scholarly journals The Contribution of Workers’ Attributes on Sustainability of Construction Project Realization Goals—Survey on the Impact on Productivity in Croatia

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 9946
Author(s):  
Držislav Vidaković ◽  
Marijana Hadzima-Nyarko ◽  
Saša Marenjak
Keyword(s):  
Labor Productivity ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Physical Strength ◽  
Previous Decade ◽  
Worker Characteristics ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

The work of workers is still dominant in the realization of most construction projects and therefore has a great impact on the productivity of contractors and, thereby, on the sustainability of realization of the goals of contractors and clients. This article provides an overview of the results of more than 100 studies from the previous decade on the impacts of factors related to the personal attributes of workers on the productivity and performance of construction projects. Based on the reviewed literature and semi-structured interviews with experienced professionals in the construction industry, the relation between worker characteristics and other influences on labor productivity is defined and a list of worker characteristics suitable for research in Croatia is compiled. A survey of 262 workers, engineers, and managers from construction industries of Croatia’s eastern region, Slavonia and Baranja, showed that the worker characteristics that most influence labor productivity are experience and dexterity. It was also noticed, with a high correlation between the different groups of respondents, that physical strength and morale and morality of the workers were rated as highly influential, while education level was rated as the least influential. The research results are useful because they indicate the possibility of significantly improving the productivity of construction contractors by selecting workers with appropriate physical abilities and cognitive and non-cognitive skills, as well as developing a suitable system for training and motivation of employees.

A dynamic Modelling of Labor Productivity Impacts Arising from Change Orders in Road Projects

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zain Ghazi Al-Kofahi ◽  
Amirsaman Mahdavian ◽  
Amr Oloufa
Keyword(s):  
Labor Productivity ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Productivity Loss ◽  
Dynamic Modelling ◽  
Change Orders ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Road Projects ◽  
Change Order ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sd Model

It is vital to investigate the system dynamics (SD) between the change orders and labor productivity to identify the causes of the productivity loss of the construction projects. Most productivity loss studies were financed from the contractor’s part and rely on the contractor’s data. This research highlighted the problem of productivity loss resulting from issuance of a change order by utilizing a previously developed SD model. It conducted a sensitivity analysis to evaluate the impact of overtime, overmanning, temperature and learning on the behavior of the SD model quantifying change orders' impact on labor productivity. Based on the results, SD provides more reliable results comparing with the measured mile analysis (MMA) approach for the compensation request, considering the leading factors affecting the productivity loss other than the change order. The model developed in this study can accept or reject the responsibility of a change order for occurrence of productivity loss.

scholarly journals Environmental regulation and financial performance of Chinese listed companies

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0244083
Author(s):  
Bing Zhou ◽  
Jing Wu ◽  
Sidai Guo ◽  
Mingxia Hu ◽  
Jing Wang
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Environmental Regulations ◽  
Random Effect ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Chinese Listed Companies ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

Objective The answer to this article lies in: Does the financial activities of physical enterprises have an adverse impact on their main business? Is it conducive to the sustainable development of the national economy? However, when most scholars study the impact of environmental regulations on companies performance, they have not classified companies performance. This article will study the relationship between environmental regulations and performance levels based on the classification of companies performance, and then divide the nature of industry pollution, companies location and nature of property for in-depth research. Methods First, this article uses a random effect variable-intercept model to measure companies financial performance and non-financial performance. Then, the variables are divided into two variable groups: light pollution and heavy pollution according to the nature of industry pollution. Next, the companies are divided into three variable groups: the eastern region, the central region, and the western region. Finally, the company is divided into two variable groups: state-owned and non-state-owned according to the nature of property. Conclusions The study found that: (1) Environmental regulations have inhibited companies financial activities. And the inhibitory effect of environmental regulations on the financial performance of enterprises is more obvious in the heavily polluting industries and enterprises in central and eastern regions. (2) Environmental regulations and companies non-financial performance are also negatively related, environmental regulations have also inhibited the non-financial performance of companies, this effect is more pronounced in heavily polluting industries and enterprises in western regions. (3) Income crowding effect brought by China's environmental regulations is greater than the income compensation effect brought by stimulating technological innovation.

Developing management policies and analyzing impact of change orders on labor productivity in construction projects

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharareh Kermanshachi ◽  
Behzad Rouhanizadeh ◽  
Paul Govan
Keyword(s):  
Labor Productivity ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Significant Drop ◽  
Change Orders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Significant Length ◽  
Indirect Impacts ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The inevitable change orders in construction projects have either direct or indirect impacts on a project’s duration. Reduced productivity is one of the indirect consequences that lead to major delays in the completion of the project. The purpose of this study is to develop a model that could quantify the impact of change orders on labor productivity and result in the establishment of policies to lessen their effects. Design/methodology/approach A model was developed to analyze the effects of change orders on labor productivity, then policies for managing their impacts on productivity and project duration were established. A water treatment case study was selected to serve as the scenario in which to implement and evaluate the model and policies. Findings The results of this study indicated that pressure to adhere to a schedule initially leads to an increase in labor productivity, but it is often followed by a significant drop that is a result of employee frustration. It was concluded that the pressure can be positive if it is applied for a short period of time; however, it continues for a significant length of time, the duration of the project will increase appreciably. Originality/value The proposed model can be implemented to identify the factors that affect labor productivity in a construction project. Its utilization will also help project managers assess when change orders occur and determine, which policies will be most effective in optimizing labor productivity.

scholarly journals Assessment of Human Productivity Drivers for Construction Labor through Importance Rating and Risk Mapping

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 8614
Author(s):  
Murat Gunduz ◽  
Abdulrahman Abu-Hijleh
Keyword(s):  
Labor Productivity ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Rank Correlation ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Risk Mapping ◽  
Importance Rating ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Importance Index ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Productivity Factors

Labor constitutes a significant portion of the overall cost of a construction project, where labor productivity is often the main driver of the cost. Although studies on labor productivity factors exist, their frequency of occurrence in terms of their ranking remains unexplored. This study differs from other studies in the literature by introducing the frequency component to the productivity factors, a more realistic ranking of the factors by adjusting the importance by frequency (frequency adjusted importance index) and risk mapping of the factors. Moreover, this study is the first to apply risk mapping on labor productivity drivers. The aim of this paper is to identify the project factors affecting the labor productivity in construction projects and to rank these factors considering the perception of the industry on project performance. A literature review of past relevant studies was performed to identify and draft a list of factors affecting labor productivity in construction projects. Thirty-seven labor productivity factors were presented in a questionnaire to investigate the impact and frequency of their occurrence in construction projects. A 9-point scale structured questionnaire was constructed to measure the importance and the frequency of the factors and to evaluate the ranking for different categories. The frequency adjusted importance index (FAII), Spearman’s rank correlation, and risk mapping were used to study and analyze the 105 completed responses. The participants rated the following factors as the five most significant labor productivity-influencing factors: (1) poor labor supervision, (2) delays in payments, (3) poor work environment, (4) lowly skilled labor, and (5) bad weather conditions.

How do foster children placed in long-term family foster care experience school?

2021 ◽  
pp. 251610322110138
Author(s):  
Frank Van Holen ◽  
Lisa Van Hove ◽  
Ann Clé ◽  
Camille Verheyden ◽  
Johan Vanderfaeillie
Keyword(s):  
Foster Care ◽  
Foster Children ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Problems ◽  
Care Experience ◽  
Family Foster Care ◽  
And Performance ◽  
School Careers ◽  
The Impact

Background: Foster children often experience school problems and perform less well than average. This may result in failed school careers and compromised future career paths. Nonetheless, few studies have focused on the perspective of foster children regarding education. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 foster children (M = 14 years, range = 12–18 years) placed in long-term family foster care about their experiences regarding “school.” Results: A thematic analysis distinguished four main themes: (1) the importance of school for foster children; (2) the impact of the foster care placement on the school performance (3) support foster children receive with regard to their functioning and performance at school; and (4) the fear of stigmatization. Discussion: Foster children attach a great importance to school and receive support from different persons. Yet, many foster children are confronted with school difficulties, such as bullying, hindered concentration, and negative reactions to being placed in foster care. Interventions should be developed to support this group and improve their performances. Furthermore, actors who get in touch with foster children should be better acquainted with foster care.

How organizational culture influences performance measurement systems in SMEs

2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meriam Jardioui ◽  
Patrizia Garengo ◽  
Semma El Alami
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Performance Measurement ◽  
Performance Measurement System ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Huge Impact ◽  
Performance Measurement Systems ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Literature highlights the impact of culture on managerial processes in general and the performance measurement system (PMS) in particular. However, understanding how organizational culture (OC) influences the PMS remains a challenge, especially in SMEs as in these companies the studies are very limited. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how OC influences PMSs in manufacturing SMEs. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the above purpose, a case study approach has been adopted. Four manufacturing SMEs with heterogeneous OC were investigated by means of companies’ documents reviews, participant observations and semi-structured interviews. A conceptual framework based on the competing value framework proposed by Cameron and Quinn (1999) and the PMS typology proposed by Garengo (2009) has been used to investigate the impact of OC on PMS. Findings According to the results, OC has a huge impact on PMS in manufacturing SMEs. The dimensions of “internal/external focus” influence strategy formalization, monitoring of the external environment and performance review. The “flexibility/control” dimensions influence the adoption of the balanced (or unbalanced) set of performance measures a company uses. Originality/value This paper contributes to clarifying how OC influences PMSs in manufacturing SMEs. Moreover, the study of interplay between flexibility/control dimensions and internal/external dimensions supports the identification of three theoretical propositions and four PMS types related to the four different OCs identified by Cameron and Quinn (1999).

scholarly journals METHOD OF MODELING AND FACTOR ANALYSIS OF LABOR PRODUCTIVITY

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (162) ◽  
pp. 64-70
Author(s):  
V. Kostiuk ◽  
I. Milkin
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Labor Productivity ◽  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Production Equipment ◽  
Average Output ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Technical Potential ◽  
Fixed Assets ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

The article deals with the method of modeling and factor analysis of labor productivity. It has been emphasized that labor productivity is one of the most important indicators characterizing the operation and performance of any enterprise. In the system of generalizing indicators of production efficiency, this indicator occupies a special position since it characterizes the achieved level of development of the material and technical foundation of production, efficient use of production potential, and technological advances. It has been emphasized that the change of this indicator depends on various factors characterizing the efficiency of labor and technical potential of an enterprise. Thus, the factor analysis of this indicator is crucial, i.e. studying the influence of structural and production factors on its change. The efficiency of the use of fixed assets, in particular production equipment, has a decisive influence on the change of labor productivity. The most efficient use of machinery and equipment contributes to a significant increase in performance. The article emphasizes that a crucial means of analytical research is the modeling of this indicator. In the course of modeling factor systems of labor productivity, it is necessary to consider the key factors characterizing the structure and efficiency of labor and technical potential of an enterprise, which directly influence the change of the labor productivity of an employee. This is, first of all, the enterprise personnel structure (the number of workers out of the total number of employees), the average output of one worker, labor capital, capital efficiency of fixed assets, their active part, utilization rates of production equipment, and the productivity of existing equipment. To understand the impact of the above factors on the change of productivity of one employee, a step-by-step factor analysis, using the method of chain substitution, has been suggested. The given method of modeling and factor analysis of labor productivity makes it possible to determine the influence of crucial factors on the change of this indicator, study the patterns of such influence, identify internal growth reserves, and ground appropriate managerial decisions on further use of labor and material resources of an enterprise.

scholarly journals Identifying Motivational and Demotivational Productivity Factors in Qatar Construction Projects

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 3945-3948 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. Momade ◽  
M. R. Hainin
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Motivational Factors ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Effective Performance ◽  
The Impact

Motivation is one of the factors that influence productivity. Project management plays a vital role in the success of projects in Qatar construction industry (QCI). It relies profoundly on the team’s active participation and effective performance. Hence it is important to assess the impact of motivation and demotivation on performance. The main objective of this paper is to identify the key factors that cause motivation and de-motivation in QCI. Literature review, surveys with experts and semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify these factors. Using these factors to conduct specific motivational programs will help improve productivity in QCI. Research on motivational factors impacting productivity has not been conducted in Qatar before, so this work will provide insight on how to deal with productivity issues that QCI faces ahead of a major world event that Qatar will host in 2022.

A THEORETICAL EVALUATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR LEARNING CURVE FOR BUILT ENVIRONMENT

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mokgaetji Gift ◽  
Xolile Nokulunga
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Development Stage ◽  
The Body ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Theoretical Evaluation ◽  
Increase Productivity ◽  
And Performance

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has the power to unlock the challenges faced in construction projects such as poor efficiency issues, design errors, low productivity, and accidents on site. Therefore, the study is a literature review on the evaluation of the implementation of AI technology on South African construction projects. The method adopted in this study is based on the cross analyses of inferences from structured interviews with reference to existing theoretical literature, published and unpublished research. The primary findings emanating from this study reveals that past other underground empirical studies have identified several important impacts of AI technology and how it can revolutionize the construction industry. This includes timely delivery of the projects, improved profitability, and reduced construction errors. Moreover, the study revealed that if AI technology is fully exposed and exploited on construction projects especially to both developed and developing countries it would certainly eliminate design errors, increase productivity, improve efficiency, and performance issues. However, the adoption of AI technology in South Africa is still at an early development stage. The study would contribute to the body of existing knowledge of AI technology. Again, it will help construction industry professionals to advance their workplaces and organizations.

scholarly journals Enterprise’s Risk Assessment Of Complex Construction Projects

2015 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 63-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Konior
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Mathematical Statistic ◽  
Assessment Methodology ◽  
Project Risk ◽  
Complex Construction ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Risk Assessment Methodology

AbstractThe purpose of this article is to present the preparation of Project Risk Assessment Methodology and its mitigation in complex construction projects. The main text provides a summary of the approach, the method used and the findings. The conclusions have been drawn that the proper tools for quantifying risks have to be based on the criteria specific for mathematical statistic and probability or at least fuzziness. Function, which makes possible to categorize any risks into one of the five categories, is a combination of probability and the impact on one of the items: people and their safety or budget, cost, schedule and planning or quality and performance. An attempt was made to express numerically the relationship between risks impacts and their level of likelihood. Also, a method of associating the influence of projects risks impacts on the extent of the likelihood of project risk occurrence which makes possible to determine the direction and the strength of this relationship was presented.

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