Advancing Lean Implementation for Improving Sustainability in Sub‐Saharan Africa: A Literature Review

Abstract

This article aims to synthesize relevant literature underpinning the implementation of lean principles in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector. The focus is on the challenges and benefits to promoting lean application and sustainability efforts within the AEC sector in the sub-Saharan African region. The discourse centers on a descriptive analysis of the selected articles that specifically relate to the challenges and prospects of lean implementation in the AEC sector within the last six years. Findings from the literature review suggest that the prospects of lean applications by far surpass the challenging barriers. The limitations are mainly due to lack of appropriate knowledge on the specific application techniques for the construction tasks/processes. Furthermore, findings suggest that the implementation of lean principles promotes environmental sustainability, allows for refining construction processes to suit peculiarities, and encourages continuous improvements of processes, services, products, and stakeholders' development. Specific contextual adaptations to address regional-based requirements for lean implementation are recommended.

Lean Implementation Barriers and the duality of lean in an Organisations

“…Another challenge to lean implementation as identified in literature is poor or ineffective communication within the different cadre of management within the system. For instance, Allu (2018) noted that most organization where lean implementation failed there is evidence of no effective coordination among senior managers/management and the operational/employees (Grove et al;. This reaffirm the assertion of Amade et al (2019) that organization with standardized procedure of flow and procedure of introducing change tends to enjoy more success rate in the implementation of lean strategies compared to others.…”

“…Alkho-raif and McLaughlin (2018) noted that lean management can be traced back to 1800 with the work of Sakichi Toyoda who was dissatisfied with the output and process of his small weaving firm and designed a weaving machine that improves productivity as at that point in time. This was followed by his son designs which have capacity to stop the machine when the thread broke thereby reducing the number of poor cloth design production (Alkhoraif and McLaughlin;2018). This was the same foundation at which Toyota was built upon.…”

Lean for sustainable development in South Africa: A case study of three universities

“…The introduction of LHE into the universities was aimed at enhancing; students and students support services, revenue drive, teaching and research processes, and system-wide improvements and efficiency (Balzer et al, 2017a). Also, LHE promotes sustainable actions (Yorkstone, 2016) and the integration of lean to any process supports SD (Allu and Emuze, 2018). Awuzie and Emuze (2017) have observed the increase in sustainable oriented strategy amongst the South African HE and also noted their willingness to align and support the national government SD aspirations.…”

“…The enumerated problems resonate with the South Africa context. These contextual problems include; limited knowledge and scarce resource for funding HE, students logging the university systems which further reduce the university capacity to earn subsidy, limited transformation agendas, overall minimal staff motivation and inadequate mechanisms to ensure sustainable actions/tasks leading to SD (Malanda, 2015;Kruger, 2016;Allu and Emuze, 2018). Given these concerns in the present day internationalization demands, the sustainable aspirations of the South African national government and scarce resource common to Sub-Saharan African countries, there is need for an improvement in the services of universities' structures and processes.…”

“…The principles of lean promote sustainable development. The pursuits of Sustainable Development (SD) through lean integration and implementation has been acknowledged in earlier studies (Ahuja et al, 2017;Allu and Emuze, 2018). Also, researchers have suggested that integrating lean principles and context to development, ensures new standards for excellence for continuous sustainable developments (Patty and Denton, 2010;Dinesh et al, 2017).…”