Applications of lean principles in the operations of architectural and engineering design firms: an exploratory study in Singapore
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
ISSN: 0969-9988
Article publication date: 27 January 2025
Abstract
Purpose
The Toyota Way was developed as an efficiency framework to streamline Toyota Motor Corporation’s operational procedures. The collection of Toyota Way principles is often termed “lean”. Over the last few years, nonmanufacturing organisations have begun to recognise the value and applicability of lean methods for their operations. Architectural and engineering design (AED) firms are no exception. This study aims to explore the perspectives of employees at AED firms on the implementation of lean production principles (LPPs) into their operations. Due to the limited resources available to facilitate our measurement of employees’ views regarding the adoption of lean approaches, this study adopts a more scoped approach to employees’ perceptions of these principles within AED firms.
Design/methodology/approach
Fifty-two respondents participated in the survey. The interviewees were from firm A and firm B, an architecture firm and an engineering firm, and were chosen to help us gain a more in-depth understanding of their views regarding the LPPs.
Findings
Our study indicates that AED offices were unfamiliar with the concepts of lean principles, even though they were aware of its importance in their daily operations. Despite their scepticism about the implementation of lean concepts, some lean principles are implemented in their own fields of work.
Originality/value
This study complements earlier work on lean design that investigated the use of a particular lean technique by looking at the lean principles where some are implemented to a large extent, and some are not.
Keywords
Citation
Gao, S., Low, S.P. and Tok, S.K.W. (2025), "Applications of lean principles in the operations of architectural and engineering design firms: an exploratory study in Singapore", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-03-2024-0330
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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