Development of a New Strategic Framework for Improving the Productivity Benchmarking Practices in Road Project Operations

Primarily, this study highlights the knowledge gaps in the field for implementing systematic techniques to benchmark and improve productivity levels of critical construction activities in road projects. Accordingly, the study aims to develop a new strategic framework that can enhance the benchmarking practices related to the assessment of labour productivity compared to labour performance with the use of potential apprenticeship tools and systems in road construction operations. A series of literature reviews and expert consultations were conducted to build a new framework with the collection of potential models/tools/systems related to labour training, performance evaluation and productivity measures. The mechanism associated with the developed framework was systematically executed in nine road construction projects in Sri Lanka. The findings show the precise patterns of significant changes in labour productivity and performance index values, which have inspired new approaches in the planning procedures for construction projects. The results assure that proposed mechanisms can be applied with reliable, generalisable and sustainable aspects in their use. The study offers a fresh road map with constructive approaches for project managers, planners and engineers to raise the bar for benchmarking labour productivity and performance levels across a wide range of tasks. The results of the study will have considerable impacts on how other emerging countries and enterprises need to operate their workflows to achieve productivity-related benefits in the future circumstances.