Model for kaizen project development for the construction industry

Abstract

Kaizen is one of the principles that support the Toyota Production System (TPS) as a philosophy. However, it is difficult to use it in the field of Construction Industry (CI) because of its inherent characteristics of production. Thus a model was developed to aid the professional of the CI to systematically advance a kaizen project with the use of diagnostic tools and analysis of the production system. The research method is defined by three sequential steps governed by two research strategies: theoretical-conceptual - for the literature review and development of the model, and action-research - aiming the implementation of the model in a building site for housing production. As a result of the action-research strategy, using the model, nine problems as well as their roots and kaizen opportunities were identified and classified in the productive system. The systematization of the generation of kaizen opportunities for the CI contributes directly to the quality of the final products and to the reduction of costs of building sites, because it allows for continuous improvements of processes based on higher levels of value added with the reduction of the use of resources in the production system.

Keywords:
Kaizen; Construction industry; Toyota production system