Trade-level productivity measurement: Critical challenges and solutions

Abstract

The construction industry is labor intensive by nature; consequently, the measurement of trade-level productivity is a critical component that can be used to assess the overall productivity of the industry. Despite its importance, little research has been conducted to investigate the challenges that contractors and subcontractors face in measuring productivity accurately at the trade level. As a result, this study aims to identify critical challenges in the measurement of trade-level productivity and to explore plausible solutions for these challenges in order to improve productivity assessment in the industry. On the basis of an extensive literature review and a survey and interviews with industry experts, a total of 17 critical challenges and 24 plausible solutions were identified and analyzed statistically. The findings from this study will help to shed light on the difficulties that contractors and subcontractors encounter during trade-level productivity measurement, and will identify solutions that can be used effectively to deal with these challenges. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.