Construction project productivity evaluation framework with expanded system boundaries

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenting Zhan ◽  
Wei Pan ◽  
Le Chen
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
System Boundaries ◽  
Content Type

PurposeWhile the investment in construction projects has increased over the past few decades, low construction project productivity (CPP) appeared to be persistent, thereby reflecting an “investment-in-failure” paradox between the investment and CPP. Hence, this paper aims to develop a systematic and holistic CPP evaluation framework to explain the apparent paradox in the construction industry.Design/methodology/approachThe paper first reviews the literature about the theories of system, production, principal–agent and project success evaluation to re-conceptualise the CPP and proposes a two-stage CPP evaluation framework. The framework is subsequently explored through a sequential qualitative mixed-methods design within the context of the Hong Kong construction industry by combining 32 semi-structured interviews with senior industry experts and exploratory case studies, with three real-life construction projects.FindingsThe paper identifies three system boundaries for CPP evaluation, that is, parameter, timeframe and stakeholder, and develops a two-stage CPP evaluation framework to indicate site efficiency and utilisation effectiveness, thereby accessing the productivity of both the construction and post-construction stages. The “investment-in-failure” paradox associated with current CPP evaluation approaches is primarily attributed to the narrowly defined CPP boundaries.Research limitations/implicationsThe qualitative exploration of the evaluation framework only focusses on the Hong Kong construction industry. Further case studies within other urban contexts could be used to improve the generalisability of the findings. Quantitative research is also necessary to advance theoretical development of the two-stage CPP evaluation.Practical implicationsThe systemic CPP conceptualisation and the two-stage CPP evaluation framework support the systems thinking of industry stakeholders and enable them to formulate holistic strategies for long-term CPP enhancement.Originality/valueThe research demonstrates the needs to expand the system boundaries of CPP to reflect its systemic value and to shift the paradigm of CPP evaluation from being output-orientated and quantity-focussed to being outcome-orientated and value-focussed.

Exploring influential factors leading to the poor performance of public construction project in Ethiopia using structural equation modelling

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benti Gadisa ◽  
Hong Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Project Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Public Construction

PurposeIt is well recognized that the construction industry is characterised by inefficient and ineffective service delivery due to various causative factors. Thus this study aims to examine the influential factors affecting public construction project performance in Ethiopia to improve the industry's service delivery.Design/methodology/approachFrom the extensive literature reviewed, 58 potential factors affecting construction project performance have been compiled. Based on the evidence accumulated, the conceptual model of this paper has been developed. By using survey questionnaires, valuable data were collected from the construction industry professionals in Ethiopia; analysed and interpreted with the use of both SPSS and AMOS software.FindingsIt is concluded that failure factors related to the “performance” of the contractor, the “capability” of the owner, the “project design-procurement process,” and project contract management can significantly contribute to the poor performance of public construction projects in Ethiopia. Ten key factors include inadequate contractor capacity, weak project site management and supervision, weak project management skills and capabilities of the owner, additional work orders, delayed payment, lack of comprehensive project plans between parties and incomplete project design, rising material prices, ineffective project schedules, and cost management, rising market prices and devaluation of the currency.Research limitations/implicationsThe scope of this study confined to public projects in Ethiopia. It suggests that further research needs to consider public and private construction from a comprehensive perspective in the developing countries.Practical implicationsIt provides practitioners with information and guidance on the factors that affect the performance of construction projects.Originality/valueIt provides inclusive evidence related to many factors that affect the performance of public construction projects.

scholarly journals Reliability evaluation index for the integrated supply chain utilising BIM and lean approaches

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 997-1038
Author(s):  
Jingxiao Zhang ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
Hamed Golizadeh ◽  
Chuandang Zhao ◽  
Sainan Lyu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Reliability Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation Index ◽  
State Transitions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Novel Approach

PurposeThis research aims to develop an approach to assess the reliability of integrated construction supply chains via an integrated model of building information modelling (BIM) and the lean supply chain (LSC). It reflects the synergistic workflow between BIM and LSC as a novel approach to improve the reliability of construction projects.Design/methodology/approachThis research evaluates the reliability of the BIM-LSC approach through a combination of entropy theory, set pair analysis (SPA), and Markov chains (EESM). An exploratory survey was conducted to collect data from 316 industry professionals experienced in BIM and LSC. Subsequently, multiple cycles of calculations were performed with indirect data inputs. Finally, a reliability evaluation index is established for the BIM-LSC approach and potential applications are identified.FindingsThe results show that the EESM model of BIM-LSC developed in this study can handle not only supply chain reliability evaluation at a given state but also the prediction of reliability in supply chain state transitions due to changing project conditions. This is particularly relevant to the current environment of the construction project, which is characterised by an increasing level of complexity in terms of labour, technology, and resource interactions.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research could consider the accuracy and validity of the proposed model in real-life scenarios with by considering both quantitative and qualitative data across the entire lifecycle of projects.Practical implicationsThe research offers a model to evaluate the reliability of the BIM-LSC approach. The accuracy of BIM supply chain reliability analysis and prediction in an uncertain environment is improved.Originality/valueThe BIM-LSC reliability evaluation and prediction presented in this study provides a theoretical foundation to enhance understanding of the BIM-LSC in the construction project context.

Implementing the international benchmarking labour productivity theoretical model

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1041-1061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parviz Ghoddousi and ◽  
Behzad T. Alizadeh ◽  
M. Reza Hosseini ◽  
Nicholas Chileshe
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Steel Structures ◽  
Performance Ratio ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Benchmarking

Purpose – Building upon the results of a critical review of previous studies, the purpose of this paper is to present a framework to enhance the reliability of the theoretical model for international benchmarking of labour productivity (TMIBLP) method for construction project activities. The next part of the paper presents the results of implementing the proposed framework for construction activities in the Iranian construction industry. Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws upon a critical review of the literature to highlight the drawbacks of the previous studies concerning implementing TMIBLP within the construction industry. Identifying these shortcomings, the authors propose a framework for construction projects, which presents the procedure for deploying TMIBLP for construction activities in a reliable manner. The final section of the paper demonstrates the empirical implementation of the proposed framework within the Iranian construction industry. Findings – The primary contributions of the paper include: identifying the drawbacks of previous studies within the construction context, the framework that would lead construction managers towards more reliable implementation of benchmarking for construction projects, and determining the baseline of erecting steel structures in a developing country. Practical implications – A practical implementation of the TMIBLP method was presented to address the lack of research in Iran and to show the feasibility of using the framework developed. The authors investigated the daily labour productivity for the activity of structural steel erection for six projects in Tehran in order to determine the values of the baseline productivity for each project. Accordingly, the disruption index, performance ratio and project management index as the project benchmarks were calculated for all six projects. Originality/value – Underlining the necessity of implementing methods such as TMIBLP, this study outlines the outcomes of the first study on the benchmarking of construction activities deploying the proposed framework and using the data on erecting steel structures from six construction projects in Iran. The discussions provide guidelines for construction project managers regarding benchmarking labour productivity. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research opportunities.

Impact of COVID-19 on project performance in the UAE construction industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Sami Ur Rehman ◽  
Muhammad Tariq Shafiq ◽  
Muneeb Afzal
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Institutions ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the global economy and, thus, the global construction industry. This paper aims to study the impact of COVID-19 on construction project performance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative and exploratory approach to investigate the impact of COVID-19 and its policies on project performance in the UAE construction industry in critical areas of the project management body of knowledge (e.g. schedule, cost, resources and contracts). Semi-structured interview questions were asked from ten construction professional to obtain valuable insights into the pandemic’s effects on the UAE construction industry and the effectiveness of policies implemented to rectify the damage and identify the industry’s new normal. Findings The findings indicate that the construction industry faced several challenges such as schedule delays, disrupted cashflows, delayed permits, approvals and inspections, travel restrictions, serious health and safety concerns, material and equipment shortages, among others which hindered the timely delivery of construction projects. It also indicates that efforts made by the government institutions and the construction industry of the UAE such as economic support programs, digitization of processes, fee and fine waivers, health facilities, among other statutory relaxations proved effective in supporting the construction industry against the adverse effects of the pandemic. Research limitations/implications The research findings are limited to the literature review and ten semi-structured interviews seeking an expert’s opinion from industry professionals working in the UAE construction industry. The research team did not get access to project documents, contracts and project progress reports which may be required to validate the interview findings, and to perform an in-depth analysis quantifying the impact of COVID 19 on construction projects performance, which is a limitation of this research. Practical implications The implication is that, owing to the imposed lockdowns and strict precautionary measures to curb the rapid spread of the pandemic, smooth execution of the construction project across the country was affected. The government institutions and stakeholders of the construction projects introduced and implemented various techniques and solutions which effectively handled the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the construction industry of the UAE. Originality/value This study has identified the challenges faced by the construction industry of the UAE in the context of the management of project schedule, project cost, construction contracts, health and safety of construction employees and other related aspects of the construction projects. This study also identified the techniques and solutions adopted by various public and private institutions of the country and their implications on construction projects. Therefore, this study provides guidelines for policymakers and future research studies alike.

scholarly journals Enhanced project brief: structured approach to client-designer interface

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 474-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farzad Khosrowshahi
Keyword(s):  
Software Development ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Requirement Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Project Strategy ◽  
Project Lifecycle

Purpose – The focus of this work is on the client-designer interface where decisions have significant impact over the lifecycle of the project. Therefore, the briefing stage is examined in the context of clients’ needs which is divided into project-based strategy and broader clients’ strategy. The purpose of this paper is to address the pitfalls in the briefing process which has been attributed to the shortcomings in the client-designer communication interfaces. This will be achieved by developing an automated brief generation framework. The research examines the efficiency of standard approaches to modelling and design, and the benefits that these methodologies have offered to the computer industry. The work reviews the similarities between the two industries and argues in support of the potential benefits in adopting a standard methodology in the construction industry. The structure upon which the framework is developed is based on system analysis and design methodology (SSADM) which has proven to be an effective platform used within the software development industry. Design/methodology/approach – SSADM is an established methodology within the software development industry. The paper will demonstrate that due to fundamental similarities between the construction and software development industries, SSADM is likely to offer a viable platform upon which an automated enhanced brief generation model is developed for use in the construction industry. The construction design and construction process will be mapped on SSADM high-level definition before focusing and honing on the design phase. The methodology for the development of the framework will be based on the rationalist approach of generating knowledge through reasoning leading to model-building. Findings – A model that is based on SSADM is proposed for the design development phase of construction projects. In order to shape the project strategy, the model considers the combined role of clients’ requirements with organisation strategy and environmental factors. The paper has shown that it is feasible to increase the automation of the briefing process and enhanced the briefing output. The model here does not diminish the importance of direct communication between the client and the design team. It provides a more structured way of doing so, while taking advantage of vast array of data and technology in order to improve the brief outcome. Research limitations/implications – From practical perspective, the proposed framework is in its formative stage, thus requiring incremental refinement through several case studies. This is particularly true about the AI components of the system which typically rely on extensive data representing the real-case scenarios. Therefore, the work invites further research into the examination of various parts as well as the overall system. Practical implications – There are several ways by which construction projects are procured. There may be fluctuation in their rate of usage, but while there is no indication of any procurement option fading, new ones such as PPP and PFI are periodically introduced. The existence of this diversity is indicative of the fact that the industry tends to respond to problems rather than attempting to instigate a measured solution supported by theoretical underpinning. Subsequently, there have been suggestions of a communication and information discourse between actors and within processes involved in project lifecycle. This project is aimed at addressing the gap in the client-designer communication. The automated approach to brief generation will lead to better briefs while reducing ambiguities as well as the overhead associated with brief generation. Social implications – The quality of project brief has a significant impact on decisions at the design stage. In turn, these decisions will influence all phases of construction project lifecycle. The briefing session and requirement analysis of a construction project can be very difficult for inexperienced clients particularly for complex projects. Therefore, there is potential for the process of client-requirement-analysis to be optimised. The work promises to improve the quality of the briefing process, thus helping clients to realise their intended objectives and minimise resource waste. Originality/value – The work builds on the commonalities of the construction and software development industries and takes advantage of the advancements in the latter. In doing so, project quality is defined quantitatively which is used to develop project strategy in a three-dimensional space. The development of the model was also contingent upon enhancement of artificial neural network structure.

Nature of construction project cultures in the public sector: case studies in Sri Lanka

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 557-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aparna Samaraweera ◽  
Sepani Senaratne ◽  
Y.G. Sandanayake
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Project Participants ◽  
Project Culture ◽  
Project Objectives

Purpose Cultural differences cause conflicts amongst construction project participants, deterring the success of projects. Understanding such different cultural manifestations could help the removal of the misunderstandings amongst sub-cultural groups and removal of formal irrationalities deterring the progress of construction projects. The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of project cultures in the public sector construction projects. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory case study was selected as the research strategy to achieve the research aim. Three public sector building construction projects were used as case studies. Nine semi-structured interviews and observation of two progress review meetings per case were used for data collection. Findings As per the research findings, contractors believed that construction project culture emerged and transferred through continuous interactions and socialisations with time. Consultants believed that culture was emerged focusing on clearly defined project objectives. In addition, all members assumed that project members at high authority levels were contributing more for the emergence and transfer of cultural aspects. Levels of culture and power existed within the public sector project culture as clients with the highest power, consultants the next and contractors with the least power. Public sector project culture was not leader centred. Shared behavioural norms were not much popular in project culture. Highly differentiated behavioural norms, demonstrating clear professional sub-cultures for the client, contractor and consultant, were available. Originality/value The research findings are helpful to construction project managers to enhance the level of motivation, productivity, commitment, continuous interactions and socialisations of project participants and to avoid any negative outcomes in behaviours.

Risk assessment of construction projects in China under traditional and industrial production modes

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 2147-2168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingxin Gao ◽  
Hong Ren ◽  
Weiguang Cai
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Industrial Production ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Industrial Construction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Traditional Production ◽  
Traditional Construction

Purpose High risk is one of the most prominent characteristics of the Chinese construction industry, and it poses a significant threat to construction projects. Owing to initiatives aimed at achieving high efficiency, low carbon emissions, etc., industrialization of the construction industry has become an inevitable trend in China. However, it remains to be discussed whether industrialization of construction can reduce the risks entailed in construction projects compared with traditional construction. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Based on the theory of risk life cycle, this paper proposes a practical risk assessment technique to assess the risk life cycle, including the risk occurrence time and potential financial losses. This technique is then applied to assess the differences between the risks involved in an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) project executed via traditional and industrial production modes. Findings The results show that the total duration of risks in the industrial construction project is half of that in the traditional project. In addition, the expected financial loss entailed in the industrial construction project is 29 percent lower than that in the traditional construction project. Therefore, industrial construction has the potential to optimize risk performance. Originality/value There is no significant difference between the traditional and industrial construction models in terms of probability of risk. The maximum total loss might occur in the procurement stage in the case of industrial production, and in the construction stage in the case of traditional production. Moreover, the total expected loss from risk in the EPC project in the industrial production mode is only half of that in the traditional production route. This study is expected to provide a new risk evaluation technique and promote an understanding of the life cycle of risk management in the construction industry.

Labor productivity in the construction industry

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 334-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shobhit Chaturvedi ◽  
Jitesh J. Thakkar ◽  
Ravi Shankar
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Labor Productivity ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Causal Relationships ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Productivity Assessment

Purpose As the construction industry undertakes complex and innovative projects, improving the labor productivity that helps accomplish the triple bottom line dimensions (time, schedule and performance) assumes greater importance. It is of even greater importance in developing countries like India where most of building construction takes place on a manual basis. In response, the purpose of this paper is to develop an evaluation framework for assessing the labor productivity in the construction industry. The application of the framework is demonstrated for the case of the Indian construction industry and key insights are reported. Design/methodology/approach The literature review and expert survey has helped to identify 4 main dimensions and 14 different factors affecting labor productivity in the construction industry. An application of Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory was deployed to investigate into the causality of labor productivity dimensions. Findings The research delivers a quantitative labor productivity assessment framework for evaluating causal relationships among the factors influencing labor productivity in the construction industry. The result obtained for a typical case of the Indian construction industry showed that the safety at construction site has a profound effect on labor-related factors. Originality/value The paper makes two contributions in the domain of labor productivity assessment in the construction industry. First, it proposes an evaluation framework to investigate into the causal relationships among the labor productivity factors. This proposed framework is robust and can be used to compare the performance of different construction projects using an integrated approach proposed by this research. Such exploratory analysis would assist benchmarking studies. Second, it undertakes an empirical investigation for the Indian construction industry to develop key managerial insights and extend policy-related recommendations.

scholarly journals Revisiting the construction project failure factors in Vietnam

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 398-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tan Phat Nguyen ◽  
Nicholas Chileshe
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Project Failure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Doi Moi ◽  
Failure Factors

Purpose – The Vietnam construction industry has considerably developed since 1986 as a result of “Doi Moi” or all-round renovation process. However, despite the pace of economic reforms, a number of challenges continue to plague the construction industry. The purpose of this paper is to revisit the factors causing construction project failure in Vietnam. Some of the selected best practices from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) and China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, South Africa (CIVETS) are discussed. Design/methodology/approach – Using a mixed method approach, data were collected from construction stakeholders in Vietnam using a postal survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The quantitative data were subjected to descriptive statistics using ranking and frequencies analysis, and qualitative data employed content analysis. Findings – Despite the lack of systematic approach to managing projects risks, there is a high level of acknowledgement regarding the importance of risk management practices. The highly ranked critical factors still causing construction project failure in Vietnam are: disregard of the significance of project planning process and project planning; lack of experience in executing complicated project; poor design capacity and frequent design changes; lack of knowledge and ability in managing construction projects; lack of financial capacity of owner; poor performance of contractors; lack of a systematic approach to managing the project and entire organisation; corruption and bribery in construction projects; the delays in payment; and economic volatility and high inflation. Practical implications – The identified and revisited project failure factors could be used as a “road map” for the revaluation, and development of appropriate project management practices. Originality/value – The construction sector has undergone through significant structural changes following “Doi Moi”. This study provides the opportunity to realign the strategies for addressing project failure factors and learning from comparative studies in BRICS and CIVETS countries.

Exploring the influence of religious elements on performance factors in developing countries: a case of the Ghanaian construction industry

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest Kissi ◽  
Kofi Agyekum ◽  
Theophilus Adjei-Kumi ◽  
Debrah Caleb ◽  
Ekow Donkor Micheal
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
The Body ◽  
Cost Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Performance Factors ◽  
Schedule Performance ◽  
Religious Elements

PurposeReligiousness is evident in every aspect of life, and its impact on construction project performance is undeniable. However, little has been done to fully understand the influences one's religiosity has on performance factors. This paper aims to explore the influence of religious elements on performance factors in the Ghanaian construction industry (GCI).Design/methodology/approachUsing a desk survey and closed-ended questionnaire, data were obtained from the three religious' bodies (Christianity, Islamic and Traditionalist) in Ghana. The analysis of the collected data was done using mean score ranking and regression analysis.FindingsIt was revealed that most of the religious bodies were aware of the presence of the seven factors identified for measuring construction project performance. The findings suggested that there was a significant and positive relationship between the religious elements (of all the three religions) and cost as well as schedule performance. Islam recorded the highest relationship in influencing public construction project performance relative to cost performances. Specifically, 1% increase in Islamic elements accounted for an 82.7% increase in cost performance. Traditionalists and the Christian religion had minimal significance in influencing cost performance. Furthermore, a 1% progress in Islamic elements accounted for a 45.8% increase in the schedule performance of construction projects and among construction professionals.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has provided better understanding of the religious views on project performance. This research has also provided pragmatic directions to project stakeholders to encourage religious groups to take critical look at the other performance factors that were seen not to be significant.Originality/valueThis paper represents a novel attempt to measure the influence of religious elements on project performance factors in the construction industry. A key contribution to the body of knowledge is that the study has proven that religious element has tendencies to influence cost performance and schedule performance in the construction industry.

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