ASSESSMENT OF LEAN CONSTRUCTION PRACTICE IN ETHIOPIA USING ANALYTICAL HIERARCHY PROCESS METHOD

Abstract

The performance of the construction industry is hampered by physical and non-physical waste. Hence, the requirement to embrace the implementation of Lean Construction (LC) practices that encompasses working culture, tools, and concepts to maximize value whereas additionally minimizing all kinds of wastes. The aim of this thesis is to assess the implementation of lean construction in Ethiopia, specifically in sidama region public projects. The paper investigates the implemented lean construction techniques and tools and identifies the benefits of implementing lean construction. In addition to this, the barriers to implement and critical success factors for improvement of lean construction are prioritize. The study was conducted using relative importance index (RII) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) on Microsoft excel. Both qualitative and quantitative research approach is adopted to address research. The primary data were gathered from project managers, site engineers and site supervisors through questionnaire survey and interview and secondary data obtained from journals and research proceedings. The result obtained from respondents were correlated and discussed in detail. The findings revealed that pursue perfection, create smooth flow in process, allowing customer to pull, map the value stream and identify customer value are most significant lean techniques and last planner system, 5s, concurrent engineering, just in time and daily huddle time are the most significant lean tools implemented in construction projects. Similarly, increased productivity, reduce waste and production cost, eliminate all non-value adding activities, continuous improvement and reduce project time are top five benefits of implementing lean in descending order according to their RII value. The twenty five barriers to implement lean are categorized in to seven groups and prioritized using AHP. The result showed as lack of top management support and commitment, fragmentation and subcontracting nature of industry, resistance to change, incomplete and inaccurate design and influence of traditional management practice are most significant barriers based on their global weight. Also, from sixteen critical success factor, management commitment and involvement, understanding of technical requirements in lean, employee morale and motivation, strategy planning and training employees are most significant factors according to their global weight. Finally, the research concluded that lean implemented in Ethiopia with some barriers and recommended project managers to encourage improving its implementation in project site.