Title: An investigation of advantages and disadvantages of off-site manufacturing: a meta-synthesis

Authors: Mahnaz Ezy; Ehsan Saghatforoush; Hamidreza Abbasianjahromi

Addresses: Department of Project and Construction Management, Mehralborz Institute of Higher Education, Tehran, Iran ' School of Construction Economics and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa ' Civil Engineering Department, K.N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: The construction industry in most developing countries suffers from severe problems due to lack of quality in their final products. Off-site manufacturing (OSM) plays a significant role in increasing project efficiency, through transferring production processes out of the construction site. This is a useful solution tested in most industrial countries around the world. This study aims to identify and classify advantages and disadvantages of applying the OSM in the construction industry, which are extracted from in-depth literature review. For that, simultaneous application of meta synthesis approach is run to investigate both OSM advantages and disadvantages. Introducing the advantages and disadvantages of applying OSM motivates the construction industry activists to provide better opportunities for its systematic implementation. The OSM simply facilitates a safer construction site and faster construction process. The final frameworks of advantages and disadvantages concluded in this study clarify the need for implementation of such a newly presented technology.

Keywords: off-site manufacturing; OSM; advantages and disadvantages; project key stakeholders; meta-synthesis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPOM.2018.095272

International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 2018 Vol.10 No.4, pp.307 - 332

Received: 25 Jul 2017
Accepted: 24 Mar 2018
Published online: 02 Oct 2018 *

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