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Azman, M A, Hon, C K H, Skitmore, M, Lee, B L and Xia, B (2019) A Meta-frontier method of decomposing long-term construction productivity components and technological gaps at the firm level: evidence from Malaysia. Construction Management and Economics, 37(02), 72–88.

Hamzeh, F R, Faek, F and AlHussein, H (2019) Understanding improvisation in construction through antecedents, behaviours and consequences. Construction Management and Economics, 37(02), 61–71.

Hanna, A S, Iskandar, K A and Lotfallah, W (2019) Benchmarking project performance: a guideline for assessing vulnerability of mechanical and electrical projects to productivity loss . Construction Management and Economics, 37(02), 101–11.

Kaminsky, J (2019) The global influence of national cultural values on construction permitting. Construction Management and Economics, 37(02), 89–100.

Kenley, R (2019) CME Forum: a response to “Construction flow index: a metric of production flow quality in construction”. Construction Management and Economics, 37(02), 112–9.

  • Type: Journal Article
  • Keywords: Building industry; lean construction; location-based management; production process; workflow;
  • ISBN/ISSN: 0144-6193
  • URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/01446193.2018.1535712
  • Abstract:
    The study of types of flow in construction is a relatively new field. This paper reviews the work of Sacks et al. and reveals that they have applied a production-line metaphor with recognition of two production flows. Process flow: locations are equated with products moving down a production line. Operations flow: work crews are equated to work stations. Their work proposes an index of the quality of production flow in construction, but the research design has three significant flaws: the skilled interpretation of flow-line charts is not in turn applied to the interpretation of their example charts; the conceptual framework does recognize that the underlying metaphor requires levels of detail in both location and task that is not supported in their analysis. The meaning of “quality of flow” in this context is not defined. This debate raises important epistemological questions for those working in lean construction and location-based management. While the concept of “production flow quality” is important, the Sacks et al. methodology does not address the detailed planning of individual crews. It is only possible to apply the production-line metaphor if micro-management is adopted as detailed planning.