Critical Review of the Concept of Value in Lean Construction Theory
Jose Salvatierra-Garrido1, Christine Pasquire2 & Tony Thorpe3
1PhD Student, Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University, UK, Phone +44 (0)1509 222884, [email protected]2Senior Lecturer in Commercial and Construction Management, Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University, UK, Phone +44 (0)1509 222895, [email protected]
3Head of Department, Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University, UK, Phone +44(0)1509 223770, [email protected]
Abstract
The importance and huge potential of considering Value delivery from the very early stages of building & infrastructure projects have broadly been recognized. Lean Thinking elevates Value to the customer as a fundamental principle in the manufacturing sector and the consideration of Value in this way has transferred into Lean Construction. Consequently, satisfaction of customer requirements has predominated over satisfaction of societal issues. Based on the situation described, the following hypothesis is formulated: ―The dependence of society on buildings and infrastructure elevates the needs of society within customer requirement priorities and drives the need to expand common understanding of Value from a Local to a Global context‖. This hypothesis does not ignore the importance of money and other parameters such as quality, function, etc. used to deliver Value. This paper proposes society is dependent on construction and it should predominate over particular interests, if the construction industry potential is to be fulfilled. Based on the experience achieved to date, Lean Construction can use its huge potential to move towards an expansion of the common vision of Value, going far from current production process activities. Finally, a preliminary, conceptual model of Value in a Global context is presented that demonstrates how a project can be positioned within the value parameters.
Keywords
Lean Construction, Lean thinking, Society, Value
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Reference
Salvatierra-Garrido, J. , Pasquire, C. & Thorpe, T. 2010. Critical Review of the Concept of Value in Lean Construction Theory, 18th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction , 33-41. doi.org/
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