Offsite manufacturing in the construction industry for productivity improvement

Abstract

Offsite manufacturing (OSM) is believed to be an alternative means of improving construction productivity. However, OSM has attracted limited attention from researchers and industry stakeholders, particularly in developing countries. Therefore, this study considers the key factors hindering the industry-wide adoption of OSM in the Cambodian context. A survey conducted with 75 construction practitioners asked respondents to quantify the level of influence from 30 constraints pertaining to OSM. Multi-attribute utility and correlation coefficient analyses were used to statistically analyze the data. Six broad categories of constraints to adopting OSM underlie the challenges facing the local industry: project planning and methodology, construction cost, construction industry and culture, skill and shortage, supply chain and logistics, and construction site operations. The findings may be useful for construction engineering professionals seeking ways to improve construction productivity performance by implementing OSM as an alternative technique in developing countries.