Modeling with Functions for Cumulative Impact of Changes

Abstract

Industry has recognized that the cumulative impact of changes is a factor that may possibly affect labor productivity. The ripple effect of changes may be impossible to capture in the discrete effects of individual changes. This ripple effect can be disruptive and detrimental to labor productivity if it negatively impacts resources, working conditions, and/or means and methods. Various researchers have attempted to investigate the cumulative impact of changes in a quantitative way, and some regression curves for the relationship between labor productivity and project changes have been developed based on statistical analyses. The reliability of these curves is questionable with regard to the representativeness and reliability of the data, but major flaws in these regressed curves are associated with the form of the trendline functions, which are elaborated in this paper. This paper presents a corrected form of the trendline function with mathematical justification. The corrected form of the trendline function is further validated with published data. The findings presented in this paper can help provide valuable insight into determining the relationship between labor productivity and changes and resolve issues related to the cumulative impact of changes.