How Can Information Technology Use Improve Construction Labor Productivity? An Empirical Analysis from China

Hao Lu, Qin Zhang, Qinghong Cui, Yuanyuan Luo, Pardis Pishdad-Bozorgi and Xiancun Hu
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Hao Lu: Center of Information Technology, China Construction Eighth Engineering Division, Chengdu 611130, China
Qin Zhang: Center of Information Technology, China Construction Eighth Engineering Division, Chengdu 611130, China
Qinghong Cui: School of Management Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266525, China
Yuanyuan Luo: Sichuan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 610041, China
Pardis Pishdad-Bozorgi: School of Building Construction, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
Xiancun Hu: School of Design and the Built Environment, University of Canberra, Canberra 2601, Australia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: Labor productivity is a significant indicator to measure the sustainable development potential and competitiveness of the construction industry. Under the background of the integration of global construction industry and information and communication technology (ICT), the pursuit of the growth of construction labor productivity (CLP) requires deepened understanding of how these technological advancements characterized by ICT take effect in the change of CLP as well as what the key factors are that led to the variation of CLP at this stage. The paper aims to investigate the effect of ICT progress on CLP and examine the key factors influencing CPL. Based on the data of 31 regions from the China Construction Industry Statistical Yearbook and the Local Statistical Yearbook during the period 2000–2018, this study proposed new methodology (Cobb–Douglas production function, growth rate model, and Malmquist Data Envelopment Analysis) for measuring the technology progress contribution and identified the key factors affecting the change of CLP. The analysis results illustrate that the information technology progress has a significant contribution to CLP growth, but the contribution rate is decreasing with the growing degree of development of the regional construction industry. Three main factors affecting the further improvement of CLP have been identified: human resources, research and development (R&D) investment, and ICT level. The findings can provide the decision-making reference and the general methodology for the local and international industry practitioners to improve the labor productivity performance of the construction sector.

Keywords: construction labor productivity; information and communication technology; technology progress contribution; influencing factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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