Improving takt production's management of subcontracted labour through the methods of knowledge management

Abstract

Construction, as an industry, has not been able to improve its productivity as fast as other industries. Therefore, construction industry has begun to examine other methods that could improve the productivity. One new method is takt production, which aims to recognise the reoccurring tasks in construction production and to eliminate waste in and between them. In construction, takt production is, however, still rather new method and there has not been published much research about it. In addition, implementing a new production method requires often changes in the practices concerning it, such as in the labour management. This research was executed for a Finnish construction company that has in the past few years began to examine how it could execute takt production in its housing production. This research aimed to recognise how the case company should change its management methods for subcontracted labour to succeed in takt production. This research targeted to improve the case company’s takt production’s management of subcontracted labour through the methods of knowledge management. In addition, the research aimed to create management methods for subcontracted labour, which functionalities would be tested through a case study. The research was executed as qualitative case study, which utilized observation and workshop as its data collection techniques. The research was able to recognise repeating themes form the collected data from which it was able to construct development proposals for the case company’s management methods for subcontracted labour. The research’s key results formed a four topic model for the management of subcontracted labour in which the management methods are divided into meetings, communication channels, visual tools and education materials. In addition, the research recognised the key success factors of takt production’s management of subcontracted labour. These success factors included efficient knowledge transfer, using only thoroughly tested technology, deliveries planned according to takt schedule, managing challenges and obstacles and commitment in takt production.