A Study of Lean Construction Practices in Gaza Strip
A Study of Lean Construction Practices in Gaza Strip
A Study of Lean Construction Practices in Gaza Strip
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The lean movement <strong>in</strong> construction started around 1992 with the creation <strong>of</strong> the<br />
International Group <strong>of</strong> <strong>Lean</strong> <strong>Construction</strong>, which accepted the Ohno’s production<br />
system design criteria as a standard <strong>of</strong> perfection. S<strong>in</strong>ce then, and especially over the<br />
past decade, organizations all over the world have been look<strong>in</strong>g for ways to <strong>in</strong>crease<br />
competitive advantage for the delivery <strong>of</strong> capital projects through the application <strong>of</strong> lean<br />
concepts and techniques (Arbulu et al., 2006).<br />
Today, there are an Arabic <strong>in</strong>cl<strong>in</strong>ation towards the application <strong>of</strong> lean system <strong>in</strong><br />
the local projects where we f<strong>in</strong>d it <strong>in</strong> many productive projects: military cloth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>dustry as <strong>in</strong> Iraq which got a big success and a big production development. A lot<br />
researches, masters and doctoral theses recommended to apply it at the <strong>Construction</strong><br />
projects level <strong>in</strong> the Arabic countries (Sameh, 2008).<br />
2.2 <strong>Lean</strong> <strong>Construction</strong> Def<strong>in</strong>ition<br />
<strong>Lean</strong> construction presents a coherent synthesis <strong>of</strong> the most effective techniques for<br />
elim<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g waste and deliver<strong>in</strong>g significant susta<strong>in</strong>ed improvement. <strong>in</strong> cost, time,<br />
quality and safety simultaneously. In fact, lean construction has many def<strong>in</strong>itions:<br />
Ballard (2004) def<strong>in</strong>es lean "added value by elim<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g waste, be<strong>in</strong>g responsive to<br />
change, focus<strong>in</strong>g on quality, and enhanc<strong>in</strong>g the effectiveness <strong>of</strong> the workforce.<br />
Typically, 95% <strong>of</strong> all lead time is non–value added". Ballard and Howell (2004) def<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
it as “a temporary production system while deliver<strong>in</strong>g the product with maximum value<br />
and m<strong>in</strong>imum waste". whereas the lean construction <strong>in</strong>stitute (2003) def<strong>in</strong>es lean<br />
construction as, “a production management based approach to project delivery. <strong>Lean</strong><br />
production management has caused a revolution <strong>in</strong> manufactur<strong>in</strong>g design, supply and<br />
assembly. But Reiser (2000) def<strong>in</strong>es lean construction as, "a project delivery system<br />
based on the lean production management process, orig<strong>in</strong>ally developed by the Toyota<br />
Motor Company that is aimed at improv<strong>in</strong>g value by satisfy<strong>in</strong>g customer needs and<br />
improv<strong>in</strong>g performance".<br />
F<strong>in</strong>ally, lean construction can be def<strong>in</strong>ed as added value by elim<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g the waste <strong>of</strong><br />
space floor, material and the productivity <strong>of</strong> resources.<br />
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