A Study of Lean Construction Practices in Gaza Strip

organizations, process owners for cross-functional processes are appointed, with
responsibility for the efficiency and effectiveness of that process (Rummler et al.,
1990). A more radical solution is to let self-directed teams control their processes
(Stewart et al., 1992).
For inter-organizational flows, long term co-operation with suppliers and team building
has been introduced with the goal of deriving mutual benefits from an optimized total
flow.
2.5.9 Build continuous improvement into the process
The effort to reduce waste and to increase value is an internal, incremental, and
iterative activity that can and must be carried out continuously. There are several
necessary methods for institutionalizing continuous improvement; these include the
following:
� Measuring and monitoring improvement.
� Setting stretch targets (e.g. for inventory elimination or cycle time
reduction), by means of which problems are unearthed and their solutions
are stimulated.
� Giving responsibility for improvement to all employees; a steady
improvement from every organizational unit should be required and
rewarded.
� Using standard procedures as hypotheses of best practice, to be constantly
challenged by better ways.
� Linking improvement to control: improvement should be aimed at the
current control constraints and problems of the process. The goal is to
eliminate the root of problems rather than to cope with their effects.
2.5.10 Balance flow improvement with conversion improvement
In the improvement of productive activities, both conversions and flows have to be
addressed; however, the question is how these two alternatives should be balanced.
For any production process, the flow and conversion aspects have a different
potential for improvement. This goes as a rule:
� The higher the complexity of the production process, the higher the impact
of flow improvement
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