Lean Supply Chain Practices in Urban Road Construction Projects: a Case of Class ‘a’ Road Construction Companies in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

A study was carried out to establish the lean supply chain practices in urban road construction projects among class “A” road construction companies in Nairobi County. The study aimed at achieving two objectives: To determine the lean supply chain practices adopted in urban road construction projects in Nairobi County, Kenya and to establish the challenges in implementing lean supply chain practices in urban road construction projects in Nairobi County, Kenya. The researcher adopted a case study design with a descriptive approach. Data was collected from Class “A” road construction companies in Nairobi and from the Kenya urban roads board through questionnaires. The data collected was subjected to SPSS for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to explain the lean supply chain practices whereas factor analysis was used to establish the main challenges the companies encounter when implementing lean supply chain practices. The findings indicate that Class “A” road construction companies in Nairobi have adopted various lean supply chain management practices. These practices include: emphasizing on proper customer focus; developing avenues for waste reduction in their activities; practicing continuous improvement in their processes and adopting Just in Time technique of inventory management.