Construction management practices influencing productivity in building projects

Abstract

The adverse effects of management related problems affecting productivity in construction projects can be reduced by implementing best management practices that are suitable for a specific project type. Previous studies identified the best practices for infrastructure and industrial projects. However, these practices could not directly be used for building projects as the management practices might vary from project to project and from country to country. Moreover, a little research has been conducted on what the best practices might be in the context of building projects in Victoria, Australia. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with nineteen experienced professionals in the construction industry and forty-seven context specific best practices for building projects such as long lead materials identification, machinery productivity analysis, short interval planning, incentive programs, dynamic site layout plan and safety policy are identified. The study revealed that some best practices that are applicable to infrastructure and industrial projects are not suitable for building projects. Therefore, implementation of the best practices identified in other contexts could not improve productivity in building projects and principal contractors involved in building construction should adopt context-specific practices to enhance the productivity of their projects.