Impact of Fragmentation Issue in Construction Industry: An Overview

School of Technology Management and Logistics, University Utara Malaysia

Abstract

In general, fragmentation within the construction industry arises from two areas within the traditional construction process; the construction work process where the most significant division is in the separation of the design and construction phase, and the construction structure itself. The fragmentation process in traditional contracting practice further hinders the integration of construction knowledge among contractors, diminishing the opportunity for them to influence design decisions. When design professionals fail to consider as to how a contractor would construct the designed project results in scheduling problems, delays, and disputes during the construction process. Moving towards team integration is considered a significant strategy for overcoming the issue. Accordingly, this paper discusses the fragmentation issue in more detail including its definition, and causes and effects to the construction projects. It also explores that the team integration strategy alleviates scheduling problems, and helps avoid delays and disputes during the construction process, preventing harm to overall project performance.