*Article* **Scientometric Analysis and AHP for Hierarchizing Criteria Affecting Construction Equipment Operators' Performance**

**Kleopatra Petroutsatou \*, Ilias Ladopoulos and Konstantina Tsakelidou**

Faculty of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; iladopou@civil.auth.gr (I.L.); ktsakelid@civil.auth.gr (K.T.)

**\*** Correspondence: kpetrout@civil.auth.gr

**Abstract:** The construction sector constitutes a significant indicator of a country's economic growth. Construction equipment is an integral part of every construction project, and its contribution during construction determines any project's completion. It also represents a significant capital investment for companies in this sector. A major strategic goal for such companies is the increase in the equipment's productivity, which is affected mostly by its operators. The aim of this research is to recognize and prioritize the criteria affecting the performance of construction equipment operators. Scientometric analysis, using VOSViewer software, was implemented for the formation of different kinds of bibliometric networks, proposing a holistic approach to this research field. Those networks delineated the field with regard to construction equipment operators and revealed the correlations between the network's items, which were formed because of previous research, and finally, conclusions were drawn. An extensive literature review in conjunction with structured interviews with experts and operators determined the factors affecting the operators' performance, with a view to creating a hybrid decision model based on the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), as implemented by the Transparent Choice tool. Many experts evaluated the criteria affecting the operators' performance, leading to remarkable conclusions. Moreover, a few pointers for future research are provided.

**Keywords:** construction equipment; analytic hierarchy process (AHP); scientometric analysis; productivity; operator
