Barriers to lean construction: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Lean Construction (LC) is a philosophy aimed at enhancing process efficiency and reducing waste in the construction industry. LC emerged from applying and adapting Lean Manufacturing concepts to construction. The term LC gained prominence in 1992 following the publication of "Technical Report No. 72 – Application of the New Production Philosophy to Construction," by Lauri Koskela. Given that these concepts originated in manufacturing, certain characteristics of the construction industry can prevent their application, acting as barriers that hinder Lean Construction's implementation. Recognizing and identifying the difficulties associated with LC practice can serve as input for organizations to prepare themselves, thereby increasing the chances of successful LC implementation. In this context, the goal of this research was to identify barriers to LC mentioned in scientific articles since 2010. The methodology employed was the systematic literature review (SLR) technique, along with bibliometric data analysis. The SLR was conducted using the Scopus and Emerald databases. Sixty articles were selected in the SLR from which forty barriers to LC were extracted, in different countries and contexts, such as: difficulty in obtaining support and commitment from senior management, resistance to change by leadership, lack of good communication, unskilled labor, lack of knowledge about lean construction philosophy, among others.