This study investigates the level of Lean Construction (LC) implementation among G7 contractors in Malaysia.

Despite its proven potential to improve productivity, reduce waste, and enhance project efficiency, the adoption

of LC within the Malaysian construction industry remains limited. A quantitative research design was employed,

using a structured questionnaire distributed to G7 contractors to assess their familiarity, awareness, and

application of key LC techniques such as 5S, Just in Time (JIT), Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Last Planner

concludes that while Lean Construction concepts are partially practiced, there is a need for greater awareness,

training, and institutional support to strengthen Lean adoption in Malaysia’s construction sector.

The construction industry plays a vital role in Malaysia’s economic and social development through its

contribution to infrastructure growth, employment creation, and national productivity. Despite this significance,

the sector continues to face persistent challenges such as project delays, cost overruns, low productivity, and

high levels of material waste, which collectively hinder performance efficiency (Du et al., 2022). These issues

not only compromise project delivery timelines and budgets but also raise concerns about sustainability and

resource management. In light of these challenges, there is an increasing need for the Malaysian construction

have demonstrated that the adoption of LC contributes to improved productivity, reduced project duration, and

better resource utilization (Maru et al., 2024).

Globally, the application of Lean Construction has gained increasing attention as a strategy for improving project

outcomes. However, in Malaysia, the adoption of LC remains relatively limited. The local construction sector is

still largely dependent on conventional practices that focus on output delivery rather than process optimization.

While awareness of LC concepts has been growing, implementation is often inconsistent and varies across

organizations (Swefie, 2021). Furthermore, factors such as insufficient awareness, lack of technical knowledge,

resistance to change, and the absence of institutional support contribute to the slow adoption of LC in the

Malaysian context (Likita et al., 2022). The extent to which Malaysian contractors, particularly those managing

large-scale projects, have adopted LC practices remains uncertain.

to offer a clear overview of how widely LC principles are applied in practice, serving as a foundation for future

initiatives aimed at enhancing construction efficiency and promoting continuous improvement across the

industry.

Lean Construction is a management approach derived from Lean Manufacturing principles introduced by

Toyota, emphasizing efficiency, waste reduction, and value creation. It is guided by six key principles: Respect

for People, Optimize the Whole, Generate Value, Eliminate Waste, Focus on Flow, and Continuous

Improvement (Martínez León & Calvo-Amodio, 2017). In other article, it is stated that ntegrating lean

construction principles into project management promotes sustainability by reducing waste, improving resource

efficiency, and encouraging continuous improvement to generate greater value across the construction process

project outcomes, collaboration, and sustainability.

Lean Construction techniques are practical tools designed to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance

project performance by translating Lean principles into actionable strategies. The 5S technique—Sort, Set in

Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain—focuses on workplace organization and visual management to promote

safety, cleanliness, and productivity (Al-Hussain, 2022). It establishes a disciplined environment where tools,

materials, and processes are clearly arranged and maintained for efficiency. Implementing the Just-in-Time (JIT)

approach in construction helps reduce material waste and improve productivity by ensuring reliable supply chain

coordination and efficient communication among stakeholders (Hussein & Zayed, 2021). This system enhances

coordination between suppliers and project teams to ensure timely delivery and reduce site congestion.

Finally, the Kanban system facilitates workflow visualization and pull-based task management, allowing

construction teams to control work-in-progress, enhance coordination, and reduce variability in project processes

(Fuentes-Del-burgo et al., 2024). Collectively, these Lean tools streamline processes, enhance coordination,

reduce waste, and improve productivity within construction organizations, leading to higher efficiency and

sustainable project performance.

This study adopted a quantitative research design to investigate the level of Lean Construction implementation

among G7 contractors in Malaysia. A structured questionnaire was developed to collect primary data, focusing

on respondents’ awareness, familiarity, and application of key Lean Construction techniques, including 5S, Just

in Time (JIT), Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Last Planner System (LPS), and Kanban. The questionnaire

and follow-up correspondence to maximize response rates.

The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, including frequency, percentage, and

mean score analysis, to determine the overall level of Lean Construction awareness and implementation. The

results were presented in tables clarity and interpretation. The study design provided an empirical basis for

understanding the current adoption trends of Lean Construction among G7 contractors and offered valuable

insights into the readiness of the Malaysian construction industry to embrace Lean practices for improved project

performance and sustainability

Refer to Table 1, most respondents are Quantity Surveyors (32%) and Civil Engineers (28%), followed by

Supervisors (19%), Project Managers (17%), and Directors (4%), indicating majority representation from

technical and professional positions. While Table II shows the distribution of respondents according to their

Table I Respondents’ Position In Company

The findings in Table III show that most respondents (28.3%) are moderately familiar with Lean Construction,

while only 8.8% are very familiar, indicating a moderate overall awareness and suggesting limited in-depth

understanding among G7 contractors.

TABLE III Respondents’ Knowledge on Lean Construction

The study concludes that the implementation of Lean Construction (LC) among G7 contractors in Malaysia

remains at a moderate to low level. While most respondents demonstrated some familiarity with Lean concepts,

their practical application within organizations is still limited. The findings indicate that 5S and Just in Time

(JIT) are the most commonly recognized and applied techniques, reflecting a focus on basic site organization

structured training and industry awareness programs to enhance understanding and systematic adoption of Lean

construction through automation of planning and control in last planner system: A systematic literature

8. Hussein, M., & Zayed, T. (2021). Critical factors for successful implementation of just-in-time concept

Engineering, Borobudur University.

14. Singh, S., & Kumar, K. (2020). Review of literature of lean construction and lean tools using systematic

literature review technique (2008–2018). Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 11(2), 465–471.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2019.08.012

15. Swefie, M. G. (2021). Improving project performance using lean construction in Egypt : a proposed