Resilient Productivity-Performance Constraints in New Zealand Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Projects

Abstract

Road pavement maintenance and rehabilitation contractors (RPMRCs) face challenges inherent in performance-based rewards which seek to maximize tax dollar through whole-of-life best value in the project delivery process. To be successful, contractor’s productivity and performance should remain high and resilient to internal and external constraints in the project environment. There is little research on the priority constraints to productivity and performance in the New Zealand (NZ) roading sector. This paper presents preliminary findings of a study which aimed to investigate the key productivity constraints faced by RMRCs and the associated mitigation measures. Senior managers and directors of medium- to large-sized NZ roading contracting firms were interviewed in the process of an exploratory survey. Feedabck was analysed using the multi-attribute technique. Results revealed 70 productivity constraints faced by RPMRCs in New Zealand; In diminishing order of influence, these were aggregated into eight broad categories as follows: finance, workforce, technology/process, statutory/regulatory compliance, project characteristics, project management/project team characteristics, unforeseen circumstances, and other/ external factors.The report highlights the most influential constraints in the eight broad categories. The findings contribute to knowledge by revealing critical factors constraining productivity performance of NZ RMRCs and the associated improvement measures. New and more enriching perspectives were provided on how contractors could leverage their limited resources to addressing the identified key constraints.