The purpose of this paper is to compare supply chain
operations of a number of construction related organisations
against lean and agile constructs outlined in the literature. An
exploratory case study approach is used in this study. This
involves a researcher 'embedded' in a 'design and build'
construction company. A number of product suppliers are
investigated via semi-structured phone interviews and
company visits. The findings are then compared to the
constructs of lean and agile supply chains. The findings
highlight that construction supply chains may benefit by
adopting agile principles. A number of common supply chain
problems experienced by manufacturers in the construction
industry are outlined and a number of potential solutions are
presented. While this research offers a detailed examination
of specific supply chains, further work is required to produce
results that can be more readily generalised. A number of
areas are identified for further research. The lean
manufacturing paradigm has been well explored in a
construction context but little research has focused on how
the principles of agile manufacturing can be applied. This
paper offers guidelines on enabling suppliers to satisfy the
construction industry's demand requirements.