Lean Construction Adoption in Indonesia and Australia: Based on TOE Framework

Lean construction (LC) has gained strong interest and is increasingly deployed in both Indonesia and Australia, two neighbouring countries with different development stages. While one is rapidly developing and the other is a developed country and has a relatively ‘mature’ construction industry, both face similar productivity challenges. This study uses the Technological, Organizational, and Environmental (TOE) framework to explore factors affecting Lean Construction adoption in both countries. Through multiple case studies of five companies from each country, the results reveal similar TOE factors, with notable differences, particularly in government roles in promoting LC. Overall, Australian firms took a slower, more isolated approach, while Indonesian firms had more interactions and collaborations with academics and professional bodies. This comparison is valuable in identifying converging factors and potential lessons for both countries. We remain hopeful that LC adoption will continue to thrive in the region and look forward to more research and industry case studies emerging.