Principal Component Analysis of Inhibiting Factors to the Espousal of Lean Construction in Developing Economies

Abstract

The inefficiencies plaguing construction processes have negatively impacted the delivery of construction projects. The South African construction industry is not exempted from this as it is still characterized with overwhelming ineffectiveness in construction project actualization. Lean construction offers a variety of innovative concepts that aids the optimization of construction activities. Despite the benefits of the implementation of lean construction, its adoption is clearly not evident in developing economies. This study empirically assesses the inhibiting factors to the adoption of lean construction in the South African construction industry. Data was collected from construction professionals and was analysed with Exploratory Factor Analysis which revealed four constructs as the barriers to the implementation of lean construction. Conclusively, the study recommended that lean construction should be inculcated in the curricular of higher institutions of learning offering built environment related courses; also construction professional bodies should encourage the mandatory training of professionals as an area of competence in judging registration of professionals. The findings from this study brings to the fore the hurdles faced in the construction industry in the adoption of lean construction, hence giving a clear direction on how best to abate these challenges for the attainment of the benefits of its espousal.

Keywords: Barriers, Construction Industry, Developing Economies, Exploratory Factor Analysis, Lean Construction

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1001631