Exploratory factor analysis of barriers to lean construction based on Brazilian managers' perceptions

Purpose Lean construction (LC) is an important strategy to improve the results of organizations in the civil construction sector. However, there are barriers that hinder the success of implementing LC. The literature presents many barriers, which makes it difficult to make a diagnosis about the presence of these barriers within an organization. However, if companies could identify the main difficulties, they would face to implement LC, they could prepare by strengthening their weaknesses. This paper aims to diagnose a small set of factors that identifies the most significant barriers that must be considered before implementing lean construction. Design/methodology/approach This study comprises an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). For this, a questionnaire was developed based on an extensive literature search on the barriers that hinder the implementation of LC. Using this questionnaire as a data collection instrument, a survey was conducted that obtained 135 responses from managers working in civil construction in Brazil. EFA was conducted using SPSS software. Findings This study identified seven critical factors for successful implementation of LC: degree of cooperation within the work teams, use of an adequate performance measurement system, occurrence of job delays, level of participation of those involved in the construction of decisions, degree of leadership openness, positioning in the face of news and problems in the flow of information. Research limitations/implications The barriers to implementing LC can be different depending on the social and economic context in which companies are inserted. This work was conducted in an emerging country. Thus, it would be important that the same be applied to managers from other countries in different contexts to verify if the result found here is confirmed. Originality/value There are many works in the literature that address the barriers to LC culminating in an extensive list, whose complexity of operationalizing the identification of their presence in an organization, ends up becoming another barrier. Given the negative influence that these barriers have for the success of LC, this work sets out to convert this extensive list into a short list that is easy to understand and use.