Title: Productivity determinants in Oman construction industry

Authors: Md. Anisul Islam; Mohammad Miftaur Rahman Khan Khadem

Addresses: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 33, Al-Khoud 123, Muscat, Oman; Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, Shah Jalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet-3114, Bangladesh ' Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 33, Al-Khoud 123, Muscat, Oman

Abstract: Spectacular socio-economic development has taken place all around Oman during the last four decades. As a consequence, thriving construction industries are apparent everywhere in the country and not surprisingly, they are going through some productivity problems. Therefore, in light of improving productivity, this paper focuses on exploring the major determinants of productivity, their co-relationship, and the problem categories responsible for construction delay in the context of Oman construction industry. A semi-structured questionnaire approach is chosen as a method of survey from the parties involved in construction industry, such as, owners, consultants, contractors, and foremen/workers. Twenty five major factors of productivity, which are further grouped into ten critical variables by principal components analysis, are identified to be important in this study. Lack of professionalism, fairness in financial transactions, incompetent supervisors, lack of materials, and incomplete drawing are found as top five factors of productivity. In addition, management, people, collaboration, health and safety, logistics, commitment, operational activity, authority, quality, and financial matters are reported as critical variables of productivity. Owners and consultants are determined as top problem categories for construction delay. The comparisons of top five productivity factors found in this study to several other countries' productivity factors are also shown. Overall, this study is expected to have substantial implication for policy makers and researchers in the area of construction productivity in Oman.

Keywords: productivity determinants; principal component analysis; PCA; construction industry; Oman; construction delay; construction productivity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2013.056736

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2013 Vol.12 No.4, pp.426 - 448

Published online: 28 Apr 2014 *

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