Charles R. Ferguson

Bio: Charles R. Ferguson is an academic researcher from University of Texas at Arlington. The author has contributed to research in topics: Critical success factor & Capital Purchase Program. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 3 publications receiving 124 citations.

Critical Success Factors for Construction Projects

Abstract: A building project is completed as a result of a combination of many events and interactions, planned or unplanned, over the life of a facility, with changing participants and processes in a constantly changing environment. This paper defines a set of conditions or factors that, when thoroughly and completely satisfied on a project, ensures the successful completion of the facility. Success on a project means that certain expectations for a given participant were met, whether owner, planner, engineer, contractor, or operator. These expectations may be different for each participant. The factors that predicate success were initially derived from the Integrated Building Process Model developed at Penn State by Sanvido in 1990. These factors were then tested on sixteen projects and the results showed excellent correlation between project success and achievement of the factors. Finally, the four factors most critical to success are presented.

Success factors of place marketing: a study of place marketing practices in northern europe and the united states

Abstract: The aim of the present study is to evaluate which are the most critical success factors in place marketing, and how these factors could be utilised in place development. The study builds a framework and analyses place marketing practices from the perspectives of the process, assessment criteria and success factors. The main research focus is on marketing management aspects in place marketing. The primary theoretical background and concepts in place marketing for this study consist of marketing theory, branding, assessment criteria, process, place development, local economic development and non-profit organisations. This study uses a theory building, qualitative case research agenda, with an embedded, longitudinal and multiple case design. The study applies the theoretical framework of successful place marketing in an empirical research with the case locations of the Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Chicago regions. The field research was carried out between April 2002 and March 2003. This study investigates also how Northern European versus U.S. place marketers differ in their practices and comes to the conclusion that both regions can benefit from a study of each other’s practices. This study contributes to the literature by “translating” the key concepts of corporate marketing theory for places, forms a conceptual framework and makes 35 propositions about general place marketing practices and its specific success factors. The study makes a managerial contribution by giving recommendations for place marketing practices, and by offering a new and holistic framework to help places move to a more systematic and effective marketing approach. Strategic marketing can be also applied to places, and the tools of corporate marketing can be transferred to place marketing. Places can also be branded, through creating and communicating a place identity, which increases a place’s attraction.

Marketing orientation and its determinants: an empirical analysis

Abstract: While a strong association between Marketing Orientation development and company performance has been established, the understanding of the Marketing Orientation remains unclear since some studies have suggested a philosophical nature for Marketing Orientation and some other studies concluded that Marketing Orientation represents a behavioural notion. As a result of this antithesis, research has not proceeded in the investigation on the factors that determine the degree of Marketing Orientation development. Shows that Marketing Orientation should be conceptualised synthetically since it represents the integration of a certain culture with specific behaviour. Closely examines the major determinants of Marketing Orientation development. Although exploratory in nature, suggests that Marketing Orientation development is determined by company‐specific, as well as by market‐specific factors with the former having a facilitating effect and the latter a coercive effect.

Critical Success Factors for Competitiveness of Contractors: China Study

Abstract: Gaining or maintaining a “contractor’s” competitive advantage is not easy as it is determined by a large number of factors. Identification of critical success factors (CSFs) allows one to reduce the vast number of factors to some manageable few but vital ones. Based on the CSFs, contractors’ limited resources such as money and manpower can be allocated and aligned appropriately for yielding a maximum outcome of overall competitiveness. This paper describes the CSFs identified from a survey study carried out in Mainland China. The ranking analysis of the survey results shows that 35 factors are rated as critical for determining the competitiveness of a contractor. Factor analysis reveals that the 35 CSFs identified can be grouped into eight clusters, namely, project management skills, organization structure, resources, competitive strategy, relationships, bidding, marketing, and technology. The CSFs in this study provide a vehicle for guiding a contractor in managing its resources in order to improve compe...

Screening Practices of New Business Incubators: The Evaluation of Critical Success Factors:

Abstract: New firms are an important mechanism through which new jobs are created. However, the new venture failure rate is greater than the rate of creation. Business incubators have been organized to bring...