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Loganathan, S (2023) A framework for analysing the influence of teamwork processes of onsite construction trade crews on productivity, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Technology Sydney (Australia).
- Type: Thesis
- Keywords: construction activities; measurement; construction labour; benchmarking; manufacturing; project success; teamwork; labour productivity; productivity; case study
- ISBN/ISSN:
- URL: https://www.proquest.com/docview/2925087857
- Abstract:
The subject of construction productivity and its relationship to project success has long been investigated and reported in academic journals and industry reports. That said, while the productivity growth of the manufacturing sector is said to have increased by 100% in the past 30 years, the construction industry’s productivity growth has remained sluggish or flat (Sezer and Bröchner 2014; McKinsey Global Institute 2017). Hence improving construction labour productivity (CLP) is a key ongoing area of interest.Construction management research related to CLP is primarily conceptualised and operationalised at three levels -industry, project, and activity levels (Yi and Chan 2014). The debate on construction productivity has primarily been focused on three main topics – measurement of productivity; modelling of productivity and production processes; factors that influence and explain productivity growth (Sezer and Bröchner, 2014). Although considerable research attention is given to all three levels, the present research focuses specifically on activity-level productivityas this best epitomises the context of onsite construction trade crews besides offering the main basis required in meeting the research aims.Dominated by a quantitative approach, research on CLP has tended to focus on measuring individual worker output (e.g. m2/man-hour), and while this provides a useful measure of performance in broad benchmarking terms, it is relatively uninformative in terms of how and where to improve performance. For instance, it does not delve into the complexities of how to get the best out of the holistic crew as an interactive unit, which is how most work actually occurs onsite. It can also be argued that the existing approaches to study CLP excludes the context of crew-based work practices (where crews work as teams) and can be instrumental in effecting productivity. Therefore, there is a fundamental need to better understand the nature and operations of work crews and their influence on work outcomes. In an attempt to address this gap in knowledge, the present study aims to investigate what work practices trade crews follow while executing their work, and why and how do those practices emerge.The research follows the qualitative paradigm as the phenomenon of interest that the study aims to address is in the early stages of theoretical advancement in the construction context. Within the gamut of the qualitative approach, case study methodology is chosen as an appropriate research methodology as it provides an indepth understanding of the phenomenon under study in real-time settings. The study uses a multiple case study approach and a mixed-method approach to data collection and analysis strategy was adopted. The scope of the present study is limited to building construction activities. The present study is conducted in two stages.In Stage 1, the study aims to identify the trade crew work practices. To explore the proposition that crew work practices considerably influence onsite construction productivity, a case study methodology was adopted. The case study compared a highperforming with an average-performing crew, in unveiling the influence of crew work practices on productivity. Stage 1 identified five broad themes of crew work practices that influence productivity. These include work preparation and execution strategy; group formation and stability; avoiding duplication of non-value adding tasks; crew social cohesion and internal and external leadership.