Applying Lean Construction Concepts to Construction Industry in Sudan

Abstract

The construction industry in Sudan plays a major role in the economy via its significant share in the Sudanese Growth Domestic Product (GDP). The Sudan's construction industry faces numerous problems and obstacles which lead the projects to sink into troubles, and negatively affect the workflow. Lean construction is a technique newly implemented in many countries to overcome most of the problems that hinder the projects' success via more optimum productivity, better usage of resources and eliminating the wastes. The main objectives of this study are to determine the awareness about lean construction within the engineers who work in the construction industry in Sudan, and to identify the factors that affect the workflow of construction projects in Sudan. The main question of this study is about the challenges that may face the implementation of lean construction in Sudan. The methodology of the study adopted both qualitative and quantitative methods in identifying the problem statement, literature review, collection and analysis of data and discussion of the results. After results interpretation in the light of the theoretical part, the study ended with many results which are: The majority of the engineers who work in construction industry in Sudan have no idea about lean construction, while they have high potential to work in a lean construction site, the main factor that impacting the workflow of construction project in Sudan is the delays in financing the project, and in delivery of the materials and the main two challenges will face the implementation of lean construction in Sudan are the resistance of the top management to adopt the concept, and the difficulties in understanding the concept itself.