Developing and Delphi-Validating a Phase-Based Sustainable BSC Framework for Contractors' Sustainable Productivity Management in Developing Countries

This study develops and validates, using the Delphi method, a conceptual decision-support framework for construction contractors' sustainable productivity management (CSPM) in developing-country settings. Guided by KAMET rules, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 experts to elicit, refine, and reach consensus on a set of productivity management attributes that construction contractors can realistically apply. The outcome is 29 feasible productivity management attributes, organized under the four Sustainable Balanced Scorecard (SBSC) perspectives and mapped onto five management phases (planning, organizing, staffing, leading/coordination, and controlling). Rather than predicting or demonstrating productivity gains, the framework provides a practical roadmap for diagnosing capability gaps, prioritizing actions, and guiding subsequent empirical testing and case-based validation. Conceptually, it extends the traditional Balanced Scorecard by embedding sustainability—balancing economic performance, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility—and by clarifying how SBSC perspectives connect operational efficiency with financial outcomes, customer expectations, and organizational learning. Developed in Vietnam, the framework is also relevant to other emerging economies facing similar sustainability pressures.