How to Do Things With Words

The 2008 crash has left all the established economic doctrines - equilibrium models, real business cycles, disequilibria models - in disarray. Part of the problem is due to Smith’s "veil of ignorance": individuals unknowingly pursue society’s interest and, as a result, have no clue as to the macroeconomic effects of their actions: witness the Keynes and Leontief multipliers, the concept of value added, fiat money, Engel’s law and technical progress, to name but a few of the macrofoundations of microeconomics. A good viewpoint to take bearings anew lies in comparing the post-Great Depression institutions with those emerging from Thatcher and Reagan’s economic policies: deregulation, exogenous vs. endoge- nous money, shadow banking vs. Volcker’s Rule. Very simply, the banks, whose lending determined deposits after Roosevelt, and were a public service became private enterprises whose deposits determine lending. These underlay the great moderation preceding 2006, and the subsequent crash.

The Economic Institutions of Capitalism

Social Psychology of Organizations

What makes organizations so similar? We contend that the engine of rationalization and bureaucratization has moved from the competitive marketplace to the state and the professions. Once a set of organizations emerges as a field, a paradox arises: rational actors make their organizations increasingly similar as they try to change them. We describe three isomorphic processes-coercive, mimetic, and normative—leading to this outcome. We then specify hypotheses about the impact of resource centralization and dependency, goal ambiguity and technical uncertainty, and professionalization and structuration on isomorphic change. Finally, we suggest implications for theories of organizations and social change.

The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields (Chinese Translation)

Building on Thompson’s (1967) typology of long-linked, intensive, and mediating technologies, this paper explores the idea that the value chain, the value shop, and the value network are three distinct generic value configuration models required to understand and analyze firm-level value creation logic across a broad range of industries and firms. While the long-linked technology delivers value by transforming inputs into products, the intensive technology delivers value by resolving unique customer problems, and the mediating technology delivers value by enabling direct and indirect exchanges between customers. With the identification of alternative value creation technologies, value chain analysis is both sharpened and generalized into what we propose as a value configuration analysis approach to the diagnosis of competitive advantage. With the long-linked technology and the corresponding value chain configuration model as benchmark, the paper reviews the distinctive logic and develops models of the value shop and the value network in terms of primary activity categories, drivers of cost and value, and strategic positioning options. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Configuring value for competitive advantage: on chains, shops, and networks

The aim of this paper is to propose a comprehensive framework for the management of innovation in construction, addressing the construction innovation problem in two distinctive ways at the institutional and firm levels. First, an institutional perspective derived from research on complex systems industries is developed which provides an alternative to the volume production model for construction innovation research. The roles of the innovation infrastructure, innovation superstructure and systems integrator are all identified and applied to construction. The paper then moves on to the firm level where the two key innovation dynamics - the top-down adoption/implementation dynamic and the bottom up problem solving/learning dynamic are identified. The paper ends by calling for more case studies of the trajectories of construction innovations. L'objet de cet article est de proposer un cadre global ou gerer l'innovation dans le secteur de la construction; l'auteur aborde la question de l'innovation sous deux ...

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/096132198369751

Zephyrs of creative destruction: Understanding the management of innovation in construction

Part I Introduction: The management of construction projects The context of construction project management Part II Defining the project mission: Deciding what the client wants Managing stakeholders Part III Mobilising the resource base: Forming the project coalition Motivating the project coalition The dynamics of the supply chain Part IV Riding the project life-cycle: The project life-cycle Defining problems and generating solutions Managing the budget Managing the programme Managing conformance quality Managing uncertainty and risk on the project Managing project information Part V: Leading the project coalition: Designing effective project organisations Infusing the project mission Conclusions: Revaluing construction project management Bibliography

Managing Construction Projects

Preface to 1st Edition. Preface to 2nd Edition. Part I Introduction. 1 The Management of Construction Projects. 1.1 Introduction. 1.2 Projects as the creation of new value. 1.3 The project as an information processing system. 1.4 Project management and the management of projects. 1.5 Projects and resource bases. 1.6 The five generic project processes. 1.7 Critiques of the first edition. 1.8 A theoretical perspective on managing construction projects. 1.9 A practical contribution to managing construction projects. 1.10 The plan of the book. 1.11 Summary. Case 1 The Channel Fixed Link. 2 The Context of Construction Project Management. 2.1 Introduction. 2.2 The industry recipe for construction. 2.3 National business systems in construction. 2.4 The regulatory context. 2.5 The construction cycle. 2.6 The development of concession contracting. 2.7 Summary. Case 2 The UK Construction Business System. Further reading. Part II Defining the Project Mission. 3 Deciding What the Client Wants. 3.1 Introduction. 3.2 From artefact to asset: facilities as new value. 3.3 Understanding spatial quality and business processes. 3.4 Indoor environmental quality and business processes. 3.5 Symbolic quality: beyond peer review. 3.6 Justifying the investment. 3.7 Strategic misrepresentation in investment appraisal. 3.8 Defining the project mission: a conceptual framework for product integrity. 3.9 Summary. Case 3 Defining the Mission at the University of York. Further reading. 4 Managing Stakeholders. 4.1 Introduction. 4.2 Which are the project stakeholders? 4.3 Mapping stakeholders. 4.4 The regulatory context. 4.5 Managing consent. 4.6 Ethics in project mission definition. 4.7 The role of visualisation. 4.8 Summary. Case 4 The Rebuilding of Beirut Central District. Further reading. Part III Mobilising the Resource Base. 5 Forming the Project Coalition. 5.1 Introduction. 5.2 The principal/agent problem in construction. 5.3 Procuring construction services. 5.4 The formation of project coalitions. 5.5 Selecting resource bases. 5.6 Forming more effective project coalitions. 5.7 The development of e-procurement. 5.8 Probity in procurement. 5.9 Summary. Case 5 Partnering Between Marks & Spencer and Bovis. Further reading. 6 Motivating the Project Coalition. 6.1 Introduction. 6.2 The problem of moral hazard in construction projects. 6.3 The problem of switching costs. 6.4 Managing the problem of moral hazard. 6.5 Contractual uncertainty and risk allocation. 6.6 Governing the contract and the role of third parties. 6.7 The dynamic of adversarial relations. 6.8 Alliancing. 6.9 Summary. Case 6 NHS ProCure 21. Further reading. 7 Managing the Dynamics of the Supply Chain. 7.1 Introduction. 7.2 Horizontal and vertical governance. 7.3 Internal resource mobilisation. 7.4 Shirking. 7.5 The role of sequential spot contracting in construction employment. 7.6 Managing the supply chain. 7.7 Managing consortia and joint ventures. 7.8 The dynamics of supply chains. 7.9 Clustering the supply chain. 7.10 Summary. Case 7 Building Down Barriers. Further reading. Part IV Riding the Project Life Cycle. 8 Minimising Client Surprise. 8.1 Introduction. 8.2 Projecting a perfect future. 8.3 Strategies for imagining the future: options thinking. 8.4 Moving from phase to phase: gating the process. 8.5 The gap analysis approach. 8.6 What do we mean by project success? 8.7 The nature of information flows in problem solving. 8.8 Process representation. 8.9 Knowledge management and learning from projects. 8.10 Summary. Case 8 Riding the Life Cycle on the Glaxo Project. Further reading. 9 Defining Problems and Generating Solutions. 9.1 Introduction. 9.2 Tame and wicked problems in the project process. 9.3 Solving the briefing problem. 9.4 Client organisation for briefing and design. 9.5 Solving the design problem. 9.6 The cult of wickedness. 9.7 The management of design. 9.8 Summary. Case 9 Designing the Sheffield Arena. Further reading. 10 Managing the Budget. 10.1 Introduction. 10.2 Levels of accuracy in project budgets. 10.3 Developing a budgetary system. 10.4 Using the PBS to control the budget. 10.5 Value engineering and cost management. 10.6 Constructability. 10.7 Controlling the budget. 10.8 Earned value analysis. 10.9 Mitigating optimism bias. 10.10 Budget overruns and escalating commitments. 10.11 Summary. Case 10 The Centuria Project Budget. Further reading. 11 Managing the Schedule. 11.1 Introduction. 11.2 Critical path method. 11.3 Resourcing the project. 11.4 The limitations of the critical path method. 11.5 New approaches to project scheduling. 11.6 The dynamics of the project schedule. 11.7 Summary. Case 11 Centuria Project Schedule. Further reading. 12 Managing Conformance. 12.1 Introduction. 12.2 The principles of quality management systems. 12.3 Inspection. 12.4 Quality control. 12.5 Quality assurance. 12.6 Integrated management systems for quality, environment, safety and health. 12.7 Creating a culture of improvement. 12.8 Quality awards and self-assessment. 12.9 Conformance management in a project environment. 12.10 Standardisation and pre-assembly. 12.11 Summary. Case 12 From Navvies to White Van Man: Managing Conformance at T5. Further reading. 13 Managing Uncertainty and Risk on the Project. 13.1 Introduction. 13.2 Risk and uncertainty: a cognitive approach. 13.3 The elicitation of subjective probabilities. 13.4 Propensity for risk and uncertainty. 13.5 The practice of managing risk and uncertainty. 13.6 Managing opportunities and threats on projects. 13.7 The strategic management of project risk and uncertainty. 13.8 Summary. Case 13 Managing Front-End Risks Through Networks: Boston Central Artery/Tunnel. Further reading. 14 Managing the Project Information Flow. 14.1 Introduction. 14.2 The principles of integrated project information. 14.3 The development of information and communication technologies. 14.4 Engineering information management systems. 14.5 Enterprise resource management systems. 14.6 e-construction. 14.7 Project extranets. 14.8 The role of the project manager in managing project information. 14.9 Summary. Case 14 Building Information Modelling at One Island East. Further reading. Part V Leading the Project Coalition. 15 Designing Effective Project Organisations. 15.1 Introduction. 15.2 The rise of the project management concept. 15.3 Projects, programmes and portfolios. 15.4 The responsibilities of the client. 15.5 Who is the project manager? 15.6 Organising the project through the life cycle. 15.7 Project organisation in construction. 15.8 Determining the organisation breakdown structure. 15.9 Project teamworking. 15.10 Constructing the team. 15.11 Summary: project organisation design. Case 15 Glaxo Project Organisation. Further reading. 16 Infusing the Project Mission. 16.1 Introduction. 16.2 Appropriate leadership. 16.3 Leadership style. 16.4 Construction project leadership. 16.5 Resolving conflict on the project. 16.6 The levers of power. 16.7 Project culture and leadership. 16.8 Leading the construction project. 16.9 Summary: infusing the project mission. Case 16 Patrick Crotty: Project Director on the Waterloo International Project. 16.10 The project life cycle. 16.11 Keeping control. Further reading. 17 Conclusions: Managing Construction Projects Consummately. 17.1 Revaluing construction. 17.2 Managing for product integrity. 17.3 Managing for process integrity. 17.4 Construction as a manufacturing process. 17.5 Systems thinking and managing projects. 17.6 Professionalism and managing construction projects. 17.7 Judgement in managing construction projects. 17.8 Summary of the book. 17.9 A concluding thought. Case 17 Tinker Bell Theory in Practice. Further reading. References. People Index. Project Index. Subject Index.

Managing Construction Projects: An Information Processing Approach

Three of the influential perspectives for analysing construction management are reviewed - socio-technical systems; organization and environment; and project management - and it is suggested that in spite of their considerable usefulness, they contain no framework for analysing the inevitable differences in interest between the different firms who are members of the project coalition. An alternative approach is then presented - the transaction cost approach - which, it is suggested, does allow these differences to be analysed. In conclusion, the dynamics of the contracting system are assessed in terms of the contradiction between construction firms’ responses to the uncertainties inherent in the project, and those deriving from the contracting system itself.

The construction firm and the construction project: a transaction cost approach

There has been considerable development in a process approach in construction management research in recent years. However, such work begs the question of how those processes are governed. Processes, be they flows of information or materials, need to be channelled in the desired direction as they are handed from team to team. This paper aims to present a conceptual framework for understanding the governance of construction project processes, drawing on transaction cost economics. Earlier attempts to apply this theoretical framework in construction management research have been partial, in that they have focused on only one type of transaction, typically that between client and principal contractor. This paper aims to be comprehensive in covering all the different transactions throughout the project lifecycle within one conceptual framework, and thereby it is hoped that more incisive empirical research can be developed and executed.

Graham Winch

Papers

Zephyrs of creative destruction: Understanding the management of innovation in construction

Managing Construction Projects

Managing Construction Projects: An Information Processing Approach

The construction firm and the construction project: a transaction cost approach

Governing the project process: a conceptual framework