Research inquiries: research@simplarfoundation.org

The Researchers Behind the Multiskilling Knowledge Center

The Multiskilling Knowledge Center is led by university faculty and researchers with more than two decades of experience studying construction workforce development, labor productivity, project performance, and benchmarking across diverse sectors and project types.

20+
Years studying construction workforce & productivity
500+
Peer-reviewed papers, reports & proceedings (combined)
4
Organizations represented: three universities and one nonprofit research foundation

Meet the Research Team

Brian Lines
Associate Professor
University of Kansas
Principal Investigator
Lola Ogundare
Doctoral Researcher
University of Kansas
Rebecca Kassa
Senior Researcher
Simplar Foundation
Jake Smithwick
Associate Professor
UNC Charlotte
Kenneth Sullivan
Professor
Arizona State University

Selected Prior Studies

Selected reports and peer-reviewed publications spanning more than 20 years of workforce, productivity, project delivery, and performance research.

01

Workforce, Productivity & Talent Development

Selected research on workforce development, talent, staffing, scheduling, collaboration, and construction labor productivity.

  • 2018–2026 Sponsor: International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Research Program: Facility management workforce compensation, demographics, professional credentials, succession planning, and knowledge transfer View Reports →
  • 2026 Built Environment Project and Asset Management Skillsets differences among field leaders in the US sheet metal and air conditioning trades Read Article →
  • 2025 Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management Differences in the Personality Factors of Specialty Field Leaders, Specialty Project Managers, and General Contractor Project Managers for Job-Role Transition in the US Construction Industry Read Article →
  • 2024 60th Annual Associated Schools of Construction International Conference Facilitated Collaboration: Case Study of Multi-Level Workforce Collaboration and Integration on a Construction Project Read Article →
  • 2024 Sponsor: National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) Research Topic: Supplier Diversity in State and Local Agencies: Review of Current Perspectives, Policies, and Practices View Report →
  • 2023 International Journal of Construction Education and Research Comparative Analysis of Human Traits and Tendencies: General vs. Specialty Contractor Project Managers Read Article →
  • 2023 Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management Developing a Construct to Measure Contractor Project Manager Performance Competencies Read Article →
  • 2021 Sponsor: Air Products Research Topic: Enhancing Workforce Collaboration and Productivity with the Project Summit Approach View Report →
  • 2021 Sponsor: New Horizons Foundation · Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) Research Topic: Assessing Personality Traits of Top-Performing Teams View Report →
  • 2020 Sponsor: Roofing Alliance · National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) Research Topic: U.S. Roofing Workforce Conditions, Challenges, and Solutions View Report →
  • 2019 Sponsor: ELECTRI International · National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Research Topic: Personality & Aptitude Assessment of Top-Performing Electrical Contractor Project Managers View Report →
  • 2019 Sponsor: New Horizons Foundation · Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) Research Topic: Tools for the Hiring, Promotion, and Talent Development of Sheet Metal and Mechanical Contractor Personnel View Report →
  • 2019 Journal of Facility Management Education and Research Evaluating the Impact of Facility Management Credentials Read Article →
  • 2018 Sponsor: ELECTRI International · National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Research Topic: Organizational Change Adoption: Best Practices for Electrical Contractors View Report →
  • 2018 International Journal of Construction Education and Research Best Practices for Organizational Change Management within Electrical Contractors Read Article →
  • 2017 ASCE Journal of Management in Engineering Drivers of Organizational Change within the AEC Industry: Linking Change Management Practices with Successful Change Adoption Read Article →
  • 2016 Sponsor: Construction Industry Institute (CII) Research Topic: Best Practices for Project Manager Succession View Report →
  • 2015 International Journal of Project Management Overcoming resistance to change in engineering and construction: Change management factors for owner organizations Read Article →
  • 2012 Sponsor: ELECTRI International · National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Research Topic: Executive Succession Planning for Electrical Contractors Read Article →
  • 2008 Journal of Construction Engineering and Management (ASCE) Impact of Shift Work on Labor Productivity for Labor-Intensive Contractor Read Article →
  • 2007 Journal of Construction Engineering and Management (ASCE) Quantifying the Impact of Schedule Compression on Labor Productivity for Mechanical and Sheet Metal Contractor Read Article →
  • 2007 Journal of Construction Engineering and Management (ASCE) Impact of Overmanning on Mechanical and Sheet Metal Labor Productivity Read Article →
  • 2005 Journal of Construction Engineering and Management (ASCE) Impact of Extended Overtime on Construction Labor Productivity Read Article →
  • 2004 Sponsor: National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) · Electrical Contracting Foundation Research Topic: Factors Affecting Labor Productivity for Electrical Contractors Read Article →
  • 2004 Sponsor: New Horizons Foundation · Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) Research Topic: Quantifying the Cumulative Impact of Change Orders for Sheet Metal Contractors Read Article →
02

Project Delivery & Performance

Selected research on procurement, preconstruction planning, risk management, project controls, benchmarking, and facility and project performance.

  • 2018–Present Sponsor: International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Research Program: Global and Regional Facility Operations, Maintenance, and Benchmarking Access Data →
  • 2026 International Journal of Construction Education and Research Relationship Between Cost and Qualifications-Based Proposals for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Firms Read Article →
  • 2025 Sponsor: International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Research Topic: Value of Early Facility Manager Involvement in Capital Projects View Report →
  • 2020–2024 Sponsor: International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Research Program: Healthcare Facility Staffing, Operating Costs, and Support-Services Benchmarking View Reports →
  • 2022 International Journal of Construction Education and Research Does Best Value Procurement Cost More than Low-Bid? A Total Project Cost Perspective Read Article →
  • 2022 Benchmarking: An International Journal The Current State of Benchmarking Use and Networks in Facilities Management Read Article →
  • 2022 Facilities Facility Engineering Staff Benchmarking for Workforce Modeling at Veterans Health Administration Read Article →
  • 2021 Journal of Management in Engineering (ASCE) An Empirical Analysis of Project Performance Outcomes for Best-Value Procurement in Design-Bid-Build Projects Read Article →
  • 2021 Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management Using Issue Logs to Improve Construction Project Performance Read Article →
  • 2021 Sponsor: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (with the Veterans Health Administration) Research Topic: Testing and Validating the Staffing Methodology for the VHA View Report →
  • 2020 International Journal of Construction Education and Research An Empirical Analysis of the Causes of Cost and Schedule Growth for Small Healthcare and Educational Construction Projects Read Article →
  • 2019 ASCE Journal of Management in Engineering Differentiation of Evaluation Criteria in Design-Build and Construction Manager at Risk Procurements Read Article →
  • 2018 Journal of Construction Engineering and Management Best-Value Procurement in Design-Bid-Build Construction Projects: Empirical Analysis of Selection Outcomes Read Article →
  • 2017 Journal of Management in Engineering Using Best Value Procurement to Measure the Impact of Initial Risk Management Capability on Qualitative Construction Performance Read Article →
  • 2015 Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities (ASCE) Postoccupancy Performance Evaluation of Time-of-Installation Factors: A Seven-Year Study of SPF Roofing Read Article →
  • 2014 Journal of Facilities Management Measuring Risk Management Performance within a Capital Program Read Article →
  • 2014 International Journal of Construction Education and Research Planning in Construction: Longitudinal Study of Pre-Contract Planning Model Demonstrates Reduction in Project Cost and Schedule Growth Read Article →