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4th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction - Birmingham, UK - 1996

Towards the Theory of (Lean) Construction

Lauri Koskela¹

¹VTT Building Technology, P.O. Box 1801, FI-02044 VTT, Finland

Abstract

Issues related to the formulation of the theory of construction are considered. The roles of a theory in science and in practice are discussed. It is argued that many theoretical problems related to construction are due to general deficiencies of engineering and production theories, caused by one of their conceptual foundations, the conversion model. The origin and evolution of the conversion model are discussed. The shortcomings of the conversion model are illustrated by the case of project management. The beginning of a transition from the conversion model to alternative models is observed in a number of engineering and production disciplines. A similar paradigm shift is needed also for construction.

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Koskela, L. 1996. Towards the Theory of (Lean) Construction , 4th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction , -. doi.org/

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Founded in 1993, the IGLC is an international network of researchers from practice and academia in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) who feel that the practice, education, and research of the AEC industry have to be radically renewed in order to respond to the global challenges ahead.