Productivity Implications of Robotics and Automation

Productivity is a very important consideration in any process like construction because it influences cost and output greatly. A firm creates wealth by combining resources from its domicile economy which enter the wealth creation process constitute 'internal participation' while those from other economies make 'external participation'. Increased understanding of the production process enables the domicile economy to increase its participation with internally derived inputs. The result is increased output, lower unit cost and more profit for the firm. Therefore, the level of 'internal participation' in the creation of wealth determines how productive an individual, society or naion is. Higher 'internal participation' in production generates greater productivity. However, output-per-unit-input is a measure of rate-of-performance not productivity. Increase in rate-of-performanc is expansion which is not synonymous with productivity is declining. Consequently the firm's viability diminishes. An indepth analysis of robotics and automation with the 'Develonic Approach' is necessary to reveal their productivity impact on the construction. It is not economically wise for a firm to embark in widespread automation and robotics if such a step reduces 'internal participation' in production.