Chilean Construction Industry: Workers’ Competencies to Sustain Lean Implementations

Abstract

Lean implementations, especially Last Planner System – LPS, are facing various barriers along time losing opportunities to visualize its complete impact. The previous situation could be associated with lacking a more holistic approach; companies commonly deployed Lean tools from an operational point of view, without a clear vision of the future in complementation with strategic objectives. In a group of seven Chilean construction companies doing research in collaboration with the Production Management Centre of the Catholic University of Chile we observed these conducts. Research activities included four workshops with General Managers and Human Resources Departments, and semi structured interviews with some key positions. The present research’s results provide competencies identification and definition for four key positions: Project Manager, Building Manager, Site manager and Technical Office, which will be part of a Competencies Dictionary. This instrument will work as a foundation for a training plan’s development that companies will use as a backing of Lean tools’ sustainability over time, especially Last Planner