Labor Productivity In Construction Industry Research Articles

Spatio-temporal interaction heterogeneity and driving factors of carbon emissions from theconstruction industry in China.

Global warming caused by carbon emissions has become a major issue that countries need to address. As the largest carbon emitter globally, the construction industry is one of the major contributors to carbon emissions in China. It is of significance for carbon reduction to study carbon emission from construction industry. Based on various methods, this study explored the spatio-temporal characteristics of carbon emissions and the driving factors of construction industry. This study found, in 2007, 2010, and 2012, carbon emissions from the construction industry exhibited an increasing trend, and the indirect carbon emissions accounted for approximately 77% of the total carbon emissions overall; in addition, the regional gaps in carbon emissions are widening. The space centers of gravity of direct, indirect, and total carbon emissions showed similar rotations in the counterclockwise direction and gradually shifted to the northeast direction. Carbon emissions from the construction industry were predominantly influenced by the total population, number of employees in construction industry, labor productivity in construction industry, added value of the construction industry, energy consumption in construction industry in 2007, evolution to the mutual influence of the total population, labor productivity in construction industry, and energy consumption in construction industry in 2012. The finds can make references for the regional sustainable development.

Unintended consequences of management strategies for improving labor productivity in construction industry

Introduction: Labor productivity and safety are important topics in the construction industry. Even so, the literature provides little information for project managers trying to determine how management strategies designed to improve labor productivity impact safety. Method: This research addresses the gap by measuring the impact of two groups of management strategies that involve human resource related management strategies and construction related management strategies related to safety performance in construction projects. Data were collected from 111 general construction projects through the survey. Results: The results show that the relationship between the implemented management strategies and safety performance is nuanced with ‘Communication’ harming safety performance while implementation of ‘Labor Management,’ ‘Supervision and Leadership,’ ‘Planning’ and ‘Management of Construction’ strategies improve the level of safety performance. This study took a further step by measuring the impact of the interactions between the two groups of management strategies on safety performance. The results show that the interactions of construction and human related management strategies are not always in the favor of safety. Practical Applications: This paper adds to the literature on the relationship between productivity and safety in the construction industry. The research findings can assist project managers to improve labor productivity without harming the safety of laborers unintentionally.

Factors Affecting Construction Labor Productivity In Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Pakistan

Labor productivity is at forefront of concerns facing professionals in construction industry worldwide. Construction industries play a leading role in economic growth for countries all around the world. This study highlights the factors affecting labor productivity in the construction industry of Peshawar (Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa) Pakistan. Improvement in productivity results in saving of cost and time. This study explores various factors for improving labor productivity in construction industry of Peshawar. Questionnaire survey and practical productivity assessment was adopted to take out the effect each individual productivity factors. The relative importance index (RII) of all twenty three (23) factors affecting productivity was identified. This study also developed a comparison sheet with previous case study data conducted by authors Anu V.Thomas and J.Sudhakumar (India) which could be used by the project managers to easily sort out various factors related to productivity improvement in different regions. The major factors which sort out and outcomes of this study will help project managers to anticipate weak zones of productivity in their present projects and provide accurate strategies for improving labor productivity.

Tendencias para optimizar la productividad en los proyectos de construcción en Palestina

Labor productivity in construction industry is gaining increasing attention as the industry faces multiple problems related to its workforce. Most of construction projects in the Gaza Strip were suffering from declining productivity and thus causing projects delay, and cost overruns. The aim of this paper is to determine contractors’ perceptions towards the identified productivity improvement factors according to their relative importance in construction projects in the Gaza Strip. A comparison was made with other developed and developing countries. Eighty-three productivity improvement factors were considered in the questionnaire and categorized into eleven groups. A survey was conducted among construction firms in the Gaza Strip to rank these factors by their degree of influence on productivity of construction projects. Ninety questionnaires were randomly distributed among local contractors whereas seventy three valid questionnaires were collected from respondents. The findings of this study indicated that the most significant productivity improvement factors are: closures and economical difficulties, political situation, delivery on time, field management, and material availability. External circumstances group was found the most important group which affects productivity improvement in the Gaza Strip as the unstable political atmosphere affects badly the construction industry. A proactive relationship has to be established among all parties in order to allocate effective productivity improvement plans. It is hoped that, by identifying and ranking the major problems affecting construction productivity should help contractors to facilitate proper solutions as well as determining potentials for productivity improvement. The industry needs to collaborate more with universities and research institutions in order to plan an effective strategy through which construction industry could be enhanced. Training can increase productivity, morale, reduce the load on supervisors, improve safety, and increase organizational stability and flexibility. Rev. ing. constr. [online]. 2013, vol.28, n.2, pp. 173-206. ISSN 0718-5073.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-50732013000200005