Multiple Baseline Testing: Experimental Method for Drawing Causal Inferences in Construction Engineering and Management Research

Abstract

Identifying and evaluating solutions for critical industry challenges is a major theme of construction engineering and management (CEM) research. Researchers and practitioners in the construction sector often seek to invent, test, implement, and disseminate practical interventions that improve safety, productivity, quality, and other project success factors. Robust scientific research design is imperative for drawing valid causal inferences when testing the impact of new interventions. Unfortunately, the transient and dynamic nature of construction obfuscates the isolation of variables, thus making true experiments impractical or unethical. With roots in pharmaceutical research, multiple baseline testing (MBT), commonly known as