Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Construction workers – Productivity'

Thesis (MTech (Construction Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.
This research was carried out to assess the extent to which supervisory motivational strategies can transform construction workers to perform higher levels of productivity. While worker motivation has been proven to improve productivity globally, motivation was rarely implemented in South African conditions. This study gauges the construction workers’ viewpoint on how supervisory motivational strategies can improve worker productivity. A pilot study was conducted in the initial stage of the study to gain more insight into the study. A qualitative research approach was employed using a semi-structured questionnaire to interview construction workers including bricklayers, plumbers, concrete workers, electricians and earthworks workers. The interviews were done in Bellville in the Western Cape at two conveniently selected construction companies. The data was analysed using content data analysis. Most prevalent in the findings of this study is the fact that the workers agreed that a lack of supervisory motivational techniques negatively impact their productivity. This information was helpful in setting up the questionnaires for the main study.

Thesis (MEng)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Worldwide the civil construction industry is one of the biggest and most influential industries but has proven to be lacking in the development of technology-aided construction. In contrast, the automotive manufacturing industry is very reliant on the use of highly advanced technology. Literature showed that specific focus is being put on increased technology investments and development of infrastructure in South Africa in order to solve various problems in the country. In light of these realisations, the objective of this research study was to establish a process that can be used to assist technological investments that solve areas of concern in the construction industry. The research was conducted by following a procedure of identifying problematic areas in construction, scrutinising the biggest problem to identify its key elements and finally selecting a decision support model to select technological solutions. The research sequence therefore established the steps of a process that can assist technological investment decisions that solve areas of concern in the construction industry. The first step of this process necessitated the identification of the most influential area of concern in South African construction. A series of interviews and surveys with experienced senior managers in different divisions of the South African civil construction industry showed that the low productivity of labourers is the most influential area of concern in terms of impact on construction projects. Consequently, labour productivity was scrutinised as part of the second step of the process. It was found that there are different methods to measure productivity and that factors influencing labour productivity can be grouped into managerial practices, labour effectiveness and material timeliness. The scrutiny, together with the productivity improvement system and lessons learned from other industries, gave input to the third step of the process, viz. to identify technological solution alternatives for the area of concern. Wireless technology and visual analysis were identified as two groups of technology that could improve labour productivity. The final step of the process evaluated the effects the different solution alternatives could have on a company and a tailored set of criteria together with a fuzzy multi-criteria decision model was proposed for use in this step. The research study identified that there are generic areas of concern in construction and that technology can be used to improve problem solving processes in companies. Furthermore, a generic and flexible four step process was formulated that can incorporate multiple criteria, stakeholders’ opinions, business strategy and the necessary benefits the problem requires in one evaluation model. This process was found to be able to assist technological investment decisions in the construction industry specifically to eliminate or improve on existing areas of concern.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die siviele konstruksiebedryf is een van die grootste en mees invloedryke industrieë wêreldwyd, maar is bewys om agter te wees in terme van ontwikkeling in tegnologie-gesteunde konstruksie. In teenstelling hiermee is die motor-industrie afhanklik van die gebruik van hoogs-gevorderde tegnologieë. Literatuur het getoon dat daar spesifiek gefokus word op die investering in tegnologie- en infrastruktuurontwikkeling in Suid Afrika sodat bestaande probleme in die land opgelos kan word. In die lig van hierdie bevindinge, is die doel van hierdie studie om ‘n proses te vestig wat kan help om besluite rakende tegnologiebeleggings te vergemaklik sodat probleem areas in die konstruksie industrie met dié beleggings opgelos kan word. Die eerste stap van die navorsingsprosedure was om probleem areas in die konstruksie industrie te identifiseer en daarna is die probleem met die grootste impak op konstruksie projekte in diepte ontleed om die eienskappe daarvan te bepaal. Laastens is ‘n besluitnemings model gekies sodat tegnologiese beleggings geëvalueer en gekies kan word. Die navorsingsprosedure het daarom die struktuur gegee om ‘n proses te vestig wat gebruik kan word om besluite oor tegnologiese beleggings te vergemaklik om sodoende probleme in die konstruksie industrie op te los. Die eerste stap in hierdie proses het vereis dat die probleem met die grootste impak op konstruksie projekte in die Suid-Afrikaanse konstruksie industrie geïdentifiseer moes word. Na afloop van ‘n reeks onderhoude en opnames met ervare senior bestuurders in verskeie afdelings van siviele konstruksie, is gevind dat lae arbeidsproduktiwiteit die mees invloedryke probleem area is. Lae produktiwiteit van arbeid is om hierdie rede in diepte ontleed as deel van die tweede stap in die proses. Daar is gevind dat daar verskillende maniere is waarop produktiwiteit gemeet kan word en dat faktore wat produktiwiteit beïnvloed gekategoriseer kan word in bestuur praktyke, arbeid effektiwiteit en stiptelikheid van materiaal. Die ontleding, tesame met die produktiwiteitsverbeteringstelsel en lesse wat geleer is in ander bedrywe, het gelei tot die derde stap van die proses, naamlik die identifisering van tegnologiese oplossings-alternatiewe. Draadloostegnologie (“wireless technology”) en visuele analise is geïdentifiseer as twee groepe van tegnologie wat die produktiwiteit van arbeid kan aanspreek. Die finale stap van die proses het gebruik gemaak van ‘n stel kriteria en ‘n ‘fuzzy multi-criteria’ besluitnemingsmodel om die verskillende tegnologie alternatiewe te evalueer. Hierdie navorsingstudie het daarin geslaag om te identifiseer dat daar generiese probleem areas in die konstruksiebedryf is en dat tegnologie gebruik kan word om probleme op te los en om dienooreenkomstig siklusse in maatskappye te verbeter. Verder is 'n generiese en buigsame vier-stap proses geformuleer wat verskeie kriteria, opinies van belanghebbendes, korporatiewe strategieë en die nodige voordele om die probleem op te los, alles in een evalueringsmodel inkorporeer. Hierdie proses is bewys om te kan help om tegnologiese beleggings in die konstruksiebedryf te vergemaklik om sodoende reeds-bestaande probleme op te los.

Work sampling had its origin in industrial engineering; however, its use in construction has increased greatly during the 1970's and 1980's. Research would suggest that most of the innovation in this field is taking place in the United States. The basic methods of Work Sampling have been developed to suit the peculiarities of the construction site as opposed to the production line or factory where it was first used. The objectives of this report are as follows: 1. To review the existing methods of Construction Work Sampling as well as discuss further aspects and problems which should be considered when undertaking a Work Sampling study. 2. To compare Construction Work Sampling with other methods of measuring productivity. 3. To evaluate by means of a case study the ease of applicability of the sampling methods to a South African construction site, and at the same time to identify differences between the description of the methods in theory and their use in practice. 4. To establish by means of a questionnaire the extent to which Construction Work Sampling methods are already in use in South Africa as well as other related information. Information for this report was obtained from journals, manuals, text books, interviews, and the case study and questionnaires mentioned.

Construction productivity is an interesting phenomenon which was an initial study into time and motion. However this remains a vital part of the construction industry today as it takes into consideration cost-savings, a precise timeous delivery of projects and the correct usage of materials. This phenomenon itself is a huge challenge to many companies in South Africa. The construction industry in South Africa is seen as a tool to alleviate the increasing unemployment and poverty levels. The ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), has made statements to decrease the unemployment rate and due to these promises, the imposition of the use of local unskilled labour from the local communities has become the norm on the majority of construction projects. This formed the basis of the Expanded Public Works Programme. This initiative has indeed shown a huge success but the programme lacks long-term support. The majority of these workers are taken on short-term projects and thereafter the workers are returned to the unemployment pool. The workers are also aware of the short-term projects and therefore there is a lack of motivation which inevitably affects the productivity on any construction site. This study looks at the challenges faced by contractor's in the Eastern Cape and analyses the effects of the use of unskilled labour from the local community. Questionnaires were completed as a measurement instrument to determine the motivation, leadership style and the communication levels among the unskilled, core and the managers on construction projects. The productivity achievements of the unskilled labour and the core labour will be measured and compared and the findings are discussed.

Sammanfattning Titel - Drivkrafter för byggnadsarbetare- Med fokus på Maslows behovstrappa Kurs - Examensarbete 15hp Utgivningsår - 2015 Författare - Nino Jelec Handledare - Kristian Widén Nyckelord - Motivation, Produktivitet, Maslows Behovstrappa,byggnadsarbetare Syfte - Syftet med mitt arbete är att undersöka vad sommotiverar byggnadsarbetare och om man kananvända sig av Maslows behovstrappa på enbyggarbetsplats. Metod - Jag har använt mig av en kvantitativ metod i formav enkätundersökningar som jag har delat ut till byggnadsarbetare. Teori - Min teori kommer från Abraham Maslow somsammanställde en behovstrappa för att se vad som motiverade människor. Empiri - Min empiriska data var sammanställd genom attdela ut undersökningsenkäter till byggnadsarbetare i Halmstad. Slutsats - Min undersökning visade att Maslows behovstrappagår att användas fram till steg 3 men att arbetarna sedan inte fann steg 4 som är behovet av uppskattning särskilt viktigt för deras motivation och att de istället ansåg det sista steget i behovstrappan vara av vikt som är behovet av självförverkligande
Abstract Title - Incentives of construction workers – With focus onMaslow’s hierarchy of needs Course - Master’s dissertation 15hp Year of publication - 2015 Author - Nino Jelec Advisor - Kristian Widén Keywords - Motivation, Productivity, Maslow’s hierarchy ofneeds, Construction workers Purpose - The purpose of this work is to investigate whatmotivates construction workers and if Maslow’shierarchy of needs can be of any use at aconstruction site. Methodology - I had a quantitative approach and I have been usinga questionnaire survey on the construction workers. Theory - My theory comes from Abraham Maslows hierarchyof needs. Empirics - My empirical data was collected from questionnairesurveys done on construction workers in a citycalled Halmstad. Conclusions - My investigation shows that Maslows hierarchy ofneeds can be used up to level 3. The constructionworkers in my research didnot find level 4 to be of any big importance but theyfound level 5 to be of importance.

Over the past decades, the construction industry lags further and further behind the manufacturing sector when productivity is considered. This is due to internal factors that take place on-site. Almost all of them are directly related to the way that productivity is monitored. Current practices for monitoring labour productivity are labour intensive, time - cost consuming and error prone. They are mainly reactive processes initiated after the detection of a negatively influencing factor. Although research studies have been performed towards leveraging these limitations, a gap still exists in monitoring labour productivity of multiple workers at the same time accurately, unobtrusively, cost and time efficiently. This thesis proposes a framework to address this gap. It hypothesizes that task productivity of construction workers can be monitored through their trajectory data. The proposed framework uses as input, video data streamed from cameras with overlapping field of view. It consists of two main methods. The output of the first is the input of the second. The first method tracks the location of workers across the range of a jobsite over time and returns their 4D trajectories. Such type of tracking requires that workers are matched under a unique ID not only across successive frames of a single camera (intra tracking) but also across multiple cameras (inter tracking). Existing tag-less studies fail to track construction workers due to the challenging nature of their working environments. Therefore, two novel computer vision-based algorithms are developed to perform both the intra and the inter camera tracking. The second method of the proposed framework converts the 4D trajectories of workers into productivity information. These trajectories are clustered into work cycles with an accuracy of 95%, recall of 76% and precision of 76%. Such work cycles depict the actual execution of tasks. The overall proposed framework features an average accuracy of 95% in terms of determining the total time workers spend on construction-related tasks.

Thesis (M.A.)--City University of Hong Kong, 2006.
"Master of Art in arbitration and dispute resolution, LW6409-dissertation" Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on May 22, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

The construction industry is labour intensive in nature. People often work long hours in relatively disagreeable environments, far from their families. Even if workers are not happy to be working in a particular environment they find themselves obliged to work. Fearing reprimands from their superiors, they often find it difficult to express their ideas. It is therefore difficult for management to identify the factors of motivation that affect their workers productivity in a work environment. The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate motivational factors that affect the productivity of workers on construction sites in South Africa, focusing on skilled workers. For this, the scientific management approach and quantitative research methods were used. The findings from this study revealed that the motivational theories apply to construction sites, and management needs to apply these theories wisely in order to achieve improved productivity.

M.Tech (Construction Management)
Many construction companies are beginning to realize the value of their employees. Employees are to a large extent the engine of the organisation. Todays employees are under a lot of pressure and stress from home and at the construction sites. The construction industry just like any other industry, is faced with the challenges of dealing with personal as well as work related problems. These problems they have effect on job performance. An Employee assistance Programme is a programme that is utilized to resolve personal and work related programme. An EAP can be defined as a programme that is designed to deal with the personal and work related problems of employees and their family member, which may be impacting on productivity and social functioning. EAP has to be based on the special needs and interest of employees, who will be served by such a programme needs for assessment is important to ensure that the EAP closely matches the needs of the employees.

碩士
朝陽科技大學
營建工程系碩士班
97
As technologies, commerce and industry are highly developed, new equipment, machines and production skills are invented and introduced accordingly. Consequently, people have to face changes in working styles. In the construction industry, work efficiency acts as a major factor influencing construction progress. Construction progress plays an important role in productivity. The methods for measuring productivity are: field rating, work sampling, five-minute rating, etc. On-site observations and manual recording are required to collect data upon executions while adopting the above mentioned methods. Only partial observations instead of comprehensive evaluation can be made by using those methods. This paper aimed at finding out if it was feasible to categorize various works by heart rates upon executions. Automatic measurement of heart rate was made and recorded so as to achieve automatic and comprehensive survey of productivity. 12 subjects were recruited for taking part in the experiments carried out by this study. Their average age, height and weight are 23.1±0.8 yr, 175.3±6.7 cm and 78.3±15.8 kg respectively. The subjects were requested to execute nine types of works in relating to form assembly, including steel bar carrying, wood pile carrying, nailing, screw fastening, sample setout, blue-print reading, communicating, rest-standing and rest-sitting. Heart rate measurement and analysis were made over the above mentioned nine works. The analytical results helped to divide the works of form assembly into high-intensity direct work, low-intensity direct work, indirect work and non-work. The average heart rates are as follows: (1) high-intensity direct work: 136±44beat / min; (2) low-intensity direct work: 94±31beat / min; (3) indirect work: 85±24beat / min; and (4) non-work: 78±21beat / min. According to the results obtained from the hypothesis testing, significant differences were shown among groups. It was proved that the average heart rates could be used to effectively classify high-intensity direct work, low-intensity direct work, indirect work and non-work.