• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Structure & Construction
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.175-184
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• 2019

To improve productivity in the architecture, construction and engineering industry, it is critical to understand both current and historic trends in construction productivity. This study analyzes and compares construction productivity trends of South Korea, the U.S., the U.K., and Japan 1995 to 2015 using the following three measures: construction labor productivity, construction duration per floor, and construction duration per 1,000 m2 floor area. As the results, the international competitiveness of each country varied according to which measures were used to analyze them. Among the four countries, the construction labor productivity of the U.S. was the highest, followed by that of South Korea. South Korea also had the second highest productivity growth rate, following that of Japan. On the other hand, when analyzed from the perspective of construction duration, the construction productivity in South Korea appeared relatively lower than those of other countries. There were differences in the location of construction competitiveness of each country analyzed by various measures. Therefore, to accurately diagnose and improve the construction competitiveness in South Korea, strategies based on various measures are need to established simultaneously.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.11-12
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• 2011

The Construction Standard Production Unit(CSPU) has been used for the standard cost estimate in public and private construction projects. However, It is difficult to reflect the various site attributed variation in productivity using existing CSPU. The reason is that a criteria which site should be selection for enactment and/or revision of CSPU is not established. This study aims to provide essential data to be used for analyzing the labor factors in a way to secure efficiency and reliability of CSPU.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.67-73
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• 2008

Recent trends in construction towards larger scale and taller buildings are causing problems by ineffective existing management approach in construction industry have emerged. Delivering necessary materials and mobilizing the human resources and equipment In a timely manner to keep labor on schedule have become a critical issue to be addressed. In particular, many specialty contractors carrying out multiple projects have been experiencing difficulties mobilizing the manpower on time and in right places due to poor communication at each stage of labor supply, resulting in waste of valuable resources. Hence, it's imperative for the specialty contractors to obtain specific information on labor demand so as to set up a communication and labor management system to ensure the right human resources will be mobilized in the right place at the right time. The study therefore is aimed at developing an optimal human resources management system for specialty contractors performing multiple projects. To that end, the study is focused on rebar and concrete work. The outcome of the study is expected to help allocate the right human resources to the right place in a timely fashion, thereby achieving an effective workflow at construction sites.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2014

The Construction industry is a labor-intensive industry that its labor cost takes up about 30~40% out of the whole construction cost. However, due to a stereotype that on-site work is a 3D job there is a shortage of the labor forces. Modular construction method is to produce modular units in the plant so that workers could work stably. Also, after delivering the module from plant to the site, there will be only installment to be required that shortens construction duration. Even though the modular market is currently expanding based on military facilities in Korea, its best strengths are not demonstrated well which are shortened construction period and low cost. It also causes labor problem of production due to minimum utilization of the modular construction method. Multi-skilled labor means a technician that is able to perform more than two kinds of work with more than two techniques. Multi-skilled labor can proceed smoothly by figuring out the connectivity between the precedent and following operations. Therefore, this research is to apply the concept of Multi-skilled labors, suggest solutions and allocate manpowers efficiently. As a result, it helps to decrease idle manpowers during the operation and the total labor forces can be saved. Low cost is the original strength of the modular which can stand out so the modular market is expected to expand.

• Journal of Construction Engineering and Project Management
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2011

Labor productivity is a significant factor associated with controlling time, cost, and quality. Many researchers have developed models to define methods of measuring the relationship between productivity and various parameters such as the size of working area, maximum working hours, and the crew composition. Most of the previous research has focused on estimating productivity; however, this research concentrates on estimating labor productivity and developing time and cost data for repetitive concrete pouring activity. In Korea, "Standard Estimating" only entails the average productivity data of the construction industry, and it is difficult to predict the time and cost spent on any particular project. As a result, errors occur in estimating duration and cost for individual activities or projects. To address these issues, this research sought to collect data, measure productivity, and develop time and cost data using labor productivity based on field conditions from the collected data. A probabilistic approach is also proposed to develop data. A case study is performed to validate this process using actual data collected from construction sites. It is possible that the result will be used as the EVMS baseline of cost management and schedule management.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.256-261
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• 2011

Labor productivity is a significant factor related to control time, cost, and quality. Many researchers have developed models to define method of measuring the relationship between productivity and various constraints such as the size of working area, maximum working hours, and the crew composition. Most of the previous research has focused on estimating productivity; however, this research concentrates on estimating labor productivity and developing time and cost data for repetitive concrete pouring activity. In Korea, "Standard Estimating" only contains the average productivity data of the construction industry, and it is difficult to predict the time and cost of any particular project; hence, there are some errors in estimating duration and cost for individual activity and project. To address these issues, this research collects data, measures productivity, and develops time and cost data using labor productivity based on field conditions from the collected data. A probabilistic approach is also proposed to develop data. A case study is performed to validate this process using actual data collected from construction sites and it is possible that the result will be used as the EVMS baseline of cost management and schedule management.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.6 no.5 s.27
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• pp.139-147
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• 2005

During a typical construction project, a contractor nay often find that the time originally available or normally expected to perform its work has been severely reduced. To finish the project by the completion date, the contractor is forced to find a way to speed up the progress of its work to compensate for the reduction in available time. The most frequent initial reaction of contractors to this situation is to increase on-site manpower by working longer time (overtime), adding more workers (overmanning), or implementing shift work (shift work) to increase the rate of progress. The goals of this study were to investigate how these three methods affect labor productivity and to quantify their impact on labor productivity by analyzing real project data collected from sheet metal contractors and mechanical contractors in the US.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1893-1899
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• 2014

This study is to suggest strategies of specialty contractors that provide labors oriented engineering service by interaction analysis between construction business indicators and business performance indicators. For specialty contractors that mainly provides labor oriented engineering service, the amount of construction orders imposes lasting impact to the turnover ratio of current assets supposedly because they are operating current assets to secure labor. In other words, this type of specialty contractors are focused on mobilization of labor not materials or equipment. So, it is determined that they will be able to increase revenue by operating current assets to address current liabilities and labor mobilization.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.372-381
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• 2013

In the construction industry, a great deal of research has been focused on productivity improvement because a minor change in labor productivity can often make the difference between a profit and a loss. This study shows how productivity measurement methods can be applied in practice, step by step, to analyze and identify potential problems both in productivity and methods performance for masonry work. A work sampling technique was conducted to determine the nature and extent of an observable activity as an aid to measuring overall performance. Also, a method productivity delay model was used to identify non-productivity in individual cycle times. From the work sampling technique, it was found that the masonry crew had a Labor Utilization Factor of 47.1%, and from the videotape analysis, it was found that the material and dumpster location need to be adjusted to reduce the travelling distance. We have found that efforts to improve the productivity of masonry work should be focused almost exclusively on machine and labor delays, based on the result from the method productivity delay model.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.2 no.2 s.6
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• pp.81-89
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• 2001

Construction industry has particular properties of non-continuity of production, and non-stability of market comparing to other industries. Because of them, the practical construction cost is more difficultly recognized than in manufacturing industry, so, that is various according to many projects. Therefore, it is very hard work to standardize construction cost, and it is worthy of analyzing and measuring exactly construction cost. On this study, the trouble in producing expected construction cost with original cost calculation method is progressed by the data of cost items in complete works. On the basis of analyzing data, as expected cost of practical construction is measured, it can be referred to the method and the standard of indirect labor cost rate in construction.