Last Planner System : views of main contractors and subcontractors within the New Zealand construction industry

Abstract

The construction industry in Auckland, New Zealand is currently experiencing an economic boom, which is set to continue due to a forecasted level of unprecedented population growth in Auckland to 2025. The construction industry’s productivity has not improved using traditional methods and has been very slow in adopting new methods such as Lean Construction. This research focuses on a key Lean management tool - the Last Planner System (LPS), and investigates barriers that hinder the NZ construction industry’s adoption and implementation of LPS and the key facilitating factors. LPS participants from two integral groups - the main contractor and the subcontractors, from project managers to site administrators, completed a questionnaire which explored their experiences using the LPS process, and their attitudes towards the tool and the process. The main barrier was a lack of training, which concurred with the literature. None of the subcontractors received any formal training, but the subcontractors’ attitudes towards LPS were more positive than that of the main contractors . Both groups held misconceptions about the other’s knowledge, experience and roles regarding LPS. Shared formal training could be a solution to address the training issue, and for better communication, collaboration and common understanding between the groups .