Reengineering the corporation: A manifesto for business revolution: Michael Hammer and James Champy HarperCollins Publishers USA published in UK by Nicholas Brealey Publishing London (1993) 216 pp

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the complex interdependence of the factors in driving or hindering construction productivity at the industry, project and activity levels in a systemic manner.,A mixed-methods design, which combines a critical literature review, an interview-based survey with 32 industry experts and five focus group meetings participated in by 109 representatives of a wide range of industry stakeholder groups, was employed to identify the drivers for and constraints on construction productivity enhancement in Hong Kong and explore the interrelated insights into the drivers and constraints.,The study conceptualised and validated a systemic framework for examining construction industry productivity, and developed three causal loop diagrams (CLDs) for illustrating the dynamic structures that underpin the complex systems of the drivers and constraints.,Although the scope of the study was limited to Hong Kong, the results could be interpreted for critical learning in other urban contexts.,The systemic perspective of construction productivity and the CLDs of the drivers and constraints support the systems thinking of industry stakeholders in the formulation of holistic strategies for long-term construction industry productivity enhancement.,The study conceptualises construction productivity from a systemic perspective and provides empirically supported CLDs to facilitate future investigations into the complex system of construction productivity.

A systemic exploration of drivers for and constraints on construction productivity enhancement

Conflict resolution-motivated strategy towards integrated construction site layout and material logistics planning: A bi-stakeholder perspective

The provision of services by the public sector is the result of a complex adaptive system at work, and involves a large number of stakeholders from different institutions and organisations. In the ...

Assessment of Application of Participatory Methods for Complex Adaptive Systems in the Public Sector

Purpose




Diminishing local government budgets and the need to reduce highway works activities necessitate cost effective and efficient processes. The purpose of this paper is to investigate streamlining road works administrative processes to enhance coordinated working at Derby City Council.




Design/methodology/approach




Case study research of a local authority was undertaken using business process mapping. Specifically, Swimlane analysis enabled re-engineering of business processes from design stage, to works permit issuance. Process improvement recommendations were validated by nine industry experts through a focus group and semi-structured interviews. A logic map was developed for transferability to other councils, identifying key attributes for a successful administrative road works management process.




Findings




Research revealed inherent silo working and processes built around fragmented IT systems creating process inefficiency. Validation found numerous practices and management styles were culturally embedded and common across councils. Peer reviewed recommendations are made to improve working practices, including improving IT systems, removing process bottlenecks, and training staff.




Research limitations/implications




Whilst road works management policy is generally under-researched, its strategic and negative impacts are widely acknowledged. This study highlights the day-to-day operational problems which are interconnected to the strategic impact, bridging an important gap in knowledge, as well as adding to business process re-engineering literature.




Originality/value




The research adds to a limited body of road works management policy research, and also presents a high-level logic map for councils to adopt as appropriate.

/pdf/process-mapping-for-road-works-planning-and-coordination-3wc8pzia3g.pdf

Process mapping for road works planning and coordination

Around 2.5 million utility works (street works) occurred in England in 2016 with a construction cost of approximately £2 billion. Comparative figures for highway works (road works) are not readily available, but are expected to be similarly significant. Unsurprisingly, the volume of road works and street works (RWSW) activity in urban areas is considered to have a negative impact on the road network causing disruption and premature deterioration, blighting the street scene, damaging local business trade, and significantly increasing social, economic and environmental costs. Indeed the social costs of street works alone are estimated to be around £5.1 billion annually. Despite the economic significance of highway infrastructure, the subject of road works and street works management is under-researched, with greater research emphasis on technology-based, as opposed to policy-based management approaches. Consequently, the aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency and effectiveness of managing the business process of RWSW. 
Due to limited academic literature in the subject domain, earlier research focused on identifying the industry actors, their motivations, as well as drivers and barriers to RWSW management. Semi-structured interviews with industry stakeholders highlighted the industry s complexity and revealed that several issues contributed to ineffective RWSW management. Principal problems included Street Authorities (SA) failing to take enough ownership of the RWSW coordination process, highway legislation not encouraging joint working due to inherent challenges arising from reinstatement guarantees, and entrenched attitudes and adversarial practices in the construction industry encouraging silo working. 
The Derby Permit Scheme (legislative tool) was intended to improve RWSW management through giving SAs greater control of highway works. Accordingly, RWSW activity was tested through a statistical time series intervention analysis to separately examine the impacts of the Highway Authority (HA) led works and utility industry led works over 6.5 years. The Permit Scheme was found to reduce utility works durations by around 5.4%; equivalent to 727 days, saving between £2.1 - £7.4 million in construction and societal costs annually. Conversely, the Permit Scheme did not noticeable reduce the HA led works. Instead, the introduction of a works order management system (WOMS) to automate some of the back office road works process was found to reduce works durations by 34%; equivalent to 6519 days and saving between £8.3 - £48.3m per annum. This case study highlighted that more considered practices were required by the HA to reduce RWSW. 
The stakeholder study and the automated WOMS technology found that well-managed business processes tended to lead to better executed highway works on-site. Informed by these experiences, the sponsor was keen to re-engineer its internal business processes. Business process mapping was adopted to identify inefficient practices and improved coordinated working opportunities on three key internal teams involved in the road works process. Findings revealed that silo working was inherent and that processes were built around fragmented and outdated Information Technology (IT) systems, creating inefficiencies. A subsequent validation exercise found that certain practices, such as restricted data access and hierarchal management styles were culturally embedded and also common across other local authorities. Peer reviewed recommendations to improve working practices were made, such as adopting an integrated Highways Management IT system, vertical integration between the customer relationship management IT system and the Highways IT systems, and the provision of regulatory training. In conclusion, based on the finding of this study, a generic logic map was created with potential to transfer the learning to other local authorities and for their use when evaluating road works administrative processes.

Investigating the business process implications of managing road works and street works

Roadworks and street works can be highly disruptive, expensive and deleterious to highway structures and infrastructure planning, yet these activities must take place if modern societies are to continue to function. In helping to strike this balance, this study investigates the public policy landscape of highway excavation management in England, UK. Semi-structured interviews with industry stakeholders highlighted the complexity of the industry and revealed that a number of issues compromise effective management. Principal problems included street authorities failing to take enough ownership of the coordination process, highway legislation not encouraging joint working due to inherent challenges arising from reinstatement guarantees and entrenched attitudes and adversarial practices in the construction industry encouraging silo working. Key recommendations include amending highway legislation to support and recognise multiagency working and street authorities undertaking reinstatements on behalf of undert...

/pdf/street-work-policy-in-england-uk-insights-from-stakeholders-1xegmayjaf.pdf

Street work policy in England, UK: insights from stakeholders

It is widely recognised that street works are disruptive, have high social costs and are deleterious to highway structures. Notwithstanding this, utility works are critical so that society can enjoy the amenities of a modern world. In striking this balance, this study investigates the policy landscape of street works management in England to gain an insight into stakeholder perspectives of the industry. Semi-structured interviews with industry stakeholders have helped to identify the complexity of the industry and revealed that a number of issues compromise effective street works management. Principal problems include Street Authorities failing to take enough ownership of the coordination process, highway legislation not encouraging joint working due to inherent challenges arising from reinstatement guarantees, and entrenched attitudes and adversarial practices in the construction industry encouraging silo working. Key recommendations include amending highway legislation to support and recognise multi-agency working and Street Authorities undertaking reinstatements on behalf of undertakers to help reduce fragmentation and discharge undertakers of onerous guarantees which contribute to silo working.

/pdf/stakeholder-perspectives-of-street-works-management-in-40y2evd62b.pdf

Stakeholder Perspectives of Street Works Management in England

Road works (highway works) and street works (utility works) activities are vital for society to travel, enjoy amenities, and to access essential services such as water, electricity, gas and telecommunications. However, road works and street works can be disruptive, inconvenient and have high social costs. The Permit scheme is a relatively new management regime which seeks to reduce the disruption caused by highway excavations by giving English Street Authorities greater control of works in their areas. The Derby Permit scheme commenced on October 2013. This research aims to understand whether the adoption of the Permit scheme has resulted in any change to the city’s road works and street works landscape. A time series model using an intervention variable was run. 61 months of average works duration data was analysed along with several independent variables including daylight hours, economic activity and precipitation. The results showed that the Permit scheme had a positive effect on Derby by reducing the overall average duration of works by a third of a day. This is a 10% reduction overall, being equal to 8434 days per year, and in monetary terms equivalent to saving £769,048/$1,179,777 in societal costs per annum. This research is significant as it provides impact information for policy makers and practitioners on a relatively new type of scheme, and it is original, in that this is the first time that an intervention analysis approach has been applied to this area of public policy.

Rizwana S. Hussain

Papers

Process mapping for road works planning and coordination

Investigating the business process implications of managing road works and street works

Street work policy in England, UK: insights from stakeholders

Stakeholder Perspectives of Street Works Management in England

Evaluating the road works and street works management permit scheme in Derby, UK