Improving construction planning practice in Saudi Arabia by means of lean construction principles and techniques

The research presented in this thesis identifies problems related to project management that could lead to delay in construction projects and seeks to provide practical solutions. Its main aim is to improve construction planning practice by implementing practical solutions to eliminate or reduce the impacts of causes of delay in Saudi Arabia. It begins by analyzing work by other researchers in the field to identify the state of the art. Causes of delay are examined to gain insight into the controllable managerial factors related to poor project management and to seek practical solutions. This involves investigation of the available solutions, where the theory and the practice of current project management, particularly construction planning, are examined. The literature reveals that traditional project management tools and practices are inadequate in the current era of speedy and complex projects. Accordingly, the implementation of innovative Lean Construction principles and techniques is proposed. Among these, this research tests the applicability of the best known technique, the Last Planner System (LPS). To implement such techniques and so overcome the many problems in construction practice, including delay, there is a need for approaches more effective than traditional research methods such as interviews, observation and questionnaires. These new approaches should allow researchers to influence practice and play an active role with practitioners. Consequently, this research study is based on action research, i. e. a collaborative effort between participant organisations and the researcher as facilitator. In practice, the work examines the effectiveness of implementing LPS to improve the construction planning and control process, aiming to minimize related causes of delay by bringing together empirical data showing the implementation of Lean Construction techniques in two state-funded construction projects in Saudi Arabia. The work synthesises two action research studies, examining and interpreting the results of interviews and questionnaire surveys, then makes recommendations to relevant parties for the implementation of Lean Construction in Saudi Arabia. Major benefits are demonstrated in terms of improving management practice, while various causes of delay can be identified and dealt with regularly. Results of interviews, observations and questionnaires reveal the benefits achieved, the critical success factors and the potential obstacles to the implementation of LPS. The findings reinforce those of LPS studies in other countries, with some differences. In the light of the benefits achieved, it can be stated that LPS is a universal technique applicable to different contexts. The results also indicate that Lean principles provide convenient tools for improving management practice in construction projects. It is evident that their adoption via action research helps construction practitioners to understand their problems better, thus providing satisfying solutions. Further, the management process can be enhanced through continuous improvement and assessment, thus improving project delivery in terms of cost, time and quality.