Blockchain-enabled framework to support early supplier/contractor involvement in prefabricated construction supply chain management

Abstract

The massive practices of prefabricated construction have progressively changed the situation of construction which has lagged other sectors in productivity performance. The shifting of building activities from on-site erection to off-site module factories has improved the attributes of uneven quality, low sustainability, reluctance to new technology, unpromising efficiency etc. Although the advantages and great potential has been well researched and documented, the risks and uncertainties have extensively arisen. The change has also underscored the importance of supply chain management since the partition of workplaces inducing the dynamic information exchange, value delivery, intensive collaboration and risk sharing, showing more commonalities to the traditional manufacturing. This research focuses on the opportunity applying the novel concept of early supplier involvement at the early stage of prefabricated construction in the concept exploration and definition stage of prefabricated module development, and a framework with blockchain technology selecting best qualified suppliers and  addressing key supply chain enablers including considerable commitment to suppliers, responsibility allocation for design and configuration control, seamless information flow and reasonable flexibility. Thus, it could build enduring competitive strength by exploiting the proprietary knowledge of the supplier network.