ARCOM 2019
Productivity, Performance and Quality Conundrum
2nd - 4th September – Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK
Download the Call for Papers here!
Leeds Beckett University will play host to the 2019 ARCOM Conference, returning to Leeds and the great County of Yorkshire. With an evening at Salts Mill and our famous Headingley Campus, the stage is set for an industrious ARCOM 2019.
The concept of productivity has, of course, seen recent renewed policy interest. A decade on from the Global Financial Crisis, governments around the world have paid much attention to raising productivity with a view to increase standards of living. In the UK, the pursuit of productivity growth lies at the centre of the industrial strategy.
Yet, as old forms of production industries give way to the rise of new ways of working in the growing service economy, questions remain as to whether traditional notion of productivity is still relevant. We therefore call for papers that address the productivity conundrum in the construction industry. We particularly welcome contributions that address one or more of the following questions, as well as the thematic tracks below:
- Notwithstanding recent interest, the problem of low productivity appears to be a perennial challenge for the construction industry. To what extent is this ‘problem’ really a problem (and not one borne out of political rhetoric)? Are policy-makers, researchers and/or practitioners measuring the appropriate things when defining productivity (if indeed, productivity is measured at all)?
- Despite a litany of recommended antidotes to the productivity challenge, productivity levels seem to be stubbornly low. What improvement strategies matter? What empirical evidence exists to show that certain strategies work more than others?
- Is productivity still an appropriate measure, especially in post-industrial societies where the service sector dominates?
- What are the intended and unintended consequences of refocusing attention on productivity? How do these manifest long after the built asset is constructed?
Thematic tracks for ARCOM 2019
Please click on the links below to find out more about the tracks for the 2019 conference:
- Track 1: Problematising building performance
- Track 2: Construction is a highly productive industry
- Track 3: Academia-Industry Engagement
- Track 4: Making space for construction productivity studies
- Track 5: Developments in Research Methodology
Abstracts of around 300 words are due for submission via the MyARCOM portal before 23:59hrs GMT on Friday 11 January 2019.