Theory of production in construction industry

Abstract

In the absence of an explicit and specific theory, the management of production processes in construction is essentially based on a Taylorist view, based on the economic theory of production. Thus, given the particularities of construction, the plans developed are often unreal, with recurring delays and unforeseen circumstances during production. Thus, because of the importance and the latent need to develop a specific theory, this article uses a systematic literature review (SLR) to comprehend what has been developed and discuss the topic. The main objective is to answer the following research questions: 1) What is being proposed to develop a production theory applied to construction? 2) What is the approach used in the publications? 3) What can be proposed for the body of knowledge in question to fill gaps? Based on the results of the SLR, it was verified that the development of such a theory appears to be very incipient and not formalized in the publications, with inconclusive results and weak multidisciplinary cooperation. Furthermore, there are indications that authors associated with Lean Thinking may be leading research on production theory in construction since most of the publications have results that were conceptually based on Lean Construction principles. It is understood that the content of this article is relevant because it outlines the current stage of development of the theory and indicates possible paths to achievements.