Introduction
Because of its critical importance to the profitability of most construction
projects, productivity is one of the most frequently discussed
topics in the construction industry. It is also one of the most
frequently used performance indicators to assess the success of a
construction project because it is the most crucial and flexible resource
used in such assessments [Construction Industry Institute
(CII) 2006]. Academic research papers published in relation to
construction labor productivity (CLP) are important to researchers
and industry practitioners. However, research topics concerning CLP
are highly diversified and there is a lack of systematic analysis of
CLP-related issues. Integration and classification of the reported literaturewithin
the CLP domainmay pave theway for future researchers
to gain a clear understanding of the topic and to more intensively
and efficiently conduct related research. Therefore, it is important to
summarize the developments of CLP research through a systematic
review and to suggest new directions for further studies.
This research presents a systematic review of labor productivity
in the construction industry. The aims of this review are to investigate
the state of the art and trends in CLP research and to identify
key research areas. This will help industrialists to develop a body of
knowledge about CLP and to derive an approach to enhance CLP.
Scholars are also provided with research references to existing studies
on CLP. An exploration is presented of the definitions of CLP