Exploiting motivation in the change towards autonomation in construction projects

Abstract

By strictly focusing on variables in the work environment, project managers are likely tooverlook why workers behave differently when exposed to similar challenges under thesame motivational factors. This is a problem that calls for a better understanding onworker motivation and personality types considered proper to the new productionparadigm. The interest in the subject comes from the speculation that the implementationof autonomation in the construction sector may lie beyond the best practice programmesand the discussion of adequate cultural and leadership characteristics.This paper summarizes an empirical qualitative study, which aims to illustratedifferences in personal motives and how such differences can be balanced to better suitlean practices. The discussion is based on lessons learned from two case studies whereautonomous crews were implemented to react to the vicissitudes of work in a constructionprojects context. The conclusions show the close relationship between worker motivationand strategic choices in production strategy. This has allowed the identification of twoimportant conditions that need to be attained by firms interested in autonomous crews.