Li, Y; Lin, J; Cui, Z; Wang, C and Li, G (2021) Workforce productivity evaluation of the US construction industry from 2006 to 2016. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 28(1), pp. 55-81. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose: Currently, there is a dearth of research studies regarding macro analysis of the workforce productivity of the US construction industry. The purpose of this paper is to calculate the workforce productivity changes of the US construction industry from 2006 to 2016, with the number of laborers as input and value of construction industry as output. Design/methodology/approach: The present study introduced the data envelopment analysis (DEA) based Malmquist productivity index model to measure the workforce productivity of the US construction industry from 2006 to 2016. Findings: The results indicated that the workforce productivity of the US construction industry experienced a continuous decline, except for the increases from 2011 to 2013 and from 2014 to 2015. It was also shown that there were gaps in the workforce productivity development level among all states and nine regions in the US construction industry. Besides, the relationship between workforce productivity and four aspects, including real estate price, workforce, climate distribution and economic factors, was analyzed. Research limitations/implications: The calculation of the productivity of the US construction industry is based on the premise that the external environment is fixed and unchanged from 2006 to 2016, but the multi-level DEA model for further calculation is required for obtaining more effective conclusions. Social implications: This paper measures the workforce productivity of the US construction industry over the past 11 years, which added latest analysis and knowledge into the construction industry, providing decision-makers with advice and data support to formulate policies to improve workforce productivity. Originality/value: This study provided both government decision-makers and industrial practitioners with important macro background environment information, which will facilitate the improvement of workforce productivity in the construction industry in different regions of the US.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction; decision support systems; productivity; project management |
| Index terms: | practitioner, methodology, decision support, project management, economic factor, data envelopment analysis, construction industry, real estate, productivity |
| Subjects: | project management theory and practice, economic concepts, research methods, management, industry analysis, decision analysis, practitioner, data analysis and analytics, real estate economics |
| Topics: | Urban Studies, Roles and Professions, Risk Management, Project Management, Research Practice, Business Strategy |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here