Latent Structures of the Factors Affecting Construction Labor Productivity
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 135, Issue 5
Abstract
At any moment in time, a multitude of factors simultaneously impact construction productivity. Utilizing the knowledge of thousands of construction craft workers, the writers quantitatively analyzed the underlying structure of the factors affecting construction productivity and identified which factors the craft workers consider to be more relatively important as well. This research identified 83 factors affecting construction labor productivity through 18 focus groups with craft workers and their immediate supervisors on nine jobsites throughout the U.S. Next, a nationwide survey was administered to 1,996 craft workers to assess the impact of these factors on construction labor productivity. Principal factor analyses identified 10 latent factors to represent the underlying structure of 83 productivity factors. In addition, the relative importance of the factors’ impact on construction productivity was examined based on the crafts’ union status, trade, and position (craft worker versus foreman). The writers also compared their results to similar previous efforts, and more importantly, identified significant differences that may impact future productivity improvement strategies. This research will help industry and the research community better understand the factors affecting construction labor productivity and more effectively direct future efforts to improve its performance.
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Acknowledgments
Thanks are due to thousands of craft workers and foremen who participated in the focus group sessions and survey efforts. Without their input, this research would not have been possible. The financial support of the Construction Industry Institute and input from its member companies is also gratefully acknowledged.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 135 • Issue 5 • May 2009
Pages: 397 - 406
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 5, 2007
Accepted: Oct 28, 2008
Published online: May 1, 2009
Published in print: May 2009
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