Department of Building Technology

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Browsing Department of Building Technology by Author "OJ Adebowale"

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    A Bibliometric Analysis of Sustainable Construction Practices—Implication on Construction Productivity
    (Springer, 2022) OJ Adebowale
    Damages being done to the ecosystem have continued to foster the clamor for sustainable development practices across sectors, including the construction industry. The construction industry’s operations account for about 33% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on the earth, thereby making sustainable construction practices (SCPs) central to the global sustainable development goals. A bibliometric analysis was conducted to map the existing literature in SCPs research field. The analysis was utilized to ascertain the growth trajectory of publications in SCPs research domain, most productive and influential authors, collaboration among authors, geographical distribution of publications, and ultimately the emerging knowledge areas (EKAs) in the research field. The EKAs include: lean construction, procurement, energy, recycling, construction ecology, lifecycle costing, construction waste, and sustainable design. These knowledge areas have varying degree of implication on construction productivity. However, some of the knowledge areas, which include lean construction, energy, construction ecology, and sustainable designs have more notable implications on construction productivity. Documents published in the Scopus database were considered for analysis due to the wider coverage of the database. Besides, the study is limited to journal articles published from 2002–2021. Construction stakeholders can adopt the research findings to develop a framework that promotes SCPs and contributes to improving construction productivity. The reported knowledge areas provide directions for future research, whereas, factors with more notable implications on construction productivity should be investigated more extensively to determine their extent of implication.
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    A Causal Layered Analysis of Construction Labour Productivity in Developing Countries
    (Journal of Future Studies, 2022) OJ Adebowale
    The construction industry remains a major contributor to the economic growth of nations. Despite productivity being one of the key performance indicators of the industry, there is continuous, widespread criticism of prevailing low labour productivity within construction. This study used Causal Layered Analysis as a methodology to examine the current reality of labour productivity in construction. The study further presents a transformed future for construction labour productivity growth.
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    A Critical Success Factors Framework for the Improved Delivery of Social Infrastructure Projects in South Africa
    (Buildings, 2025) OJ Adebowale
    Social infrastructure projects (SIPs) play a critical role in fostering social and economic development in the public sector. However, SIPs often face significant challenges, partly due to a lack of research on critical success factors (CSFs) specific to these projects. Despite the importance of SIPs, scant research focuses upon enhancing SIPs’ performance. Consequently, a CSF framework is developed for improving the delivery of SIPs in South Africa. Through a quantitative survey of 124 construction professionals, the study identified key factors essential for successful SIPs delivery. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, revealing a significant consensus among infrastructure stakeholders on CSFs needed for successful SIP delivery. Constituent elements of the framework integrate CSFs related to clients, contractors, projects and project management factors; external factors were excluded from the framework due to a lack of supporting evidence. The study offers a practical understanding for infrastructure stakeholders in South Africa to: overcome the challenges that hinder SIPs’ performance; and enhance the SIP delivery processes. Cumulatively, these palpable deliverables contribute to the nation’s social and economic development objectives. While the research is focused on South Africa, the CSFs framework could inform SIP delivery strategies in similar socio-economic and institutional contexts globally. The study reveals that SIP success depends on the identified factors and offers a structured framework for improving project outcomes. The framework highlights CSFs, including effective monitoring and timely decision-making for clients; subcontractor coordination and quality assurance for contractors; economic stability and advanced technology for projects; and team collaboration and expertise utilisation for project management. This systematic approach could enhance effective planning, execution and evaluation of SIPs, leading to more efficient delivery. However, the study’s focus on the Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces limits the generalisability of the findings to other regions with different socio-economic and environmental conditions. Therefore, future research could explore the applicability of this framework in diverse social, political, and geographical contexts.
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    A Meta-Analysis of Factors Affecting Construction Labour Productivity in the Middle East
    (Journal of Construction in Developing Countries, 2023) OJ Adebowale
    Despite the importance of the construction sector for economic development, labour productivity in construction is lower than the productivity of other sectors. Construction productivity has been declining continuously for decades, especially in developing countries. The challenges of low productivity in construction are considered chronic problems. This has raised concerns among construction stakeholders to address the myriad of challenges that are undermining labour productivity growth. This study performed a metadata analysis of factors affecting construction labour productivity (CLP) growth in the Middle East. A systematic review of existing studies on labour productivity in construction was presented. Ten studies from the Middle East were selected for metadata analysis. The key factors affecting CLP in the region were identified and quantitative data from the selected studies were synthesised. Effect summaries derived from the analysis revealed that delays in responding to requests for information, inadequate workers’ supervision, a shortage of skilled labour, the extent of change orders and clarity of technical specifications are the major factors affecting construction productivity. The study is limited to journal articles published in the Scopus database between 2000 and 2020. Middle East contractors can adopt the study’s interventions to develop productivity improvement strategies for their organisations.
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    A Review of Factors Affecting Construction Labour Productivity in Developed and Developing Countries
    (Association of School of Construction of Southern Africa, 2016) OJ Adebowale
    The construction industry remains a major player in the economic development of any nation. As a result, a number of studies have addressed construction productivity over decades. However, schedule overruns, cost overruns, and quality challenges remain the recurring issues that impair the optimum performance of the construction sector. This paper reports on a survey of the literature constrained in terms of selected construction productivity research conducted during the last twenty-nine years. The findings obtained in the articles reviewed are presented under related headings to determine the frequency of each factor. The study determined that management-related, design-related, and material-related factors are the underlying issues influencing construction productivity in developed and developing countries. The study presents the need to measure the impact of productivity-influencing factors against each of cost, quality and time as this has been unheeded in construction labour productivity related research. Subsequently, a review of the existing body of knowledge in terms of the factors influencing construction labour productivity across developed and developing countries is presented. It is concluded that improved construction labour productivity will engender cost effective, quality, and timeous project delivery to increase construction stakeholder satisfaction. This will ultimately improve the contribution of the construction industry to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in both developed and developing countries.
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    A Systematic Review of ChallengesUndermining the Efficacy of ConstructionHealth and Safety Regulations in Major AfricanCountries
    (ConstructionEconomics andBuilding, 2024) OJ Adebowale
    Construction operations in most African countries are marred by accidents and fatalities, resulting in significant human casualties and financial setbacks. These issues stem, in part, from shortcomings in the construction health and safety regulations in the region. While existing research on construction health and safety regulations in African countries predominantly focused on individual nations, there is a conspicuous dearth of studies examining these regulations across African countries collectively. This investigated the primary obstacles impeding the efficacy of construction health and safety regulations across five major African countries. The study addressed the gap in research by offering a comprehensive understanding of the broader African context concerning challenges that undermine the effectiveness of health and safety regulations, rather than solely focusing on individual countries. Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, an extensive literature search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, and the Journal of Research databases. Initial screening identified a total of 198 articles, of which 51 were published between 2014 and 2023. These 51 articles were considered and reviewed. The research findings underscored social, political, legal, and environmental factors as the main barriers to effective construction health and safety practices in representing African countries. A significant challenge lies in the fragmented nature of safety regulations, with the African nations often lacking dedicated legislation or operating under disjointed laws, thereby impeding adherence to global best practices. The insights gleaned from this study are imperative for policymakers to devise targeted strategies aimed at bolstering health safety practices on construction sites, thereby curtailing both human and financial costs. The research findings are limited to the five African countries studied, while future research should ensure the inclusion of more African countries to compare results and justify the generalizability of the findings.
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    Ameta-analysis of factors affecting labour productivity of construction SMEsindeveloping countries
    (Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 2021) OJ Adebowale
    Purpose– The global construction industry is significant to economic development, whereas the sector, particularly its small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have continued to suffer from low labour productivity for decades. This has given rise to the concern of relevant construction stakeholders on the need to address the challenges undermining labour productivity growth in construction. Hence, this study aims to conduct a meta-data analysis of factors that hamper productivity growth of construction SMEs in developing countries. Design/methodology/approach– A systematic review of existing studies relative to factors affecting construction labour productivity (CLP) is presented. Thereafter, eight developing countries-based studies that are specific to SMEs were selected for meta-data analysis using relative importance index values from the studies. Findings– The essential productivity influencing factors were identified and quantitative data of the selected studies were synthesised. The effect summaries derived from the meta-data analysis revealed that the most significant factors that negatively affect CLP amongst SMEs include: workers’ skills, inadequate training, rework, management style andincentive tolabour. Research limitations/implications– The study is limited to scientifically analysed secondary data relative to SMEcontractors in developing countries. Practical implications– The findings of the study can be adopted by construction stakeholders to evolve productivity growth policies for construction SMEs in developing countries. Originality/value– Synthesis of quantitative data of different studies has lent deeper insight into a more realistic and scientific precision of factors affecting labour productivity of construction SMEs.
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    ANALYSIS OF CONSTRUCTION-RELATED FACTORS AFFECTING THE EFFICIENCY OF CONSTRUCTION LABOUR
    (Journal of Construction Project Management and Innovation, 2015) OJ Adebowale
    Irrespective of significant relevance of construction industry to economic growth of developed and developing nations, labour efficiency in the construction industry remains relatively low and thus affects construction project delivery and client’s satisfaction. This paper aims at exploring adverse construction related factors contributing to the shortfall of construction labour efficiency in the South African construction industry. The study adopts mixed methodological approach, administering closed ended questionnaires to construction professionals on Western Cape and Gauteng construction sites, while experienced construction site supervisors were interviewed to validate quantitative data obtained. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (Version 22) and content analysis were used respectively to analyse data obtained. Communication ability of site managers, construction skills of site supervisors and effective site planning ability of contractors were found as the predominant construction related factors affecting the efficiency of construction labour. This study is restricted to contractors, site supervisors and site managers’ related factors affecting the efficiency of construction labour. Adequate application of findings presented in this study will significantly reduce the current prevalent construction time and cost overruns through an improved construction workforce performance. Enhanced construction productivity is a product of construction labour efficiency that ensures achievement of construction project objectives and heightens contribution to South African economic development.
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    Applications of augmented reality for construction productivity improvement: a systematic review
    (Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 2022) OJ Adebowale
    Purpose– Despite the significance of the construction industry to the nation’s economic growth, there is empirical evidence that the sector is lagging behind other industries in terms of productivity growth. The need for improvements inspired the industry’s stakeholders to consider using emerging technologies that support the enhancement. This research aims to report augmented reality applications essential for contractors’ productivity improvement. Design/methodology/approach– This study systematically reviewed academic journals. The selection of journal articles entailed searching Scopus and Web of Science databases. Relevant articles for reviews were identified andscreened.Contentanalysiswasusedtoclassifykeyapplicationsintosixcategories.Theresearch results were limited to journal articles published between 2010 and 2021. Findings– Augmented reality can improve construction productivity through its applications in assembly, training and education, monitoring and controlling, interdisciplinary function, health and safety and design information. Originality/value– The research provides a direction for contractors on key augmented reality applications they can leverage to improve their organisations’ productivity. Keywords Applications, Augmented reality, Construction, Labour productivity, Systematic review, Technology
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    Artificial intelligence technology applications in building construction productivity: A systematic literature review
    (Acta Structilia, 2023) OJ Adebowale
    Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds the potential to revolutionise the construction industry, by enhancing productivity and addressing the challenges posed by a skills shortage. Historically resistant to technological innovation, the construction sector lags behind other industries that have embraced innovative technologies to boost productivity. This study investigates AI technologies that can be used to improve construction productivity, as well as the barriers impeding the widespread adoption of AI in the construction sector. The research adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. A systematic review of scholarly journal articles and conference papers sourced from the Scopus database was conducted, employing relevant screening criteria to select the most pertinent sources aligned with the research objectives. Although AI applications in building construction are still emerging, AI technologies have been successfully deployed in various aspects of building construction. These include floor slab construction, steelwork, safety and risk management, materials management, and labour handling in multi-story buildings. The adoption of AI in the construction sector faces several challenges, including technical complexities, managerial and organisational barriers, economic justifications, and a shortage of AI-proficient talent. Drawing insights from this study, construction stakeholders can make informed decisions regarding AI investments and their specific areas of application within building construction.
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    Ascientometric analysis and review of construction labour productivity research
    (Productivity and Performance Management, 2022) OJ Adebowale
    Purpose–Labourproductivityinconstructionhasfallenbehindotherindustriesinmostoftheworldandhas declined continuously for decades. Although several scholarly research projects have been conducted to salvage the prevalent low labour productivity in construction, contractors in the construction industry have continuedtograpplewiththedevastatingimpactoflowproductivity.Thepurposeofthisstudyistodetermine key areas of focus necessary to promote productivity growth in construction. Design/methodology/approach– Bibliometric and scientometric assessments were conducted to map the existing construction labour productivity (CLP) studies and establish key focus areas in the research domain. The keywords “Construction Productivity” OR “Construction Labour Productivity” OR “Construction Labor Productivity” OR “Construction Worker Productivity”. Findings– Emerging trends in the CLP research field are reported. The study also determined the most productive authors and collaboration among authors, most productive journals, most active regions and publications with the highest impact in CLP research. Research limitations/implications– Documents published in the Scopus database were considered for analysis because of the wider coverage of the database. Journal and conference articles written in English language represent the inclusion criteria, while articles in press, review, book chapters, editorial, erratum, note, short survey and data paper were excluded from analysis. The study is also limited to documents published from 2012 to 2021. Practical implications– The study brought to the awareness of the industry practitioners and other construction stakeholders, the key knowledge areas that are critical to promoting productivity growth in construction. Originality/value– Except bibliometric analysis, previous research studies have used different approaches to investigate productivity in construction. The study presented future research directions through the emerging knowledge areas identified in the study.
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    Ascientometric analysis and review of construction labour productivity research
    (Productivity and Performance Management, 2022) OJ Adebowale
    Purpose–Labourproductivityinconstructionhasfallenbehindotherindustriesinmostoftheworldandhas declined continuously for decades. Although several scholarly research projects have been conducted to salvage the prevalent low labour productivity in construction, contractors in the construction industry have continuedtograpplewiththedevastatingimpactoflowproductivity.Thepurposeofthisstudyistodetermine key areas of focus necessary to promote productivity growth in construction. Design/methodology/approach– Bibliometric and scientometric assessments were conducted to map the existing construction labour productivity (CLP) studies and establish key focus areas in the research domain. The keywords “Construction Productivity” OR “Construction Labour Productivity” OR “Construction Labor Productivity” OR “Construction Worker Productivity”. Findings– Emerging trends in the CLP research field are reported. The study also determined the most productive authors and collaboration among authors, most productive journals, most active regions and publications with the highest impact in CLP research. Research limitations/implications– Documents published in the Scopus database were considered for analysis because of the wider coverage of the database. Journal and conference articles written in English language represent the inclusion criteria, while articles in press, review, book chapters, editorial, erratum, note, short survey and data paper were excluded from analysis. The study is also limited to documents published from 2012 to 2021. Practical implications– The study brought to the awareness of the industry practitioners and other construction stakeholders, the key knowledge areas that are critical to promoting productivity growth in construction. Originality/value– Except bibliometric analysis, previous research studies have used different approaches to investigate productivity in construction. The study presented future research directions through the emerging knowledge areas identified in the study.
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    Assessment of Basic Measures Instituted to Curtail the Spread of COVID-19 on Construction Sites in Lagos, Nigeria
    (Journal of Construction in Developing Countries, 2022) OJ Adebowale
    The COVID-19 pandemic has altered every industry’s operation and safety requirements, including that of the construction industry. Different measures are thus required to mitigate the spread of the disease among construction site workers. This article explores the basic measures construction organisations have instituted at construction project sites to curb the spread of the virus among construction site workers. A qualitative research method was adopted for the study, while data were collected through open-ended questions. Summative content analysis was employed to analyse the qualitative data and determine the frequency of keywords that were further translated to quantitative measurements. The study determined that construction organisations have largely instituted some basic measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 on sites, whereas most organisations were lacking in the area of social distancing. COVID-19 is still new; therefore, the body of knowledge is still in the infancy stage. To date, there is no evidence of empirical studies that addressed the compliance level of Nigerian construction organisations with basic measures for curtailing the spread of COVID-19. Policymakers could adopt the interventions arising from this study to mitigate the spread of the virus.
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    Awareness and adoption of wearable technologies for health and safety management in the Nigerian construction industry
    (Frontiers in Engineering and Built Environment, 2024) OJ Adebowale
    Purpose – Technologies have had a positive impact on the construction industry. Technologies such as BIM, automation, augmented and virtual reality, Internet of Things and robotics have been adopted by construction firms to enhance productivity. However, not much research has been done on the awareness and adoption of wearable technologies for health and safety (H&S) management. This paper investigates the level of awareness and adoption of wearable technologies for H&S management in the Nigerian construction industry. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative research method was adopted for the study. An electronic questionnaire format was used as an instrument to collect the data. Both descriptive (mean score) and inferential statistics (Kruskal–Wallis test) were used to analyse the data. Findings – The results indicate that organisations rarely use H&S wearable devices for H&S management although professionals within the construction industry are somewhat aware of the common H&S wearable devices. The findings further indicate that all 11 variables were perceived as “rarely adopted”, whereas 2 variables were perceived as “aware”, 3 variables as “slightly aware” and the remaining 6 variables as “somewhat aware”. Research limitations/implications – Data were collected from only construction professionals working in government agencies, consultancy firms and grade D contracting firms in Lagos and Abuja. For a broader perspective, a study that expands the number of states and categories of construction firms is recommended. Practical implications – The construction industry in Nigeria can use the recommendations to improve H&S management on site. Moreover, the recommendations can contribute to the development of policies to promote the adoption of wearable technologies in construction sites. Originality/value – Research on wearable technologies, particularly in the Nigerian construction industry, is at the developing stage. With this article, the authors contribute to the body of knowledge in this area of research.
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    Bamboo in sustainable construction: effects on productivity and safety
    (International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 2025) OJ Adebowale
    Purpose– A significant amount of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons is emitted during the production of building materials. With the world population expectedtoincrease by21.3% from2030to2050,thedemandfor construction materials is set to rise, necessitating a shift toward eco-friendly options to preserve the ecosystem. Bambooemergesasa promising solution to meet sustainable construction goals. This study aims to investigate bamboo’spotentialasasustainableconstructionmaterial,evaluatingits impactonconstructionproductivityand safety. Design/methodology/approach– A systematic literature review was conducted, using relevant keywords to retrieve journal articles from the Scopus, Web ofScienceandGoogleScholardatabases.Articles werescreened, and only those meeting the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Findings– Bamboo offers numerous advantages as a construction material, including cost-effectiveness, abundance and strength, making it a viable alternative to traditional building materials with a reduced environmental impact. However, its widespread acceptance encounters significant challenges. The use of bamboo in construction can both positively and negatively affect productivity and safety in construction organizations. Practical implications– This study proposes a framework for improvement that construction stakeholders can adopt to enhancebamboo’sutilization in construction while maintaining high productivity and safety standards. Originality/value– While previous studies have advocated for increased bamboo utilization in construction, this study goes further to explore the implications for productivity and safety in construction.
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    Benefits and challenges of wearable safety devices in the construction sector
    (Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 2025) OJ Adebowale
    Purpose–Construction organizations must maintain a productive workforce without sacrificing their health and safety. The global construction sector loses billions of dollars yearly to poor health and safety practices. This study aims to investigate benefits derivable from using wearable technologies to improve construction health and safety. The study also reports the challenges associated with adopting wearable technologies. Design/methodology/approach– The study adopted a quantitative design, administering close-ended questions to professionals in the Nigerian construction industry. The research data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings– The study found that the critical areas construction organizations can benefit from using WSDs include slips and trips, sensing environmental concerns, collision avoidance, falling from a high level and electrocution. However, key barriers preventing the organizations from adopting wearable technologies are related to cost, technology and human factors. Practical implications– The time and cost lost to H&S incidents in the Nigerian construction sector can be reduced by implementing the report of this study. Originality/value– Studies on WSDshavecontinuedtoincreasein developedcountries, but Nigeriaisyet to experience a leap in the research area. This study provides insights into the Nigerian reality to provide directions for practice and theory.
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    BIM adoption predictors for health and safety management among construction SMEs
    (Construction Innovation, 2024) OJ Adebowale
    Purpose Health and safety (H&S) management remains a significant global challenge in the construction industry. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) particularly struggle to comply with H&S regulations, resulting in high accident records. To address this poor performance, experts suggest that SMEs adopt H&S management technologies, particularly building information modeling (BIM), due to their potential to improve H&S practices. This study aims to determine the key predictors of construction SMEs’ intentions to adopt BIM for H&S management. The study also explores the potential impact of selected demographic variables on construction SMEs’ adoption intentions. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative research was used using a questionnaire distributed to 357 randomly sampled SMEs. The questionnaire collected data regarding SMEs’ intention to adopt BIM for H&S management. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the research data. Findings The findings reveal specific “relative advantages”, which include “BIM for H&S management will be preferable to the manual use of the H&S file” and “BIM for H&S management will make it easier to comply with H&S regulations” as significant predictors of the intention to adopt BIM for H&S management. The study also underscores the significance of educational qualifications and professional affiliation as predictors of BIM adoption. Research limitations/implications The study’s sample population consisted of SMEs registered with the Construction Industry Development Board register of contractors in Gauteng province, South Africa. This regional focus limits the generalizability of the findings to the entire country. Further research is recommended to investigate the adoption of BIM for H&S management among SMEs in other South African provinces. Additionally, a comparative study exploring BIM adoption for H&S between large construction enterprises and SMEs within the South African context could provide valuable insights. Practical implications This study presents a novel approach, leveraging the diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory and demographic analysis, to determine the key predictors of SMEs’ intentions to adopt BIM for H&S management. Social implications Socially, the study promotes the adoption of BIM for H&S. Digital technology is advancing and upgrades social standard, it is crucial for the society to adopt BIM for H&S. Originality/value Existing BIM for H&S management research has neglected SMEs’ adoption intentions, focusing instead on broader adoption enablers. This study presents a novel approach, leveraging the DOI theory and demographic analysis, to determine the key predictors of SMEs’ intentions to adopt BIM for H&S management.
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    Challenges and Coping Strategies of Built Environment Students During Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES): Perspective from Nigeria
    (International Journal of Construction Education and Research, 2023) OJ Adebowale
    Deficiencies associated with the proficiency of many Nigerian Built Environment graduates are a source of concern for the nation and academic community. A major factor responsible for the dysfunction are the challenges facing undergraduate students during the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES). The purpose of this study is to investigate major challenges confronting students during SIWES and further propose measures to mitigate the challenges. Data was collected using quantitative research methods from 159 undergraduate students spread across six departments of the built environment. The findings reveal that the commitment of instructors, duration of the program, inadequate training resources, menial works allocated to students, and uncomfortable work environment were major challenges confronting the students during SIWES. The study found the need for routine stakeholders’ engagement meetings, reevaluation of the program duration, synchronization of policies and regulations, simplified registration and documentation, timely placement of students in relevant organizations, and gender parity. The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), institutions, and employers could consider findings from this study as a basis to improve the performance of SIWES.
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    Construction SMEs labour productivity: causal layered analysis
    (Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 2025) OJ Adebowale
    Purpose Small and medium-sized contractors are critical to micro and macroeconomic performance. These contractors in South Africa have long been confronted with the problem of business failure because of a plethora of factors, including poor productivity. The purpose of this study is to investigate salient issues undermining the productivity of small and medium-sized contractors in South Africa. This study proposes alternative possibilities to engender productivity improvement. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 15 contractors in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The research data were analysed using content and causal layered analyses. Findings Challenges to contractors’ productivity were associated with inadequately skilled workers, management competence and political factors. Skills development, construction business and political factors were dominant stakeholders’ perceptions. Metaphors for construction labour productivity are presented and reconstructed as alternative directions for productivity improvement. Practical implications Contractors lose a substantial amount of South African Rand to poor productivity. Alternative directions provided in this study can be leveraged to increase profitability in construction organizations, enhance the social well-being of South Africans and ultimately improve the contribution of contractors to the South African economy. Originality/value The causal layered analysis (CLA) applied in this study is novel to construction labour productivity research. The four connected layers of CLA, which make a greater depth of inquiry possible, were explored to investigate labour productivity in construction organizations.
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    Contractors’ perceptions of factors affectingconstruction labour productivity in SouthAfrica
    (Journal of Contemporary Management, 2020) OJ Adebowale
    Despite significant contributions by the construction industry to economic growth of developed and developingcountries, productivity on construction projects is reportedly poor. This necessitates the need for studies that willcontribute to improve productivity performance in the construction sector. This article reports on the perceptionsof contractors regarding factors that affect productivity growth in the South African construction industry. Siteengineers (n=18), site managers (n=27) and site supervisors (n=51) in four South African provinces that havesignificant construction capital outlay were surveyed using random and convenient sampling techniques (N=96).The data obtained for the study was analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics. The study established asignificant mean difference with respect to the perception of respondents regarding factors that affectconstruction labour productivity. Based on the p-values obtained in the study, the most significant productivityinfluencing factors were determined to include excessive bureaucracy, late delivery of materials, industrial actionresulting from political activities, inadequate project planning, and awarding contracts to the lowest bidders. Thestudy makes recommendations towards improving construction productivity performance. The outcome of thisstudy will contribute to improving the profitability of construction businesses and enhance constructionstakeholders’ satisfaction.