Purpose A deeper understanding of what needs to be considered to improve the targeted incorporation of employees’ knowledge into continuous improvement (CI) programmes in industrialised housebuilding (IHB) is required. This paper aims to address the current lack of involvement and connect it to structural and corporate culture factors. To avoid misjudgements in improvement activities as well as to use the full potential of performance improvement ideas, CI tools and measures need to be adapted to facilitate this integration. Relevant factors are analysed and their influences on CI measures are assessed. Design/methodology/approach The research approach is built upon an explorative case study supported by a comprehensive literature review. Empirical data were collected through participant observation, guided interviews and company documents. Findings The influences on employee involvement within CI programmes and the corresponding suitability of important CI measures were evaluated on a set of relevant factors. These factors include unique building projects, project-based focus on order fulfilment, fragmented order fulfilment process, separation of order fulfilment activities in terms of space and time, procedural rules for dealing with on-site failures, short-term contracts with subcontractors and the practice of evaluating and monitoring performance on site. Research limitations/implications The research paves the way for the development of suitable tools, measures and methods to effectively involve employees from all profession within a CI programme in IHB. The empirical part of this research is based on a single case study. Originality/value This work extends the body of knowledge of CI application in the construction industry with an analysis of factors influencing its implementation and management.

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Performance measurement and management practices of on-site activities in industrialised housebuildingMeasuring the performance of construction site processes is an essential for the continuous improvement in building production efficiency. However, little is known about how this is done by industrialised housebuilding (IHB) companies.The purpose of this paper is to extend the body of knowledge of IHB to on-site performance measurement and management (PMM), thereby identifying reference practices and potential areas for improvement in order to prepare the field for the further development of significant performance management systems (PMS). A multiple case study by means of semi-structured interviews with company managers of eight companies within the IHB sector from three Central European countries has been conducted. The results show that the companies, to a greater or lesser extent, collect data on: customer satisfaction, environmental protection and CO 2 emissions, operating efficiency, productivity, quality and work safety. The data can be used to perform performance measurements that provide feedback on these criteria. Reference practices of performance measurements and their benefit are identified. Digital tools are increasingly being used for data collection on construction sites, although paper-based tools such as site and working time reports are still in use. The findings establish a basis for the further development of PMS within the IHB sector.

Purpose This paper aims to identify those factors, which will improve the collaboration between industrialised housebuilding (IHB) companies and their subcontractors within continuous improvement (CI) programmes. These factors will enhance the supply chain (SC) efficiency and productivity, eliminating obstacles when designing, implementing and managing CI programmes within IHB SC. Design/methodology/approach An explorative case study with a mixed-method approach was conducted within an IHB SC. To collect data, participant observation and guided interviews were applied. A stakeholder analysis was conducted to structure their guiding principles. A causal loop diagram (CLD) analysis was used to model the effects on and relationships within a SC and their impact on the involvement of subcontractors. Findings The influences on the stakeholders and the guidelines under which they work are defined. Potential conflicts of interest between stakeholders are identified. A CLD is used to model a better understanding of system behaviour impacting on the relationships within the SC and on subcontractor involvement. The results provide a number of factors that need to be considered when designing, implementing and managing a CI programme. Research limitations/implications The research suggests better ways to use subcontractors’ specific knowledge of on-site processes such that productivity and efficiency are enhanced. Improvements within the construction supply chain (CSC) will, in the future, not be limited to small improvement gains at company level. Originality/value This paper extends the body of knowledge in CSC management by revealing factors important for designing, implementing and managing CI programmes, which enables the successful involvement of subcontractors in CI on SC level.

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