How do you define and measure research productivity? Different work productivity measure method

 3RD Topic

Methodology Of Productivity

 

Research methodology is descriptive, observation and interviews. After a comprehensive literature review, we divided our methodology into two components: tangible and intangible.

In first phase, we made a questionnaire which consisted of intangible factors from management and material category. Conducted a pilot survey by distributing the questionnaire to more than 30 civil engineering experts. Using relative importance index, shortlisted one factor from each category.

 

3.2 Intangible factors & their relative importance indices (RII):

 

 

Factors           RII

Management category:

Supervision ,performance, monitoring ,and control          

0.89

Competencies of the project manager     0.9

Loss in productivity I caused if room chang either

orders 0.72

Lackioficapabilityioficontractor’sisitei

management to organization-site works    0.83

Adequacy of planning and risk management

process           0.76

Adequacy of method of construction       0.76

Project management style  0.75

Lack of coordination among the construction

parties 0.84

Relationship management degree of harmony,

trust, and cooperation          0.74

Materials & Tools category:

Lack of tool and equipment in the market           0.75

Suitability or adequacy of the plant and

equipment used        0.81

Adequacy of technology used       0.77

Late supply of construction materials      0.89

Material shortage at project site    0.94

Table 3.0 Intangible factors & their RII

 

 

3.2.1 Shortlisted intangible factors:

 

In second phase, we performed a preliminary survey in twin cities (Rawalpindi-Islamabad) to select construction sites. Construction sites we chose were:

 

1.         Gulberg mall

2.         Pakistan Housing Authority Apartments

 

 

Construction sites were chosen by keeping in mind, the ease of access, cooperation from the construction company staff, distance from our residency etc.

 

 

Following four activities are selected to evaluate the construction labour productivity with its factors:

 

1.         Brickwork

2.         Steel installation

3.         Concreting

4.         Shuttering/formwork.

 

Our project is focused on labour productivity so we considered only those activities which are labour intensive and the main variable in the productivity is human. One can find many such activities going on in any construction site, but we made sure that the selected 4 activities were common in all our sites

 

 

•           Brickwork

 

 

Brickwork is one of the major activity, usually used as a non-bearing material. At some place block masonry is also used instead of brickwork, but in Pakistan brickwork is found more often at construction sites. It is labour intensive activity which is performed by masons and helpers. We measured it in ‘no of bricks’ being placed in a ‘unit hour’.

 

 

Brick masonry 

                  Fig 3.1 

 

•           Steel installation

 

 steel bar or mesh of steel wires installed as a tension device in reinforced concrete and reinforced masonry structures to strengthen and aid the concrete under tension. Anywhere where steel is being placed, whether in slab or column, it’s considered in rebar installation. It is labour intensive activity which is performed by steel fixers and helpers. We measured it in ‘tons/hr’

 

 

Steel installation

                                                                             Fig 3.2 steel installation

 

•           Concreting

 

is one of the most frequent activity on site. It’s a major process in construction and is also easy to measure. This labour intensive activity is measured in m3/hr.

 

 

Concreting work

                  

                Fig 3.3 concreting

 

 

•           Shuttering and Formwork

 

Shuttering and Formwork is quite a technical task to carry out. Arrangement of shuttering needs to be accurate to ensure that concrete attains proper strength in right orientation. This labour intensive task is measured in ‘sft/hr’.

 

 Measurements of productivity

                           

Before going to the field to measure physical factors, a standard form was developed which was used throughout the field work to take measurements from the site work. Since our project involves measuring four activities in relation to four different physical factors, therefore we made sure that the form we devise is kept as generic as possible. It included details like, activity name, site name, site supervisor, time (on hourly basis), work done, number of labours, date, observer, labour experience, labour details, observation number, temperature and productivity in (unit/hr/labour). Following is our designed form: