Impact of Subcontracting on Site Productivity: Lessons Learned in Taiwan
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 124, Issue 2
Abstract
In the past decade, considerable research effort has been devoted to alleviating site productivity problems in Taiwan's construction industry. However, the results generated so far are frustrating. A school of academic debates are raised concerning the elements missing from the research framework adopted. The disregard of the crucial role played by subcontractors in the construction process is the main missing element. To gain a thorough understanding of the subcontracting practice in construction, an extensive questionnaire survey targeting more than 1,000 general contractors, selected at random, was conducted in 1995. Major findings of the survey are reported briefly in this paper. The relationship between subcontracting and site productivity was investigated. A conceptual model for analyzing productivity barriers due to subcontracting was developed and various aspects of this model were also examined. Based on the insights gained from the survey and the follow-up interviews, three promising institutional strategies for overcoming the identified productivity barriers are presented and discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Alfeld, L. E. (1988). Construction productivity: On-site measurement and management. McGraw-Hill Inc., New York, N.Y.
2.
Arditi, D.(1985). “Construction productivity improvement.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 111(1), 1–14.
3.
Birrell, G. S.(1985). “General contractors' management: How subs evaluate it.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 111(3), 244–259.
4.
Drewin, F. J. (1982). Construction productivity: Measurement and improvement through work study. Elsevier, New York, N.Y.
5.
Eccles, R. G.(1981). “The quasifirm in the construction industry.”J. Econ. Behav. and Org., 2(4), 335–357.
6.
Gray, C., and Flanagan, R. (1989). “The changing role of specialist and trade contractors.”Tech. Rep., Chartered Inst. of Building, Ascot, England.
7.
Hinze, J., and Tracey, A.(1994). “The contractor-subcontractor relationship: The subcontractor's view.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 120(2), 274–287.
8.
Hsieh, T.-Y. (1996). “Establishing vertical integration system between general contractors and subcontractors in construction.”Tech. Rep. No. 002214850087, Ministry of Interior, Taiwan, R.O.C.
9.
Hsieh, T.-Y.(1997). “The economic implications of subcontracting practice on building prefabrication.”J. Automation in Construction, 6, 163–174.
10.
Koehn, E.(1988). “Variation in work improvement potential for small/medium contractors.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 114(3), 505–509.
11.
Koehn, E., and Caplan, S. B.(1987). “Work improvement data for small and medium size contractors.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 113(2), 327–339.
12.
Krippaehne, R. C., McCullouch, B. G., and Vanegas, J. A.(1992). “Vertical business integration strategies for construction.”J. Mgmt. in Engrg., ASCE, 8(2), 153–166.
13.
Langford, M. R., et al. (1995). Human resource management in construction. Longman Scientific and Technical, England.
14.
Laufer, A.(1985). “On site performance improvement programs.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 111(1), 82–97.
15.
Lemna, G. J., Borcherding, J. D., and Tucker, R. L.(1986). “Productive foremen in industrial construction.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 112(2), 192–210.
16.
Maloney, W. F., and McFillen, J. M.(1987). “Influence of foremen on performance.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 113(3), 399–415.
17.
Oglesby, H. C., Parker, H. W., and Howell, G. A. (1989). Productivity improvement in construction. McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York, N.Y.
18.
Porter, M. E. (1980). Competitive strategy: Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors. Free Press, New York, N.Y.
19.
Porter, M. E. (1985). Competitive advantage. Free Press, New York, N.Y.
20.
Shohet, I. M., and Laufer, A.(1991). “What does the construction foreman do?”J. Constr. Mgmt. and Econ., 9, 565–576.
21.
Tavakoli, A.(1985). “Productivity on construction operations.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 111(1), 31–39.
22.
Thomas, H. R.(1991). “Labor productivity and work sampling: The bottom line.”J. Constr. Engrg. and Mgmt., ASCE, 117(3), 423–444.
23.
Williamson, O. E.(1979). “Transaction cost economics: The governance of contractual relations.”J. Law and Econ., 22(2), 233–261.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 124 • Issue 2 • March 1998
Pages: 91 - 100
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Mar 1, 1998
Published in print: Mar 1998
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.