Gurmu, A T (2019) Tools for measuring construction materials management practices and predicting labor productivity in multistory building projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 145(2): 4018139, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Planning, monitoring, and evaluating materials management practices are important for enhancing construction productivity. This study is designed to develop a tool for scoring materials management practices for building projects and, on that basis, build a tool for predicting productivity. The research was carried out in two phases. During Phase I, in-depth interviews were conducted with 19 experts and context-specific materials management practices were identified. During Phase II, questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from 39 contractors. To prioritize the practices that were identified during Phase I, the quantitative data were analyzed. Based on the analysis, tools for measuring and planning the materials management practices and probability-based regression models were developed. Procurement plans for materials, long-lead materials identification, and materials delivery schedule are the three most significant practices. Contractors can use the scoring tool to measure the levels of implementation of the practices and assess the risk of having low productivity using the predictive models. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by developing construction materials management practices measuring, planning, monitoring, and evaluating tools in the context of building projects. In addition, the logistic and linear regression models can be used to assess whether a certain level of implementation of the construction materials management practice might be associated with higher or lower labor productivity.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | building construction projects; labor productivity; materials management practices; regression models |
| Index terms: | management practice, questionnaire, body of knowledge, materials management, interview, building construction, construction material, monitoring, labour productivity, construction productivity, implementation, regression model, productivity |
| Subjects: | operations management, building materials, contractual arrangements, knowledge management, data collection methods, control systems, building construction, statistical analysis, management |
| Topics: | Site Management, Engineering Principles, Information Management, Research Practice, Project Management, Business Strategy, Construction Technology, Procurement |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
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