Evaluation of lean construction practices for improving construction project delivery. Case study of Bushenyi District, Uganda

Figures & data

Table 1. Lean tools (definitions and objectives obtained from previous studies).

Tool code	Lean tools	Definition	Objectives	Ref.
T1	Prefabrication	Prefabricated elements (offsite production).	Boost safety and quality	Bajjou, Chafi, En-Nadi (2017), Bajjou, Chafi, En-Nadi, El Hammoumi (2017)
T2	Calibration	Success is the result of consistent, repeated procedures.	Limit your time and effort.	Tezel et al. (2018)
T3	The 5S process	Employing the same tools, classifying, arranging, illuminating, controlling, and repeating the process.	Maintain equipment, supplies, and tools while saving time.	Caldera et al. (2018)
T4	Five why	A method for addressing problems.	Delineating cause and effect	Bajjou, Chafi, En-Nadi (2017) Bajjou, Chafi, En-Nadi, El Hammoumi (2017)
T5	VSM	Tool for material flow mapping using value stream mapping.	Minimizing time wastage and keeping an appropriate inventory	Miron et al. (2015)
T6	TPM	Total productivity upkeep maintenance in advance.	Upsurge the time of operation	Neve and Wandahl (2018)
T7	LPS	The last planner system is a workflow construction method.	Reducing waste, improving forecast, and boosting output	Schimanski et al. (2020)
T8	JIT	Maintaining material flow to maintain working (Just in Time).	Enhance inventory	Marodin and Saurin (2015)
T9	Kaizen	Continuous improvement assesses process efficiency, timing, availability and demand.	Operation gages	Caldera et al. (2018)
T10	TVD (Target value design)	Constrained design and target costing adaptation from manufacturing product development. Cost stability when a product develops.	Fostering value	Kim and Alseadi (2021); Ballard (2012); Zimina et al. (2012)
T11	Error proofing (Poka-Yoke)	Mechatronic tool.	Circumventing errors, improving quality and enhancing safety	Bajjou, Chafi, En-Nadi (2017), Bajjou, Chafi, En-Nadi, El Hammoumi (2017)
T12	TAKT	Coordinates production to match customer demand, ensuring tasks are completed steadily to meet output requirements.	Aligning production with demand, ensuring workflow, and optimizing efficiency for targets.	Binninger et al. (2017)
T13	Gemba walks	Gemba walks identify improvement opportunities by observing frontline staff.	Observe, understand and identify improvement opportunities.	(Romero et al., 2020)
T14	Hoshin management	Aligns organizational goals with plans and metrics, fostering collaboration.	Associate organizational goals with actionable plans.	Díez and Meré (2016)
T15	Total Quality Management (TQM)	A holistic method focusing on continuous improvement and enhancing overall performance.	Continuous quality improvement and customer satisfaction.	Ahmed et al. (2021)

Figure 1. Study area map.

Table 2. Demography of respondents.

Respondents		Property surveyor/estate		Clients		Civil Engineer		Project Manager		Total
details		Freq	%	Freq	%	Freq	%	Freq	%	Freq	%
Sex	M	20	64.52	14	58.33	15	62.50	17	65.38	66	62.86
	F	11	35.48	10	41.67	9	37.50	9	34.62	39	37.14
	Total	31	100	24	100	24	100	26	100	105	100
Age	20–35	8	25.81	11	45.8	12	50.00	9	34.62	40	38.10
	36–45	19	61.29	10	41.67	10	41.67	13	50.00	52	49.52
	46–60	3	9.68	2	8.33	1	4.17	3	11.54	9	8.57
	>60	1	3.23	1	4.17	1	4.17	1	3.85	4	3.81
	Total	31	100	24	100	24	100	26	100	105	100
Years of experience	0–10	12	38.71	18	75.00	16	66.67	17	65.38	63	60.00
	11–20.	15	48.39	6	25.00	7	29.17	6	23.08	34	32.38
	21–30	3	9.68	0	0.00	1	4.17	2	7.69	6	5.71
	>30	1	3.23	0	0.00	0	0.00	1	3.85	2	1.90
	Total	31	100	24	100	24	100	26	100	105	100
Level of education	Diploma	8	25.81	11	45.83	4	21.05	7	26.92	30	28.57
	BSc.	16	51.61	10	41.67	14	73.68	15	57.69	55	52.38
	MSc.	5	16.13	1	4.17	6	31.58	3	11.54	15	14.29
	PhD	2	6.45	2	8.33	0	0.00	1	3.85	5	4.76
	Total	31	100	24	100	24	100	26	100	105	100

Table 3. Respondents feedback to examine most significant trends in lean construction practices.

	Property surveyor/estate		Clients		Civil Engineer		Project Manager		Average
Factors	RII	Rank	RII	Rank	RII	Rank	RII	Rank	RII	Rank
Labor intensive techniques	4.12	3	4.24	2	4.67	1	4.05	4	4.27	3
Limited application of technology	4.67	1	4.08	3	4.11	4	4.49	2	4.34	2
Use of local materials	4.21	2	4.72	1	4.55	2	4.32	3	4.45	1
Building for sustainability	3.92	5	3.81	5	4.12	3	3.88	5	3.93	5
Climate consideration	3.24	6	3.53	6	3.82	5	3.42	6	3.50	6
Project management and oversight	4.05	4	3.93	4	3.79	6	4.72	1	4.12	4

Table 4. Respondents feedback to assess effective lean construction principles.

	Property surveyor/estate		Clients		Civil Engineer		Project Manager		Average
Factors	RII	Rank	RII	Rank	RII	Rank	RII	Rank	RII	Rank
Value-added activities	4.12	7	3.98	7	4.23	7	4.09	7	4.11	8
Flow and pull	3.96	8	4.04	6	4.76	1	4.38	4	4.29	5
Work in process (WIP) limiting	4.52	2	3.83	9	4.41	5	4.17	6	4.23	6
Decentralized decision making	3.43	9	4.87	1	3.42	9	3.15	9	3.72	9
Waste reduction	4.82	1	4.22	4	4.53	3	4.72	2	4.57	1
Reducing variability	4.35	3	3.91	8	4.47	4	4.84	1	4.39	3
Sustainability	4.18	6	4.54	3	4.64	2	4.41	3	4.44	2
Collaborative planning	4.25	5	4.65	2	4.38	6	3.99	8	4.32	4
Quality at the source	4.31	4	4.06	5	4.15	8	4.23	5	4.19	7

Table 5. Respondents feedback to examine lean construction implementation challenges.

	Property surveyor/estate		Clients		Civil Engineer		Project Manager		Average
Factors	RII	Rank	RII	Rank	RII	Rank	RII	Rank	RII	Rank
Resistance to change	4.54	3	4.06	5	4.63	2	4.05	8	4.32	4
Cultural shift	4.42	4	4.51	2	4.15	5	4.38	5	4.37	3
Lack of training	4.23	5	4.67	1	4.37	4	4.44	4	4.43	1
Supply chain coordination	3.89	7	4.12	4	3.78	8	4.09	7	3.97	8
Data and metrics	3.65	8	3.53	8	4.52	3	4.73	1	4.11	7
Clients’ expectations	4.63	2	3.24	9	4.81	1	3.92	9	4.15	6
Project ownership and collaboration	3.51	9	3.62	7	3.74	9	4.51	3	3.85	9
Measuring success	4.76	1	4.48	3	3.99	7	4.37	6	4.40	2
Communication	4.07	6	3.95	6	4.06	6	4.66	2	4.19	5

Table 6. Respondents feedback to investigate lean construction impact on project delivery.

	Property Surveyor/estate		Clients		Civil Engineer		Project Manager		Average
Factors	RII	Rank	RII	Rank	RII	Rank	RII	Rank	RII	Rank
Faster project completion	4.34	4	3.88	8	4.25	5	4.12	7	4.15	6
Cost control	4.26	5	3.97	7	4.81	1	4.55	5	4.40	4
Enhanced quality	3.85	9	4.14	5	3.92	8	3.9	9	3.95	8
Client satisfaction	4.09	6	4.89	1	4.47	3	4.56	4	4.50	3
Continuous improvement	3.93	8	4.05	6	3.84	9	4.33	6	4.04	7
Competitive advantage	3.48	10	3.76	10	4.09	6	3.87	10	3.80	10
Sustainability	4.77	2	4.63	2	4.46	4	4.61	3	4.62	2
Better safety records	4.02	7	3.82	9	3.68	10	4.04	8	3.89	9
Reduced waste	4.81	1	4.61	3	4.73	2	4.88	1	4.76	1
Improved workflow	4.45	3	4.19	4	3.94	7	4.79	2	4.34	5

Figure 2. Spearman correlation matrix plot for lean current construction practices assessment.

Table 7. Pairwise Spearman correlations for lean current construction practices assessment.

Sample 1	Sample 2	N	Correlation	95% CI for ρ	p Value
Clients	Property surveyor/estate	6	0.829	(−0.127, 0.986)	0.042
Civil Engineer	Property surveyor/estate	6	0.371	(−0.653, 0.915)	0.468
Project Manager	Property surveyor/estate	6	0.657	(−0.430, 0.966)	0.156
Civil Engineer	Clients	6	0.657	(−0.430, 0.966)	0.156
Project Manager	Clients	6	0.486	(−0.582, 0.939)	0.329
Project Manager	Civil Engineer	6	−0.257	(−0.888, 0.710)	0.623

Figure 3. Spearman correlation matrix plot for examination of effective Lean construction principles.

Table 8. Pairwise Spearman correlations for examination of effective lean construction principles.

Sample 1	Sample 2	N	Correlation	95% CI for ρ	p Value
Clients	Property surveyor/Estate	9	−0.417	(−0.856, 0.372)	0.265
Civil Engineer	Property surveyor/estate	9	0.200	(−0.541, 0.766)	0.606
Project Manager	Property surveyor/estate	9	0.533	(−0.255, 0.896)	0.139
Civil Engineer	Clients	9	−0.233	(−0.781, 0.518)	0.546
Project Manager	Clients	9	−0.383	(−0.843, 0.401)	0.308
Project Manager	Civil Engineer	9	0.717	(0.004, 0.947)	0.030

Figure 4. Spearman correlation matrix plot for evaluation of lean construction implementation challenges.

Table 9. Pairwise Spearman correlations for evaluation of lean construction implementation challenges.

Sample 1	Sample 2	N	Correlation	95% CI for ρ	p Value
Clients	Property surveyor/estate	9	0.250	(−0.506, 0.789)	0.516
Civil Engineer	Property surveyor/estate	9	0.450	(−0.341, 0.868)	0.224
Project Manager	Property surveyor/estate	9	−0.683	(−0.938, 0.053)	0.042
Civil Engineer	Clients	9	−0.267	(−0.796, 0.494)	0.488
Project Manager	Clients	9	−0.050	(−0.691, 0.636)	0.898
Project Manager	Civil Engineer	9	−0.317	(−0.817, 0.456)	0.406

Figure 5. Spearman correlation matrix plot for evaluation of lean construction practices impact on project delivery.

Table 10. Pairwise Spearman correlations for evaluation of lean construction practices impact on project delivery.

Sample 1	Sample 2	N	Correlation	95% CI for ρ	p Value
Clients	Property surveyor/estate	10	0.552	(−0.173, 0.889)	0.098
Civil Engineer	Property surveyor/estate	10	0.552	(−0.173, 0.889)	0.098
Project Manager	Property surveyor/estate	10	0.879	(0.461, 0.978)	0.001
Civil Engineer	Clients	10	0.406	(−0.327, 0.834)	0.244
Project Manager	Clients	10	0.758	(0.149, 0.950)	0.011
Project Manager	Civil Engineer	10	0.527	(−0.201, 0.880)	0.117

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Data availability statement

The datasets generated and analyzed during this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.