Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, Jun 26, 2023
The concept of value is widely used in lean construction (LC) literature, but researchers and pra... more The concept of value is widely used in lean construction (LC) literature, but researchers and practitioners lack a common understanding of the term. This is partially due to confusion between value (singular) and values (plural), which are two different concepts. This paper aims to provide a clear and concise understanding of the two concepts of value and values, separating them from each other and explaining their relationship. Furthermore, the paper discusses and exemplifies what these two concepts themselves entail. In doing so, the paper also introduces new terminology relevant for understanding and describing value and values in construction projects. Finally, the paper concludes that value and values research should be more precise in terminology than current literature.
Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC31)
This paper outlines prediction of "dark side" (illegal or unethical) phenomena in the AEC industr... more This paper outlines prediction of "dark side" (illegal or unethical) phenomena in the AEC industry. "Dark side" phenomena pose a substantial yet unexplored threat to Lean Construction practices. Insights from criminology are used as a starting point for the analysis. A meta-study of the findings from a small research program carried out within the Norwegian AEC industry was conducted. It was enriched by an assessment of literature on crime prediction in criminology and on "dark side" phenomena in the AEC industry. Results show that predicting "dark side" phenomena in the AEC industry ought to take in temporality (when in the process challenges occur), value chain (who in projects are likely to act) and typology (what kind of actions are susceptible to occur). In addition, contextual factors (physical surroundings, geography, belief systems etc.) need consideration. Unlike criminology, predictions within the AEC industry cannot be based on AI approaches fuelled by historical data but need to be based on insights from construction process research. The preoccupation with "best practices" in the contemporary literature ought to be complemented with assessments of "worst practices" within all parts of the built environment. This is work largely left undone.
Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC31)
Recent years have seen increased use of takt planning. With takt planning, trades are organized a... more Recent years have seen increased use of takt planning. With takt planning, trades are organized as wagons in a train moving through takt areas in the building. Using takt plans may result in hundreds of handoffs, where finished takt areas are passed on to the subsequent wagons in the train. How these handoffs are carried out can significantly impact a project. This paper aims to gain an overview of the research literature on takt handoffs in construction projects. The paper identifies and analyses what has been written about handoffs in the takt literature through a structured literature review. The study identified 122 papers on takt in construction. While none of the identified papers dealt directly with handoffs, 22 had some discussion of handoff-related issues. From the literature, the paper identifies several issues related to takt handoffs and possible solutions-most notably: 1) To ensure successful handoffs, capacity buffers and progress control may help ensure that the takt areas are completed on time. 2) Requirements for what wagons must do before handoff should be clear to avoid problems that can delay the entire train. 3) Contracts that structure payments after handoffs of fully finished areas will incentivize the wagons to finish their takt areas before the handoff. 4) A handoff protocol can be a helpful tool for structuring handoffs.
Effective site organization and logistics is required to have an efficient production in construc... more Effective site organization and logistics is required to have an efficient production in construction projects. The same applies to the oil industry; it is absolutely necessary that the conditions are right for achieving efficient production. The oil industry and the construction industry operate under different circumstances, and have gained different experiences regarding the challenges of site organization and logistics. Four different cases from four different firms are presented in the paper. One case is from an offshore drilling contractor in Norway. Two cases are from the Norwegian Construction industry. The last case is from a Swedish consultancy firm, specializing in site organization and logistics in the construction industry. The case studies focus on how the different firms manage site organization and logistics to achieve an efficient production. Practices from both industries, and a generic list of lessons learned that is applicable to all construction projects are pre...
Proc. 30th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC)
Using games and simulation have long been a staple in teaching lean construction. While such game... more Using games and simulation have long been a staple in teaching lean construction. While such games work well for teaching narrow concepts and ideas, they struggle when it comes to teaching all of the complex interactions found in the Last Planner System (LPS) This paper describes the development and implementation of a new approach to teaching university students LPS. Rather than using games or simulations, the students were tasked with using LPS to plan and manage their work on the course assignments. The developed approach led to a superior understanding of LPS than what was previously seen in the course where it was implemented.
10th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization, 2019
Purpose-The purpose of the study presented is to outline an understanding of the question of who ... more Purpose-The purpose of the study presented is to outline an understanding of the question of who benefits from crime in the AEC industry. The perspective chosen is conceptual in nature, and therefore focusses professional roles rather than individuals and/or cases. Design/Methodology/Approach-The methods chosen include literary studies and in-depth analysis of previous research carried out within the research project from which this publication stems. Being conceptual, it is, nevertheless, deeply grounded in practical, coordinated research. Findings-The findings indicate that most actors would seem to profit from crime in the AEC industry. Decision-makers (owners, contractors and to a certain extent subcontractors) seem the most likely to profitstructurally and/or individuallyon such dubious activity. According to the analysis, controlling agenciesas institutionstend to profit by rather than to suffer under such criminal activity. Blue collar workers (in particular legally employed workmen and FM-personnel) and society as a whole in general bear the burden of the costs inflicted. Research Limitations/Implications-There is an urgent need for a reorientation of the activity of the controlling agencies, redirecting their focus of attention from simple working on controlling worksites to addressing in-depth organisational challenges and responsibilities. Practical Implications-Several papers have been identified that discuss the downsides of criminal activity in the construction industry. This paper suggests how most actorson individual levelmay profit on criminal activity. Originality/Value-Little seems to have been published on the subject of who is to actually gain and what there is to gain from crime in the AEC industry. This paper presents a contribution to this research gap.
Takt time planning (TTP) aims to increase productivity by reducing waste. This is achieved by opt... more Takt time planning (TTP) aims to increase productivity by reducing waste. This is achieved by optimizing work packages and team sizes to fit the desired rate of production. Takt time planning has shown to reduce non-value adding time spent by work crews. This reduction makes workers produce more in less time, thus reducing the costs of construction. However, when performing TTP in practice, extensive plans have to be made in collaboration with subcontractors to make the process as smooth as possible. This, in combination with the time used to follow-up on the plans during the construction phase, takes time to perform and can be costly. Little documentation exists on the benefits of using TTP and exactly what kinds of efforts are worthwhile. The purpose of this research is to examine a practical application of TTP and evaluate the usefulness of the efforts made in the planning process. By doing this one can prioritize where to spend extra time or resources to optimize projects. This ...
The International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC) is a network of construction management rese... more The International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC) is a network of construction management researchers and practitioners interested in challenging and improving practice, research and education on the built environment. The goal of IGLC is to contribute to better meeting customer demands and improving the performance of the construction industry. The Group has been developing new principles and methods for the improvement of product development and production management for architecture, engineering and construction. Such principles and methods are based on general production theory adapted to the construction sector. The IGLC webpage (http://www.iglc.net) presents more information about its activities. Since the first Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction held in Finland in 1993, the venue has been alternating between, South America, North America, Europe and Asia/Oceania. The 22nd IGLC Conference is the first one held in Norway, and the third one in the Nor...
Rapporten soker a belyse hvorvidt, og i hvilken grad, tre antatte feilkilder i kostnadsanalyse me... more Rapporten soker a belyse hvorvidt, og i hvilken grad, tre antatte feilkilder i kostnadsanalyse med usikkerhet virkelig bidrar til feil i sluttresultatene fra analysen. Disse mulige feilkildene er a ...
The concepts of Lean Construction and Sustainable Development share certain fundamental objective... more The concepts of Lean Construction and Sustainable Development share certain fundamental objectives, such as reducing waste and increasing value. The aim of this research is to investigate the extent to which the use of lean construction principles can assure increased sustainability in construction projects. This paper will explore the commonalities of these concepts and determine indicators that can be used to express the impact of lean on all three pillars of sustainability: economy, society and environment. This work is executed as an explorative sample study of what are considered two of the leading companies in using lean construction approaches in the Norwegian construction industry. Semi-structured in-depth interviews of six key contributors were conducted. The work is limited to the production phase of a project, and focuses on sustainability in the process rather than of the product. The main finding is that lean construction can have a positive impact on selected indicator...
By implementing Lean Construction in projects, a client may improve their project delivery in ter... more By implementing Lean Construction in projects, a client may improve their project delivery in terms of cost, quality and time. Guidelines regarding public procurement in Norway prevent a large public client of freely choosing contractors. In the project studied in this paper the Norwegian government property developer – Statsbygg – is implementing Lean Construction by mandating, in the tender competition, that the prime contractor and the designers use Lean Construction principles and a handful of selected methods – a mandated Lean Construction delivery system. This paper address the following question: What are the experiences of using this mandated Lean Construction delivery system in the construction phase with a prime contract in a rehab project? The research presented in the paper is based on a case study of the construction phase of a 470 Million NOK (57 million USD) rehab project of a listed university building with (a) in-depth semi-structured interviews of eight professiona...
The AEC (Architectural Engineering and Construction) industry has been successfully using BIMs (B... more The AEC (Architectural Engineering and Construction) industry has been successfully using BIMs (Building Information Models) as a tool for improving the design process for some time now. Lately we have seen an increase in use of BIMs in the construction process with BIM devices like BIM stations and tablets. The research presented studied the advantages and challenges with BIM devices on a construction site and used communication theory to explain why these tools are more effective than traditional approaches. A survey with 82 respondents employed by a large Norwegian contractor revealed the most prominent challenges in the interface between design and construction to be both deficiencies and errors in the design. To further investigate these challenges and how BIM can help mitigate these challenges, mixed-method research plan with a case study approach was undertaken. In total, 24 semi-structured interviews with key actors from both the design and construction sides, a study of ove...
Lean construction has inspired the AEC industry globally over the last decades, and this manifest... more Lean construction has inspired the AEC industry globally over the last decades, and this manifests within a wide array of contexts. The purpose of this paper is to provide a narrative-based qualitative analysis of the emergence and impact of Lean construction on a national level, notably in the Norwegian AEC industry. The analysis is based on the concept of paradigm shift and on empirical knowledge in the form of narratives. The narratives of practitioners and researchers provide deep insights into how Lean Construction has inspired the Norwegian AEC industry and academia, respectively. The reflections indicate that the introduction of the Lean construction principles and tools in the Norwegian AEC industry has depended on promoters who have been convinced about its advantages. The role of active promotersin particular Dr. Glenn Ballardis underlined as key to successful introduction of Lean Construction. Key cultural features of the Norwegian AEC industry are emphasized as important success factors. Lean Construction in Norway needs to be understood as a phenomenon occurring within a setting that is generally advantageous but also following an effort carried out on several levels. Key elements that can be used within other contexts are (1) the existence of promoters, (2) cooperation between industry and academic circles, (3) a high degree of trust and (4) a predominance of bottom-up organizations within the industry with few levels of hierarchy.
Proc. 29th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC), 2021
The paper seeks to outline agency problems as a fundamental driver for crime occurring in the AEC... more The paper seeks to outline agency problems as a fundamental driver for crime occurring in the AEC industry. The investigation uses Principal/Agent-theory to articulate how specific industry mechanisms serve as structural drivers of crime and how they can be counteracted. This paper is conceptual, based on former empirical investigations-the approach springs from industry knowledge, extensive literature reviews and empirical research. The research reveals that little discussion has been carried out concerning the root causes of criminal activity within the AEC industry. Widespread theoretical insights from economics and criminology can explain significant parts of the challenges. Production control efforts seem to be an auspicious path for combatting crime. Being under-analysed to such a degree as identified, the theoretical conditions for criminal activity within the AEC industry needs more in-depth consideration. This need for further exploration especially concerns the implications of criminal activity on advanced process-driven production systems approaches. Establishing effective countermeasures depends heavily on such an understanding.
26th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, Jul 18, 2018
Maximizing the client value delivered from construction projects is to large degree a matter of m... more Maximizing the client value delivered from construction projects is to large degree a matter of maximizing the benefit in use of the built asset. To do so, we must be able to accurately assess the benefits of a proposed solution at the time of design. While some authors have looked at simulation solutions for examining this issue, we believe that this research is putting the proverbial cart before the horse. A more fundamental understanding of what answers we seek is needed before considering how this technically speaking could be done In this paper, we first develop an understanding of buildings as production assets from a production theoretical point of view by reviwing relevant production theory in the context of buildings. Therafter, we discuss what questions we must be able to answer to optimize building as production assets in light of the previously developed theoretical foundation. Finally, we discuss how these questions can principally be answered through different evaluation approaches.
26th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, 2018
Designing, building and optimising projects as production systems producing value can be said to ... more Designing, building and optimising projects as production systems producing value can be said to be the aim of construction management from an engineering perspective. However, the question is whose value are we optimising the system for? The lean philosophy tells we should deliver value to all the projects customers. However, here anyone that is impacted by the project is considered a customer, not just the paying client. Do all customers matter and is delivering value for all of them of equal importance? In this paper, we explore this matter by first looking into the literature on stakeholder management. Finding no suitable answers there we attack the question by considering the motivations for delivering value by a literature review and interviews with industry professionals. Finally, we discuss the implications that considering the perspective of multiple stakeholders brings to project management. The paper argues that the key to deciding whose value matter lies in understanding the motivation for why valueis delivered. However, to what degrees different factors motivates someone will be highly dependent on their philosophical outlook, thus making the matter of value for whom a philosophical question.
Proc. 27th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC), 2019
Value configuration is a term from the business literature that describes how companies are rigge... more Value configuration is a term from the business literature that describes how companies are rigged for delivering value. The paper argues that modern day construction projects adheres to a value shop configuration rather than a value chain configuration. Where the focus of the value chain is the transformation of inputs into products, the focus of the value shop is to (re)solve customer problems. The main theoretical foundation of Lean Construction for understanding value delivery is the Transformation-Flow-Value (TFV) theory of production. While this provides a solid basis and model for understanding value delivery in value chain configured construction projects, it comes up short with regards to value shop configured projects. The paper presents a newly developed conceptual model for the value delivery in value shop configured construction projects, and shows how it can be beneficial vis-à-vis the TFV theory with regards to understanding the fundamentals of value delivery in value shop configured construction projects
25th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, 2017
Delivering value for the customer is one of the core tenets of lean construction. However, anyone... more Delivering value for the customer is one of the core tenets of lean construction. However, anyone who is affected by a project is considered a customer of the project. Often, different customers of a project will be at odds with each with regards to what constitutes value for them. This could potentially lead to ethical dilemmas for the project delivery team. This is a subject that has so far been given little attention in literature. In this paper we set forth a theoretical framework for investigating ethical dilemmas in value delivery that will form the basis for future empirical research on ethical issues related to value delivery. More precisely we examine fundamental reasons for ethical dilemmas occurring in the context of value delivery. We theorize that ethical dilemmas in construction projects typically arises when there is misalignment of value between project stakeholders.
Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, Jun 26, 2023
The concept of value is widely used in lean construction (LC) literature, but researchers and pra... more The concept of value is widely used in lean construction (LC) literature, but researchers and practitioners lack a common understanding of the term. This is partially due to confusion between value (singular) and values (plural), which are two different concepts. This paper aims to provide a clear and concise understanding of the two concepts of value and values, separating them from each other and explaining their relationship. Furthermore, the paper discusses and exemplifies what these two concepts themselves entail. In doing so, the paper also introduces new terminology relevant for understanding and describing value and values in construction projects. Finally, the paper concludes that value and values research should be more precise in terminology than current literature.
Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC31)
This paper outlines prediction of "dark side" (illegal or unethical) phenomena in the AEC industr... more This paper outlines prediction of "dark side" (illegal or unethical) phenomena in the AEC industry. "Dark side" phenomena pose a substantial yet unexplored threat to Lean Construction practices. Insights from criminology are used as a starting point for the analysis. A meta-study of the findings from a small research program carried out within the Norwegian AEC industry was conducted. It was enriched by an assessment of literature on crime prediction in criminology and on "dark side" phenomena in the AEC industry. Results show that predicting "dark side" phenomena in the AEC industry ought to take in temporality (when in the process challenges occur), value chain (who in projects are likely to act) and typology (what kind of actions are susceptible to occur). In addition, contextual factors (physical surroundings, geography, belief systems etc.) need consideration. Unlike criminology, predictions within the AEC industry cannot be based on AI approaches fuelled by historical data but need to be based on insights from construction process research. The preoccupation with "best practices" in the contemporary literature ought to be complemented with assessments of "worst practices" within all parts of the built environment. This is work largely left undone.
Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC31)
Recent years have seen increased use of takt planning. With takt planning, trades are organized a... more Recent years have seen increased use of takt planning. With takt planning, trades are organized as wagons in a train moving through takt areas in the building. Using takt plans may result in hundreds of handoffs, where finished takt areas are passed on to the subsequent wagons in the train. How these handoffs are carried out can significantly impact a project. This paper aims to gain an overview of the research literature on takt handoffs in construction projects. The paper identifies and analyses what has been written about handoffs in the takt literature through a structured literature review. The study identified 122 papers on takt in construction. While none of the identified papers dealt directly with handoffs, 22 had some discussion of handoff-related issues. From the literature, the paper identifies several issues related to takt handoffs and possible solutions-most notably: 1) To ensure successful handoffs, capacity buffers and progress control may help ensure that the takt areas are completed on time. 2) Requirements for what wagons must do before handoff should be clear to avoid problems that can delay the entire train. 3) Contracts that structure payments after handoffs of fully finished areas will incentivize the wagons to finish their takt areas before the handoff. 4) A handoff protocol can be a helpful tool for structuring handoffs.
Effective site organization and logistics is required to have an efficient production in construc... more Effective site organization and logistics is required to have an efficient production in construction projects. The same applies to the oil industry; it is absolutely necessary that the conditions are right for achieving efficient production. The oil industry and the construction industry operate under different circumstances, and have gained different experiences regarding the challenges of site organization and logistics. Four different cases from four different firms are presented in the paper. One case is from an offshore drilling contractor in Norway. Two cases are from the Norwegian Construction industry. The last case is from a Swedish consultancy firm, specializing in site organization and logistics in the construction industry. The case studies focus on how the different firms manage site organization and logistics to achieve an efficient production. Practices from both industries, and a generic list of lessons learned that is applicable to all construction projects are pre...
Proc. 30th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC)
Using games and simulation have long been a staple in teaching lean construction. While such game... more Using games and simulation have long been a staple in teaching lean construction. While such games work well for teaching narrow concepts and ideas, they struggle when it comes to teaching all of the complex interactions found in the Last Planner System (LPS) This paper describes the development and implementation of a new approach to teaching university students LPS. Rather than using games or simulations, the students were tasked with using LPS to plan and manage their work on the course assignments. The developed approach led to a superior understanding of LPS than what was previously seen in the course where it was implemented.
10th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization, 2019
Purpose-The purpose of the study presented is to outline an understanding of the question of who ... more Purpose-The purpose of the study presented is to outline an understanding of the question of who benefits from crime in the AEC industry. The perspective chosen is conceptual in nature, and therefore focusses professional roles rather than individuals and/or cases. Design/Methodology/Approach-The methods chosen include literary studies and in-depth analysis of previous research carried out within the research project from which this publication stems. Being conceptual, it is, nevertheless, deeply grounded in practical, coordinated research. Findings-The findings indicate that most actors would seem to profit from crime in the AEC industry. Decision-makers (owners, contractors and to a certain extent subcontractors) seem the most likely to profitstructurally and/or individuallyon such dubious activity. According to the analysis, controlling agenciesas institutionstend to profit by rather than to suffer under such criminal activity. Blue collar workers (in particular legally employed workmen and FM-personnel) and society as a whole in general bear the burden of the costs inflicted. Research Limitations/Implications-There is an urgent need for a reorientation of the activity of the controlling agencies, redirecting their focus of attention from simple working on controlling worksites to addressing in-depth organisational challenges and responsibilities. Practical Implications-Several papers have been identified that discuss the downsides of criminal activity in the construction industry. This paper suggests how most actorson individual levelmay profit on criminal activity. Originality/Value-Little seems to have been published on the subject of who is to actually gain and what there is to gain from crime in the AEC industry. This paper presents a contribution to this research gap.
Takt time planning (TTP) aims to increase productivity by reducing waste. This is achieved by opt... more Takt time planning (TTP) aims to increase productivity by reducing waste. This is achieved by optimizing work packages and team sizes to fit the desired rate of production. Takt time planning has shown to reduce non-value adding time spent by work crews. This reduction makes workers produce more in less time, thus reducing the costs of construction. However, when performing TTP in practice, extensive plans have to be made in collaboration with subcontractors to make the process as smooth as possible. This, in combination with the time used to follow-up on the plans during the construction phase, takes time to perform and can be costly. Little documentation exists on the benefits of using TTP and exactly what kinds of efforts are worthwhile. The purpose of this research is to examine a practical application of TTP and evaluate the usefulness of the efforts made in the planning process. By doing this one can prioritize where to spend extra time or resources to optimize projects. This ...
The International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC) is a network of construction management rese... more The International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC) is a network of construction management researchers and practitioners interested in challenging and improving practice, research and education on the built environment. The goal of IGLC is to contribute to better meeting customer demands and improving the performance of the construction industry. The Group has been developing new principles and methods for the improvement of product development and production management for architecture, engineering and construction. Such principles and methods are based on general production theory adapted to the construction sector. The IGLC webpage (http://www.iglc.net) presents more information about its activities. Since the first Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction held in Finland in 1993, the venue has been alternating between, South America, North America, Europe and Asia/Oceania. The 22nd IGLC Conference is the first one held in Norway, and the third one in the Nor...
Rapporten soker a belyse hvorvidt, og i hvilken grad, tre antatte feilkilder i kostnadsanalyse me... more Rapporten soker a belyse hvorvidt, og i hvilken grad, tre antatte feilkilder i kostnadsanalyse med usikkerhet virkelig bidrar til feil i sluttresultatene fra analysen. Disse mulige feilkildene er a ...
The concepts of Lean Construction and Sustainable Development share certain fundamental objective... more The concepts of Lean Construction and Sustainable Development share certain fundamental objectives, such as reducing waste and increasing value. The aim of this research is to investigate the extent to which the use of lean construction principles can assure increased sustainability in construction projects. This paper will explore the commonalities of these concepts and determine indicators that can be used to express the impact of lean on all three pillars of sustainability: economy, society and environment. This work is executed as an explorative sample study of what are considered two of the leading companies in using lean construction approaches in the Norwegian construction industry. Semi-structured in-depth interviews of six key contributors were conducted. The work is limited to the production phase of a project, and focuses on sustainability in the process rather than of the product. The main finding is that lean construction can have a positive impact on selected indicator...
By implementing Lean Construction in projects, a client may improve their project delivery in ter... more By implementing Lean Construction in projects, a client may improve their project delivery in terms of cost, quality and time. Guidelines regarding public procurement in Norway prevent a large public client of freely choosing contractors. In the project studied in this paper the Norwegian government property developer – Statsbygg – is implementing Lean Construction by mandating, in the tender competition, that the prime contractor and the designers use Lean Construction principles and a handful of selected methods – a mandated Lean Construction delivery system. This paper address the following question: What are the experiences of using this mandated Lean Construction delivery system in the construction phase with a prime contract in a rehab project? The research presented in the paper is based on a case study of the construction phase of a 470 Million NOK (57 million USD) rehab project of a listed university building with (a) in-depth semi-structured interviews of eight professiona...
The AEC (Architectural Engineering and Construction) industry has been successfully using BIMs (B... more The AEC (Architectural Engineering and Construction) industry has been successfully using BIMs (Building Information Models) as a tool for improving the design process for some time now. Lately we have seen an increase in use of BIMs in the construction process with BIM devices like BIM stations and tablets. The research presented studied the advantages and challenges with BIM devices on a construction site and used communication theory to explain why these tools are more effective than traditional approaches. A survey with 82 respondents employed by a large Norwegian contractor revealed the most prominent challenges in the interface between design and construction to be both deficiencies and errors in the design. To further investigate these challenges and how BIM can help mitigate these challenges, mixed-method research plan with a case study approach was undertaken. In total, 24 semi-structured interviews with key actors from both the design and construction sides, a study of ove...
Lean construction has inspired the AEC industry globally over the last decades, and this manifest... more Lean construction has inspired the AEC industry globally over the last decades, and this manifests within a wide array of contexts. The purpose of this paper is to provide a narrative-based qualitative analysis of the emergence and impact of Lean construction on a national level, notably in the Norwegian AEC industry. The analysis is based on the concept of paradigm shift and on empirical knowledge in the form of narratives. The narratives of practitioners and researchers provide deep insights into how Lean Construction has inspired the Norwegian AEC industry and academia, respectively. The reflections indicate that the introduction of the Lean construction principles and tools in the Norwegian AEC industry has depended on promoters who have been convinced about its advantages. The role of active promotersin particular Dr. Glenn Ballardis underlined as key to successful introduction of Lean Construction. Key cultural features of the Norwegian AEC industry are emphasized as important success factors. Lean Construction in Norway needs to be understood as a phenomenon occurring within a setting that is generally advantageous but also following an effort carried out on several levels. Key elements that can be used within other contexts are (1) the existence of promoters, (2) cooperation between industry and academic circles, (3) a high degree of trust and (4) a predominance of bottom-up organizations within the industry with few levels of hierarchy.
Proc. 29th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC), 2021
The paper seeks to outline agency problems as a fundamental driver for crime occurring in the AEC... more The paper seeks to outline agency problems as a fundamental driver for crime occurring in the AEC industry. The investigation uses Principal/Agent-theory to articulate how specific industry mechanisms serve as structural drivers of crime and how they can be counteracted. This paper is conceptual, based on former empirical investigations-the approach springs from industry knowledge, extensive literature reviews and empirical research. The research reveals that little discussion has been carried out concerning the root causes of criminal activity within the AEC industry. Widespread theoretical insights from economics and criminology can explain significant parts of the challenges. Production control efforts seem to be an auspicious path for combatting crime. Being under-analysed to such a degree as identified, the theoretical conditions for criminal activity within the AEC industry needs more in-depth consideration. This need for further exploration especially concerns the implications of criminal activity on advanced process-driven production systems approaches. Establishing effective countermeasures depends heavily on such an understanding.
26th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, Jul 18, 2018
Maximizing the client value delivered from construction projects is to large degree a matter of m... more Maximizing the client value delivered from construction projects is to large degree a matter of maximizing the benefit in use of the built asset. To do so, we must be able to accurately assess the benefits of a proposed solution at the time of design. While some authors have looked at simulation solutions for examining this issue, we believe that this research is putting the proverbial cart before the horse. A more fundamental understanding of what answers we seek is needed before considering how this technically speaking could be done In this paper, we first develop an understanding of buildings as production assets from a production theoretical point of view by reviwing relevant production theory in the context of buildings. Therafter, we discuss what questions we must be able to answer to optimize building as production assets in light of the previously developed theoretical foundation. Finally, we discuss how these questions can principally be answered through different evaluation approaches.
26th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, 2018
Designing, building and optimising projects as production systems producing value can be said to ... more Designing, building and optimising projects as production systems producing value can be said to be the aim of construction management from an engineering perspective. However, the question is whose value are we optimising the system for? The lean philosophy tells we should deliver value to all the projects customers. However, here anyone that is impacted by the project is considered a customer, not just the paying client. Do all customers matter and is delivering value for all of them of equal importance? In this paper, we explore this matter by first looking into the literature on stakeholder management. Finding no suitable answers there we attack the question by considering the motivations for delivering value by a literature review and interviews with industry professionals. Finally, we discuss the implications that considering the perspective of multiple stakeholders brings to project management. The paper argues that the key to deciding whose value matter lies in understanding the motivation for why valueis delivered. However, to what degrees different factors motivates someone will be highly dependent on their philosophical outlook, thus making the matter of value for whom a philosophical question.
Proc. 27th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC), 2019
Value configuration is a term from the business literature that describes how companies are rigge... more Value configuration is a term from the business literature that describes how companies are rigged for delivering value. The paper argues that modern day construction projects adheres to a value shop configuration rather than a value chain configuration. Where the focus of the value chain is the transformation of inputs into products, the focus of the value shop is to (re)solve customer problems. The main theoretical foundation of Lean Construction for understanding value delivery is the Transformation-Flow-Value (TFV) theory of production. While this provides a solid basis and model for understanding value delivery in value chain configured construction projects, it comes up short with regards to value shop configured projects. The paper presents a newly developed conceptual model for the value delivery in value shop configured construction projects, and shows how it can be beneficial vis-à-vis the TFV theory with regards to understanding the fundamentals of value delivery in value shop configured construction projects
25th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, 2017
Delivering value for the customer is one of the core tenets of lean construction. However, anyone... more Delivering value for the customer is one of the core tenets of lean construction. However, anyone who is affected by a project is considered a customer of the project. Often, different customers of a project will be at odds with each with regards to what constitutes value for them. This could potentially lead to ethical dilemmas for the project delivery team. This is a subject that has so far been given little attention in literature. In this paper we set forth a theoretical framework for investigating ethical dilemmas in value delivery that will form the basis for future empirical research on ethical issues related to value delivery. More precisely we examine fundamental reasons for ethical dilemmas occurring in the context of value delivery. We theorize that ethical dilemmas in construction projects typically arises when there is misalignment of value between project stakeholders.
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Papers by Frode Drevland