Modern-day lean construction principles: Some questions on their origin and similarities with Sun Tzu's Art of War

Abstract

Purpose - Lean construction looks into the possibility of bringing successful lean production theories into the construction industry. It was believed that lean production principles could also be influenced by the essence of military strategies, specifically that of Sun Tzu's Art of War (ST) when these were introduced many years ago. This study looks into the practices of lean construction in the industry and the similarities in the two sets of statements from lean construction principles and Sun Tzu's strategic principles. Design/methodology/approach - Surveys and interviews of 40 project managers in the construction industry were conducted. Findings - The study suggests that there are some agreements between lean construction principles and Sun Tzu's strategic principles. Research limitations/implications - This study raises the interesting question of whether the origin of lean construction principles can be traced to the strategic principles formulated by Sun Tzu some 2,500 years ago. Practical implications - It is recommended that the strategic principles formulated by Sun Tzu be tapped upon for the further extension of lean principles (LP) in construction. Originality/value - The value of this paper lies in its reflections of ST to better understand the possible origin of current lean construction principles and practices. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.