Implementing Toyota Way principles for construction projects in China: a case study

Abstract

The Toyota Way has evolved from an advanced production system to a socio-technical model in manufacturing. Many organizations are trying to replicate Toyota's success with the Toyota Way in their respective business and industry environments. This paper examines construction projects in China which, despite rapid progress in recent years, are still under enormous pressure to reduce costs while increasing productivity, reliability, and quality. The Toyota Way style of management seems to be appropriate and significant for construction firms in China to address these pressing issues. This paper identifies the similarities of the current project management practices of large Chinese construction firms in order to compare them with the principles of the Toyota Way. Using a case study, the paper analyses the challenges (i.e. lack of integration in implementation, low awareness of Toyota Way principles), opportunities for implementation where the Toyota Way has not been fully adopted, and outcomes (i.e. cost saving and ahead of schedule) for better implementation of the Toyota Way.