan Elkahlout
Keyword(s):  
Building Materials ◽  
Gaza Strip ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Conflict Setting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
The Gaza Strip ◽  
Housing Reconstruction ◽  
Housing Units

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the feasibility of using the agency-driven housing approach in a post-conflict context. This paper aims to identify the challenges in applying the agency-driven approach within the context of post-conflict housing reconstruction in the Gaza Strip. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, a qualitative research approach was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders and representatives of project beneficiaries. Secondary data drawn from academic papers, articles, technical reports and media reports were also obtained. Findings The findings support doubts in the literature about the feasibility of using the agency-driven approach in post-conflict housing reconstruction. The paper concludes that an agency-driven housing project successfully constructed a few thousand housing units and provided thousands of temporary job opportunities. The project encountered challenges in beneficiary selection; affordability of housing units; access to building materials; governance issues; and delays in implementation. Practical implications This paper offers valuable lessons for decision-makers, planners and architects to build on in future endeavours in Gaza and in similar contexts. Originality/value This paper particularly confirms the challenges of using the agency-driven housing approach in a post-conflict setting. These findings are useful for policy-makers to develop relevant strategies to address housing needs in the Gaza Strip.

The factors contributing to construction accidents in Pakistan

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 463-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hafiz Zahoor ◽  
Albert P.C. Chan ◽  
Ran Gao ◽  
Wahyudi P. Utama
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Delphi Survey ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Contributory Factors ◽  
Similar Work ◽  
Safety Research ◽  
Accident Causation ◽  
The Government ◽  
Construction Accidents

Purpose The highest number of accidents in proportion to the employment rate is found in construction industry among all industries in Pakistan. The purpose of this paper is to identify and prioritize the contributory factors of accident causation that can significantly reduce the rate of accident in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach In total, 32 contributory factors of accident causation were identified through a triangulation strategy comprising eight face-to-face semi-structured interviews with the academic and industry experts coupled with a comprehensive literature review. Delphi survey was then conducted among the four respondent groups (clients, contractors, safety official and academia) to prioritize these factors. A consensus was achieved among the respondent groups after conducting two rounds of Delphi survey. Finally, the results were validated using the technique of inter-rater agreement (IRA) analysis. Findings All the shortlisted accident causation factors were graded as “important” to “extremely important”. Moreover, a “moderate” to “strong level” agreement was developed among the respondent groups. The three most significant factors were highlighted as “poor enforcement of safety rules and regulations by the Government agencies”, “insufficient allocation of safety budget and safety incentives by the client”, and “insufficient provision of safety training and resources by the contractor”. Practical implications The findings will help the key stakeholders to prioritize their energies towards achieving zero accident in the construction industry. Moreover, addition of academic experts as one of the respondent groups will enhance the linkages between the academia and the industry practitioners. Originality/value Besides highlighting the underlying causes of construction accidents in Pakistan, a detailed methodology is presented in this study for the analysis and validation of the Delphi survey data, which can be extrapolated in other regions and industries for elements prioritization. The findings of the study can also be generalized for other developing countries having similar work environment. The results validation through the use of IRA analysis is an addition to the field of construction safety research. The study also authenticates the applicability of IRA analysis to assess the agreement level among the respondents.

Implementing total quality management (TQM) in the Palestinian construction industry

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 878-887 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Maher Altayeb ◽  
Mahmoud Bashir Alhasanat
Keyword(s):  
Quality Management ◽  
Total Quality Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Computer Model ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Gaza Strip ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The construction industry has been one of the most important industries for the development of the Palestinian infrastructure and economy. Total quality management (TQM) is considered one of the most important approaches to the success of construction industry. The purpose of this paper is to determine the success factors necessary for the implementation of TQM at various phases of project planning, design and construction in the Gaza Strip. Design/methodology/approach – A computer model was developed to assess the current strengths and weaknesses of each component of the construction industry, such as owner, consultant and contractor, regarding their use of quality management methodologies. Findings – The research determined a total of eight major factors and 81 sub-factors. It was identified that seven critical success factors with 38 significant sub-factors were required for the successful implementation of TQM in Gaza Strip construction organizations. Originality/value – An original assessment of the importance of TQM in the construction industry in Palestine. The computer model shows the strengths and weaknesses of stakeholders within the industry.

Climate change and its impact on domestic water consumption in Sub-urban regions in the Gaza Strip

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahdy Jarboo ◽  
Husam Al-Najar
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Gaza Strip ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
Domestic Water Consumption ◽  
The Gaza Strip ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This paper aims to identify the priorities on water sector planning. The priorities are identified by comparing the climate change impact on water consumption and the impact of using domestic water illegally to irrigate the urban agricultural holdings in suburban areas. Design/methodology/approach – Metered water consumption in summer and winter in both urban and suburban areas was studied in Rafah city. A backward chronological linear model of climate change (precipitation and temperature) influence on water consumption was developed using software STATISTICA 10. The developed statistical relation was used to predict the impact of various climate change scenarios for domestic water consumption. Hence, four climate change scenarios were hypothesized – an increase in temperature by 1 and 20°C and a reduction in the rainfall by 10 and 20 per cent, respectively. Findings – The most influential climate change scenario was the increase of temperature by 20°C, which caused an increase of 1.4 per cent on the average domestic water consumption compared to the current value. The hypothesized reduction of 20 per cent in precipitation caused a negligible increase in water consumption by 0.1 per cent from the current value. Urban agriculture and current practice of using municipal water to irrigate cultivated urban holdings have a significant negative influence on domestic water consumption. The aforementioned practice led to a high percentage of unaccounted for water (UFW) of 33, 38 and 45 per cent for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. Practical implications – The concerned decision-makers should consider the right track in prioritizing dilemmas for planning water sector in suburban areas. Originality/value – This research could be considered the first of its kind because impacts of urban agriculture and climate change on domestic water consumption have never been previously considered in the Gaza Strip.

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