Performance measurement of construction contracts belongs to the crucial activities enabling the improvement of processes in a construction company. The main aim of this paper is to evaluate and analyse performance management practices applied by contractors in the Czech construction sector. Original data were collected using a questionnaire survey and quantified through relative frequency of occurrence. These data have been supplemented by interviews with experts in the field in order to assess the importance of the individual criteria and other relevant performance aspects. The main findings illustrate differences in approach with respect to company size, as well as the most frequently used performance indicators and criteria. The study also focused on the performance measurement of subcontractors and the factors influencing contract success. The results show that large companies have already developed elaborate measurement systems and have sufficient staff for this purpose. Companies in the Micro&Small category show worse measurement performance, mainly due to the lack of qualified staff.

The importance of environmental protection is growing rapidly in the construction industry. Performance measurement as an important tool for a more effective construction process reflects this new direction of business thinking. Performance measurement systems have implemented new criteria for measurement with respect to the environment. The main aim of this paper is to evaluate whether Czech construction companies measure these newly implemented environmental criteria. Most important criteria such as waste management, emissions and water management were emphasised. Original data were collected using a questionnaire survey. The survey also focused on construction materials responsibility and recycle/reuse measurement. The results of the study show that less than half of construction companies in the Czech Republic actively measure the impact on the environment. However, almost three-quarters of companies are aware of its importance for the future of the construction industry and environmental responsibility. Only 2% of Czech construction companies believe that environmental responsibility is not important at all. The most frequently measured criterion is waste management; on the contrary, the number of recyclable materials used on the construction site is least frequently measured. There is a need to accelerate efforts to help construction companies identify appropriate ways to start measuring environmental criteria. Construction companies that do not measure environmental criteria need to be widely informed about the importance of sustainability in the construction industry. This could be best achieved by an information campaign. The appropriate form of such a campaign and its contents should be the main focus of a follow-up research.

Performance measurement of business processes is a necessary prerequisite for efficiency improvement. The increasing demand for enhanced environmental protection in construction is also reflected in recent performance measurement systems. This paper aims to review various systems used for performance measurement in construction contracts and to discuss current developments in this area. Findings show that the importance of environmental protection is growing as the sustainability approach is becoming more common. In the construction industry, green and sustainable criteria are becoming an integral part of responsible entities’ considerations and strategies for reducing energy consumption and handling construction materials responsibly (e.g., by means of recycling/re-use), considering the high material intensity of construction production.

No abstract