IGLC.net
EXPORT DATE: 19 June 2026

@CONFERENCE{Gao2026,
author={Gao, Maggie Y. and Balingit, Damian L. and Teoh, Bak Koon and Tiong, Robert L. K. },
editor={Hamzeh, Farook and Poshdar, Mani and Garcia-Lopez,, Nelly P. },
title={The contents-procedures-human relationships triad: reconceptualizing Lean implementation}, 
journal={Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34)}, 
booktitle={Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34)}, 
year={2026},
pages={922-933},
url={http://www.iglc.net/papers/details/2442},
doi={10.24928/2026/0108},
affiliation={Research Associate, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, yuan008@e.ntu.edu.sg, orcid.org/0009-0006-2523-7604 ; Engineer, Commuter Facilities Management, Land Transport Authority, Singapore, damianluw07@gmail.com ; Senior Lecturer, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, bakkoon.teoh@ntu.edu.sg, orcid.org/0000-0002-7513-4279 ; Associate Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, clktiong@ntu.edu.sg, orcid.org/0000-0002-0291-9534 },
abstract={Despite widespread Lean Construction adoption, implementation success remains inconsistent. This study investigates reciprocal influences among three project management domains—Contents (specific requirements), Procedures (systematic methodologies), and Human Relationships (interpersonal dynamics)—to explain persistent Lean implementation challenges. Mixed-methods research combining surveys (n=21) and interviews (n=22) with Singapore construction professionals examined cross-domain interactions integrating Lean thinking with traditional project management constraints. Results suggest hierarchical influence patterns: Technical contents appear to exert strong, deterministic influence on procedures, with procedures reciprocally constraining technical design through operational realities. However, critical asymmetry emerges regarding Human Relationships, enabling technical and procedural effectiveness through trust, communication quality, and collaborative norms. Conversely, technical sophistication and procedural rigor demonstrate weak influence on relational development, indicating Contents and Procedures cannot autonomously generate the collaborative culture Lean requires. Interview analysis identified relational dysfunction rather than technical inadequacy as primary implementation failure mode, while communication breakdowns prevented collaborative planning, authentic commitment-making, and honest waste identification despite technically correct tool deployment. This research empirically grounds Human Relationships as an enabling foundation requiring deliberate cultivation, challenging technical determinism in construction management practice. Effective Lean implementation requires establishing collaborative culture before deploying technical tools, necessitating reconceptualized approaches prioritizing relational development alongside technical and procedural refinement. },
author_keywords={Human relationships, asymmetric influence, relational capabilities, project management, Lean Construction. },
address={Singapore, Singapore },
issn={2789-0015 },
publisher={ },
language={English},
document_type={Conference Paper},
source={IGLC},
}