Improving the Project Performance Based on Continuous Workflow and Reliable Planning

2013 ◽  
Vol 357-360 ◽  
pp. 2228-2232
Author(s):  
Xiu Feng Xue ◽  
Jian Guo Chen
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Buffer Management ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Lean Construction ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Last Planner System ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
Last Planner

Lean Construction attracts widespread attention since it was formally proposed in 1993, which have made far-reaching development both in the theory and practice. Construction projects seldom happen as ideally as planned because of constructions nature uncertainty and variability, which always spoil plans and become major factors that affect project performance and productivity. The goal of the construction industry is to increase the planning-reliability, to impact the productivity of workflow and hence the project performance. The attention on improve the workflow will be a practical way to avoid these bad affections. This paper, through focusing the measurement of workflow and the methods to maintain the continuous workflow, introduces all-round methods called Last Planner System and Buffer Management two key indexes for keeping continuous workflow within giving reasonable improvements for better performance in construction industry.

scholarly journals Lean construction and project performance in the Australian construction industry

2021 ◽  
Vol 907 (1) ◽  
pp. 012024
Author(s):  
M Fauzan ◽  
R Y Sunindijo
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Six Sigma ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Lean Construction ◽  
Just In Time ◽  
Strong Correlations ◽  
Last Planner System ◽  
Last Planner ◽  
Sydney Australia

Abstract The construction industry is plagued by poor project performance and the adoption of lean construction is seen as a way to address this issue. Therefore, this research aims to assess the implementation of lean construction and its relationships with project performance in the Australian construction industry. Just in time, last planner system, Six Sigma, and 5S management are the four lean construction tools investigated in the research. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey from construction practitioners in Sydney, Australia. Results show that the implementation of these four tools is adequate, although some lean activities need to be implemented at a higher level. Lean construction also has strong correlations with many project performance indicators, demonstrating its value to the construction industry that is in a dire need of improvement. Finally, this research also recommends specific areas for improvements.

Applying Lean Construction to Construction Project

2013 ◽  
Vol 834-836 ◽  
pp. 1976-1983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nguyen Thanh Binh
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Employee Training ◽  
Lean Construction ◽  
3D Animation ◽  
Concrete Construction ◽  
Look Ahead ◽  
Scheduling Method ◽  
Scheduling Tool ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
Last Planner

Lean construction is aimed to improve construction performance by eliminating wastes that do not add value to the customer. This project studies lean construction and its application in concrete construction projects at both the operation and project levels. In conjunction with a concrete contractor, actual concrete construction projects were observed, and problem areas contributing to delay and other wastes were identified. At the project level, the lack of coordination among subcontractors was cited as one of the major factors contributing to schedule delays. This paper proposes to use the last planner concept, the linear scheduling method, and the graphic schedule method to improve communication and look-ahead scheduling. Related software was developed for implementing this scheduling tool. At the operation level, a systematic approach of was identification, operation re-design, and employee training was applied to reduce wastes found in the field operation. A case study of bulkhead installation was used to demonstrate this approach, and a 3D animation was created for employee training.

scholarly journals The Passing Fads and Emergent Trends of Project Culture in Construction Industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qinghua He ◽  
Jin Li ◽  
Jingyuan Wan ◽  
Zhenyu Zhang ◽  
Zhen Chen
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Sense Making ◽  
Research Focus ◽  
Holistic Review ◽  
Hybrid Function ◽  
Project Culture

Project culture in construction industry is unique, distinguishing one project from others, and plays a role in the processing of construction projects. The aim of this paper is to conduct a holistic review of the extant literature and identify the future trends of project culture. The method of a systematic literature review was conducted to overview the extant articles on project culture in construction industry until 2019. After searching in ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, we obtained a total number of 31 papers and refinement was made by content analysis. Four aspects were analyzed: the nature of project culture, the diagnosis of project culture, factors influencing project culture, and research focus. It provides a map of project culture from philosophy paradigms. And findings show that research on project culture was mainly from the function paradigm (the integration position) in which culture can be manipulated for better project performance. A few from nonfunction paradigm (the fragment position) stressed sense making of project culture. This study proposes a framework consisting of a hybrid function/nonfunction paradigms and diagnoses project culture from explicit and implicit aspects. These findings make a firm foundation for the exploration of project culture from multiperspectives in theory and practice.

scholarly journals Performance measurement in the UK construction industry and its role in supporting the application of lean construction concepts

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saad Sarhan ◽  
Andrew Fox
Keyword(s):  
Performance Measurement ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Performance Measures ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Lean Construction ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Last Planner System ◽  
Financial Performance Measures ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Last Planner

Performance measurement has received substantial attention from researchers and the construction industry over the past two decades. This study sought to assess UK practitioners’ awareness of the importance of the use of appropriate performance measures and its role in supporting the application of Lean Construction (LC) concepts. To enable the study to achieve its objectives, a review of a range of measurements developed to evaluate project performance including those devoted to support LC efforts was conducted. Consequently a questionnaire survey was developed and sent to 198 professionals in the UK construction industry as well as a small sample of academics with an interest in LC. Results indicated that although practitioners recognise the importance of the selection of non-financial performance measures, it has not been properly and widely implemented. The study identified the most common techniques used by UK construction organisations for performance measurement, and ranked a number of non-financial key performance indicators as significant. Some professed to have embraced the Last Planner System methodology as a means for performance measurement and organisational learning, while further questioning suggested otherwise. It was also suggested that substance thinking amongst professionals could be a significant hidden barrier that militates against the successful implementation of LC.

scholarly journals Integration of LEAN Last Planner System in construction processes

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jolanta Tamošaitienė ◽  
Tomas Starta
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Lean Construction ◽  
Time Saving ◽  
Construction Productivity ◽  
Strategic Process ◽  
Last Planner System ◽  
System Technique ◽  
Last Planner

Globally, the efficiency of the construction sector has declined around the world over the past 30 years. The main principles aimed at the improvement of the situation are based on lean construction. The concept of lean construction can be effectively used in the strategic process to improve waste reduction as well as cost and time efficiency, which results in positive outcomes such as environmental protection, economy and time-saving. Lean construction practices help to achieve significant benefits. However, many organisations still find it difficult to successfully and correctly integrate lean concepts. The research literature indicates that the construction industry has encountered poor implementation and integration of these concepts. Lean construction has eight main techniques for increasing productivity in implementing customer requirements in the construction industry. Having in mind that lean is the key requirement for gaining construction productivity, this paper provides the basic fundamental knowledge of lean construction. Also, it shows how to get the most effective results by applying the Last Planner System technique. The described case study demonstrates the integration of the Last Planner System technique into the project.

scholarly journals Investigating Rework: Insights from the Malaysian Construction Industry

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Boon Hui Yap ◽  
Shi Min Tan
Keyword(s):  
Quality Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Statistical Techniques ◽  
Cost Overruns ◽  
Delivery Performance ◽  
Communication Design ◽  
Design Changes

Construction practitioners recognise that rework is undesirable due to the detrimental effects. While rework literature has examined rework causation factors in construction projects, the problem continues to plague the industry resulting in poor delivery performance. To better understand this phenomenon and given the scarcity of Malaysian-based rework study, a questionnaire survey involving 130 Malaysian construction practitioners (consultants, contractors and clients) were undertaken to obtain feedback about nature, implications, causes and solutions for rework. Data were analysed using descriptive statistical techniques to prioritise the variables studied. From the analyses, rework is a causal factor for delays and cost overruns, higher wastage and productivity inhibitor. The findings revealed the leading causes of rework are poor quality management, improper planning, lack of communication, design changes and poor subcontractor management. Some practical rework minimisation approaches are also suggested to better manage and prevent rework towards enhanced project performance.

Knowledge management for construction organisations: a research agenda

Kybernetes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (9) ◽  
pp. 1778-1800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vipula Sisirakumara Gunasekera ◽  
Siong-Choy Chong
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Political Influence ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Conversion ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis paper aims to review the knowledge management (KM) processes, knowledge conversion modes and critical success factors (CSFs) and contextualise them to the construction setting to guide effective KM implementation.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is conceptual in nature. It begins with a review of issues faced by construction organisations, which led them to consider implementing KM. This is followed by a comprehensive review of KM processes, knowledge conversion modes, KM CSFs and their application to the construction industry.FindingsBased on the socialisation, externalisation, combination and internalisation (SECI) model, the knowledge conversion modes are discussed, linking them to the KM processes of knowledge creation, sharing, storage and application. The KM CSFs identified from construction literature suggest that they can be categorised into two groups, namely, factors within organisational control (managerial influence, technological influence and resource influence) and factors beyond organisational control (social influence, political influence, environmental influence, economic influence, industry influence and construction technology influence). The resulting review is discussed in terms of how construction organisations can implement KM effectively to achieve the desired project performance outcomes in terms of time, cost and quality.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough this paper has made some theoretical contributions, a quantitative analysis will further reinforce its value both in theory and practice, particularly in terms of applying the KM processes and CSFs to different organisational, industry and country settings. A quantitative research is being carried out in the major construction sector in Sri Lanka to establish the relationships between the KM processes, knowledge conversion modes and KM CSFs with project performance outcomes, which will be reported in a subsequent publication.Practical implicationsAs the construction industry uses a considerable number of knowledge workers, implementing KM for project planning and execution is the key to sustaining the growth of construction organisations and industry, particularly when KM implementation is linked to project performance outcomes. Practical implications are provided in terms of what successful KM implementation entails.Social implicationsEffective KM implementation can serve as a conduit for construction organisations to build capacity and develop the ability to react quickly to social challenges brought about by different stakeholders, even before the project commences, so that the project performance outcomes will not be affected. Another social implication is the role played by project team members, in which efforts have to be put in place to facilitate the use of KM processes, so that teams can align project activities to the general good of their organisations.Originality/valueA comprehensive KM framework that guides the construction industry on KM implementation is long overdue. This research represents the first of such attempts to view KM from a wider perspective, both in terms of internal and external influences affecting construction organisations. Once the conceptual framework developed is validated, it is expected to bring enormous benefits to different stakeholders.

A Study on Variations in Sewerage Construction Projects

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohd Azraai Kassim ◽  
Jen Loong Lee
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Site Conditions ◽  
Project Costs ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Project Characteristics ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
A Company ◽  
Total Project ◽  
Sewerage Network

Perubahan dalam pembinaan telah lama menjadi isu pertikaian antara pelbagai pihak yang terlibat dalam projek pembinaan. Namun, hanya sejumlah kecil kajian yang rasmi telah dijalankan untuk menganalisis sebab-sebab dan kesan-kesannya. Kajian ini tertumpu kepada analisis kekerapan dan keterukan berbagai-bagai faktor yang mengakibatkan perubahan dalam projek pembinaan rangkaian pembetungan. Adalah penting bagi sesebuah syrikat bukan sahaja mengetahui kos perubahan, tetapi juga mengenal pasti perkara-perkara yang perlu diberi perhatian untuk mengurangkan kos-kos sedemikian dalam projek akan datang. Kesemua data dan maklumat yang diperlukan diperolehi dari fail-fail arkib bagi tiga belas projek yang disahkan melalui temubual. Data-data dikategori untuk menganalisis kekerapan dan keterukan faktor-faktor. Jadual dan carta digunakan untuk menunjukkan hasil-hasil kajian. Daripada hasil analisis, keadaan tapak yang berbeza merupakan faktor utama yang mengakibatkan perubahan. Faktor-faktor ini menyumbangkan 49.3% daripada jumlah bilangan perubahan, 56.2% daripada jumlah kos perubahan dan 3.8% daripada jumlah kos projek. Dua ciri projek, iaitu nilai anugerah kontrak dan gred pendaftaran kontraktor dengan Lembaga Pembangunan Industri Pembinaan (mewakili pengkhususan, kedudukan kewangan dan sumber-sumber lain kontraktor) menunjukkan penyebab yang tertentu dengan perubahan. Kata kunci: perubahan; kekerapan; keterukan; pembetungan; rangkaian; pengkhususan Variations in construction have long been a debatable issue among the different participants involved in construction projects. However, only a few formal studies have been carried out to analyse its couses and effects. This study is focused on the frequency and severity of various factors causing variations in sewerage networks construction projects. It is important for a company not only to know the variation costs, but also to identify the most likely areas on which to focus in order to reduce these costs for the future projects. All the necessary data and information are obtained from archival files of thirteen projects and verified through interviews. These data are categorised to analyse the frequency and severity of factors. Tables and charts are presented to show the research findings. From the analysis, differing site conditions appear to be the major factors contributing to variations. They average 49.3% of the total number of variations, 56.2% of the total variation costs and 3.8% of the total project costs. Two project characteristics i.e. contract award value and the contractor´s registration grade with the Construction Industry Development Board (which represents the contractor´s specialisation, financial and other resources standing) show certain causal relationships with variations. Key words: variation; frequency; severity; sewerage; network; specialisation

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