Predictive Model for Project Construction Labour Productivity versus Flow of Project Materials and Components

Abstract

Researching labor productivity has significant impact on welfare and economic prosperity. In building projects, resource management can result in significant time and cost savings. This study concentrates on construction project labor productivity because the sector is labor-intensive. Contemporary problems to this topic are considered in this study. It includes definitions, characteristics, measurements, factors influencing labor productivity in building projects, various methods for assessing it, and modeling prediction methodologies. Through Project Materials and Components Flow, this study offers a roadmap for the actions that must be taken in order to increase construction labor productivity and project performance. Data from 129 housing projects in Nairobi, Kenya were gathered using a questionnaire survey administered to the projects. The survey included two (2) variables of construction project materials and components flow and three (3) measures of project level construction labor productivity (CLP) that the literature research had determined. Eleven (11) items concerning construction project materials and components flow were rated on a six (6) point scale and from these the level of flow of materials and components for the project were determined. The level of project construction labour productivity was equally measured.  A model for predicting the level of project construction labour productivity using the flow of materials and components into the projects was developed for practical use in managing labour productivity in projects. The results indicated that materials and components explain 87.0% of the variability in construction project labour productivity and that a unit increase in Project Materials and Components Flow (PMCF) resulted in 26.7% increase in construction project labour productivity. The study thus recommended project materials and components to be supplied and managed in an effective and efficient manner within projects for improvement of construction project labour productivity.