De Silva, S H; Ranadewa, K A T O and Rathnasinghe, A P (2025) Barriers and strategies for implementing lean six sigma in small- and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in construction industry: A fuzzy TOPSIS analysis. Construction Innovation, 25(2), pp. 510-551. ISSN 1471-4175
Abstract
Purpose: Quality management barriers have been discovered in construction small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), determining their long-term survival. Despite the recognition of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) as a valuable quality management technique for addressing the barriers faced by SMEs, LSS implementation within the construction SME context is alarmingly low. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the barriers for implementing LSS within construction SMEs and to determine the most effective strategies for overcoming these barriers. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative research approach was used, and data was collected in two stages: a questionnaire survey with 44 construction professionals and an expert opinion survey with 12 LSS specialists. The collected data was then analysed using the fuzzy TOPSIS method, achieving a higher degree of sensitivity. Findings: The findings revealed the 15 most significant LSS barriers that need to be addressed. In addition, the ten most important strategies to be implemented in overcoming the identified barriers before LSS implementation were discovered and thematised, most notably the hiring of LSS specialists for project monitoring and the formation of a committee for strategic planning through LSS. Originality/value: Previous research on LSS examined barriers and strategies for SMEs in general, but to the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first of its kind, focusing especially on the construction SME context and involving the unique fuzzy TOPSIS approach.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction industry; fuzzy TOPSIS; lean six sigma; small- and medium sized enterprises; questionnaire survey |
| Index terms: | implementation, quality management, construction industry, survival, strategic planning, construction professional, fuzzy topsis, quantitative research, project monitoring, methodology, questionnaire, strategy, survey, six sigma |
| Subjects: | data analysis and analytics, data collection methods, control systems, industry analysis, performance measurement, management, professional development, contractual arrangements, environmental science, decision-making and optimization, quality assurance, research methods |
| Topics: | Sustainability, Procurement, Project Management, Quality Management, Information Management, Research Practice, Business Strategy |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here