Four-pronged decision support framework for implementing industrialized construction projects

Abstract

Purpose Industrialized construction (IC) is promoted to address some of the ills associated with the processes and products of the traditional construction approach. With several successful projects, IC is progressively becoming a preferred alternative construction approach and spurred the interest of contractors, developers and housing authorities in the technology. Increasingly, these stakeholders are keen to ascertain the compatibility and feasibility of using IC in their projects. This paper aims to develop a knowledge-based decision support framework for implementing industrialized construction projects (ICPs) that can facilitate better and informed decision-making when deciding to implement ICPs. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive literature review was implemented to recruit 40 decision support factors (DSFs) and grouped into project requirements, location and site attribute, labour considerations and organizational factors. A 3-member expert panel validated the relevance of 35 DSFs, which became candidates for a structured questionnaire survey of experts in 18 countries. Statistical techniques are used to evaluate and prioritize the DSFs, leading to the development of a conceptual framework. Findings Statistical analysis revealed 33 significant DSFs. The top five most significant factors that could influence the decision to implement IC in a project include a stringent requirement for project quality control, suitability of the design for IC, organizational readiness and competencies in ICPs, client receptivity to IC and the need to minimize field construction time. A framework of project requirements, location and site attributes, labour considerations and organizational factors was proposed as decision support. Practical implications The proposed framework may help to inform decision-making regarding the implementation of IC in a project. It has wider applicability because it includes technical, managerial and operational aspects of and the required competencies for IC, which are shared between project types and territories. The prioritized DSFs could be used as a guide when implementing IC, especially in countries where bespoke decision support systems cannot be developed. Originality/value The paper delineated the most important DSFs that are shared between IC project types and territories and can be used to investigate the compatibility of using IC in a proposed project. This research constitutes the first exclusive attempt at delineating, quantifying and ranking the sets of decision-making factors, drawing on international data set and contributes to the empirical checklist of DSFs for ICPs.

A Systematic Review of the Business Contingencies Influencing Broader Adoption: Modern Methods of Construction (MMC)

“…Therefore, it is paramount to offer an "evolutionary" manner where clients could perceive and observe the successful outcomes, over time, prior to their actual adoption [102], p. 564. Moreover, utilising digitalisation to aid clients in confirming options based on their optimisation in line with the required preferences [107,108], emphasising feedback [94], and early client involvement, which would provide a comprehensive understanding of their needs [88,109]. Hence, advising clients towards the optimum substantiated MMC type through understanding their needs would sustain a practical customer interface element of a business model.…”

“…Yang [117], p. 96 described the term "last mile", reflecting the importance of transportation in ensuring schedules are strictly abided by, as early arrival could even be more problematic than a late arrival. This interprets the importance of the location where an "economic transport distance" option could influence the choice of contractors [109]. In order to optimise the transportation phase, the required considerations include weight capacity, truck orientation, truck dimensions, and site storage space [118].…”

“…Assaad [133] discusses the importance of having warranties for goods and services, as both are equally important to eliminate any dispute arising from the blurriness of whether an issue is material or labour related. Nevertheless, knowledge and experience with local building codes and standards are essential [109]. Hence, providing professional assurances through certifications and compliance can communicate better confidence to the public sector.…”

“…To address this, Koronaki [88] reports the applicability of critically reducing such costs by efficient planning of the assembly process, which in turn, reduces cranes and heavy equipment. Moreover, this is said to be influenced by the location, requiring an "economic transport distance" governance to ensure that logistics would not substantially impact the cost structure [109]. Nevertheless, Almashaqbeh [118] reports that module optimisation planning applications exist to reduce transportation costs effectively.…”

“…Moreover, Zhang [139] suggests the involvement of an academic-industry partnership that can address skill gaps through education, resulting in more experts in the sector. Similarly, Wuni [109] discusses the need for competent teams and skilled experts, and Luo [12] discusses the need for training MMC contractors to reduce risks. Hence, a partnership network that embraces innovation would have to comprise a variety of binding actors to approach a constructive upskilling approach.…”