| Summary: | In a 2001 study, Paul M. Goodrum examined the impact of equipment technology on productivity in the U.S construction industry between 1976 and 1998. This research and its results have been included in a larger discussion about productivity trends in the U.S, since then. The objective of this research is to extend the Goodrum study to the period between 1995 and 2009, so that further insight into long term trends and effects can be obtained. The study begins with a brief review of the research that has been completed in the last ten years with respect to the analysis of construction productivity trends in the U.S., Canada, and other developed countries.
Then the study examines the characteristics common to all construction projects and factors affecting construction productivity, because an accurate understanding of the correlation between these factors will lead to improved productivity. A statistical significance test (t-test) is used as a method of measuring the validity of the observed changes in productivity between 1995 and 2009.
The main finding of this research is that there is a slight improvement in partial factor productivity in the United States between 1995 and 2009 as measured using the Means estimating manuals while the labor productivity remains almost the same between 1995 and 2009. Through statistical significant test (t-test), it is found that the construction partial factor productivity have changed significantly between 1995 and 2009.Finally, samples of construction typical projects were taking as an example to show how the mentioned productivity improvements will affect the construction industry in the United States.
The result of this study can be used as a guideline for planners, decision makers, owners, engineers, and contractors to develop insight with respect to the challenge of improving productivity in the North American construction industry. The implementation of the findings of this study will also be helpful for any specific project, because the duration of the project can be decreased and the productivity of the construction increased. The research provides some recommendations which may assist others who are interested in working in this area.
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