Industrialization in Construction Companies—A Benchmark Study on Manufacturing Companies

Abstract

Productivity has been modest in construction due to many reasons, especially project-specific operations and fragmentation. The main aim of this research is to map the challenges toward industrialization in construction through a comparative study of the manufacturing industry. An inductive approach and a qualitative method are followed by applying semi-structured interviews and node-based thematic analysis. The key elements of industrialization in mature manufacturing companies are benchmarked. The findings indicate a specific order of steps for industrialization in construction. Data and information management with achieved systematization have been sources of productivity in manufacturing companies. However, the systematization starts from the offering, and construction companies need to define their offering, that is, their products, and define their respective data. Only accurate and good quality data on products enable the systematization of order delivery processes, which are the engine for a company’s success or failure. Continuous efficiency improvement is only possible with systematized processes and the respective data related to these processes. The originality involves clarifying the industrialization of construction companies via products, respective data, and processes, considering industrialized manufacturing companies.