• Architectural research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to clarify the reality of labor and capital productivity in the construction industry through an industry-level approach and to analyze the relationship between labor and capital productivity using a Cobb-Douglas production function. According to the research results, the construction industry has shown a very high capital productivity, while labor productivity has kept up a low level during the 1980s and 1990s. The reason was because of the lack of skillful construction workers and the decrease of capital. Meanwhile, the construction productivity has greatly increased since 2000 when there was no change in wages. This was because of a large inflow of low-wage foreign workers while the amount of value added has dramatically increased due to the liberalized sale price of apartment buildings. According to the analysis by the Cobb-Douglas production function, the elasticity coefficient of V/L to K/L in the construction industry had decreased from 1.1663 in the $1^{st}$ period(1971-1988) to 0.4465 in the $2^{nd}$ period(1989-1997), and to 0.1664 in the $3^{rd}$ period(1998-2003). Such a result means that the allocation of labor has gradually increased while the allocation of capital has decreased. Moreover there was a big increase in allocation of labor after 1998 due to the excessive deterioration of capital. In conclusion, in order to raise the construction productivity and to avoid labor-intensive production methods, investment for capital should be more increased. In particular, new machinery and equipment that can actually substitute human labor in construction sites should be more developed and applied to construction sites.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2015.10a
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• pp.154-157
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• 2015

Construction industry still requires a lot of laborers to perform a project despite of advance in technologies, and improving labor productivity is an important strategy for successful project management. Since repetitive construction works exhibits learning effect, understanding laborers' learning phenomenon therefore allows managers to have improved labor productivity. In this context, previous research efforts quantified individual laborer's learning effect, though numerous construction works are performed in group. In other words, previous research about labor learning assumed that sum of individual's productivity is same as group productivity. Also, managers in construction sites need understanding about group learning behavior for dealing with labor performance problem. To address these issues, the authors investigate what variables affect laborers' group level learning process and develop conceptual model as a basic tool of productivity estimation regarding group learning. Based on the result of this research, it is possible to understand forming mechanism of learning within the group level. Further, this research may contribute to maximizing laborers' productivity in construction sites.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2019.05a
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• pp.123-124
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• 2019

In the labor-intensive construction site, potential threats of the musculoskeletal diseases mainly caused by various repetitive physical tasks, vulnerable environment, and the aging of the labor worker exist. However, quantitative measuring method of construction labor worker's work posture has not been improved yet. This study proposed musculoskeletal measuring method by using wearable motion recognition sensor for quantitative evaluation and analysis of working posture of construction workers. This method is expected to be used as a basic data for posture analysis and prevention construction safety accidents, as well as physical workload and labor productivity analysis by labor work type.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.175-185
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• 2023

Upon analyzing labor productivity in the construction industry across OECD countries, it was found that in 2019, labor productivity per employee in the South Korean construction industry was lower than that of major developed countries when adjusted for purchasing power parity(PPP). Specifically, when benchmarked against other countries at a base of 100, South Korea scored 76.9 in the United States, 88.4 in Japan, and 85.1 in the OECD average. Notably, South Korea ranked 25th in labor productivity per employee in the construction industry among 35 OECD countries in 2019, indicating a low standing. A comparative analysis of the construction market size and labor productivity in the construction industry across OECD countries revealed that larger construction markets did not necessarily correlate with higher labor productivity. To enhance labor productivity in the construction industry, this study proposed the active implementation of smart construction technology at construction sites and the promotion of on-site assembly work using off-site construction(OSC) technology, rather than traditional on-site labor. Moreover, it was recommended that the development of modular construction methods and technologies be expanded. In the future, if off-site production methods and modules are further developed through advanced robotics and factory automation, labor productivity is anticipated to increase due to the restructuring of production methods, such as manufacturing.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2009.05b
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• pp.171-174
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• 2009

The standard estimation system, used to estimate the predetermined cost of construction work, is measured by the standard and typical construction methods and field conditions. And the standard estimation system is applied to basic data for the measuring of construction cost, such as the consumed quantity of material, labor hours, and machinery cost. However it does not reflect sufficiently for the diversity and reality of constructions work Therefore, this study is recognized the necessity of new cost estimation models for the rational construction cost estimation. To improve estimation technique and construction ability, it was analyzed labor hours, production volume based on the work crew in construction work.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.97-104
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• 2015

Apartment Housing 25 in the field of construction since 2000 collected by types of labor: reinforced concrete, plaster, internal, equipment, electrics communication, the other work. And the performance of labor input was collected in the amount of construction work performed on a monthly basis. After changing the construction period in the standardization work that is 100% of the construction period, the amount was converted into labor ratio by type. Analysis of the input flow rate and the amount of labor conclusions were as follows: (1) The size of the labor rate is reinforced concrete work (38.25%), plastering work (5.10%), internal work (5.67%), equipment work (9.10%), electrics communication (8.76%), the other works (33.12%) and the size of labor rate is the largest work in reinforced concrete work. (2) The peak of labor input ratio was from 52.5% month to 62.5% month. This was when the labor rate of 3.6%. (3) The period month of the largest labor ratio% is 35% month by reinforced concrete construction, and this time it was 2.12% per month labor rate, and reinforced concrete construction is finishing from 65% month to 80% month. This showed the greatest congestion of mutual interference between each works is being continue. The results of this study are the greatest congestion in apartment housing construction has informed the high period(%months), which is essential to a successful project.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2019.05a
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• pp.226-227
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• 2019

The basic type construction cost which is the base of the building cost estimation is being adjusted according to the price changes by utilizing the apartment construction cost index in order to flexibly operate it. In this study, we analyzed the change trends and characteristics of the housing cost index for the basic type building cost model project operated from September, 2012 to March, 2018. As a result, the increase in material costs is slight while the share of the labor cost increased in the construction cost due to the rise of labor unit price, leading to a perceived increase in sensitivity of labor costs. We should be careful to keep the sensitivity of the material cost and the labor cost to an appropriate level so that the index may not be distorted.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2015.10a
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• pp.150-153
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• 2015

The construction industry is an integral part of any nation's economy, whether measured by dollar volume or workforce size. In spite of its strong influence, there has been very little specifically aimed at evaluating the current industry performance. This research investigates the macroeconomic performance of the construction industry by accounting for crucial performance affecting factors such as labor productivity and gross margin. A clustering analysis, followed by a series of statistical analyses, yielded a notable finding that labor productivity is the most important factor that affects industry's profitability. The results of the analysis also revealed that the states with the strongest labor productivity show the highest level of profitability in terms of gross margin. This study should be of value to decision-makers when plotting a roadmap for future growth and rendering a strategic business decision.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute Of Construction Engineering and Management
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.853-858
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• 2007

Construction industry is traditionally labor intensive. And construction site is also in densely populated environment. So accurate labor monitoring is one of important issues for site management. Labor cost shares large amount of part in total construction cost. Therefore, it is a major element in site management and control. In this article, we explained development of prototype system for labor monitoring based on RFID technology and results of field tests using the system. According to the results, the system is able to expected to improve effectiveness of Labor management in construction site

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.110-118
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• 2015

The standard production unit system is the most basic element in our country construction. However, this standard production unit system shows a large difference in the actual amount of labor input for works at the Apartment housing construction, Therefore, it may be a reasonable alternative to estimate the cost of construction by historical cost data, works will be calculated the cost of labor must determine the exact amount and It is necessary to determine the exact amount of labor input for the construction progress management. This study examines the results of comparing the standard production unit system and the actual amount of labor counting in apartment housing construction was completed in the metropolitan area since 2000, the following results were obtained. the actual amount of labor input are looked for 1.184person/1000 of masonary, $0.084persons/m^2$ of plaster, $0.039persons/m^2$ of Waterproofing, $0.059persons/m^2$ of tile at the Apartment housing construction. in the actual amount of labor counting Compared with standard production unit system, masonry ratio of 59.8%, plaster ratio of 41.3%, waterproofing ratio of 31.5%, tile ratio of 34.3% and The labor rate in the works was the lowest in the plaster. was relatively high in the masonary. Therefore, the amount of labor country apartment housing construction is preferably calculated on historical cost data. But it seems that the amount of labor necessary complement ongoing close enough to the actual standard production unit system a major variable in construction management.