Showing papers in "Construction Management and Economics in 2011"

Construction workers’ perceptions of health and safety training programmes

Abstract: As zero-accidents cultures expand in popularity, knowledge and implementation of safety regulations have become priorities for construction organizations. An expanded literature review revealed that many industry leaders have responded by increasing the frequency and content of health and safety training programmes; however the provision of training largely has remained consistent. Identifying workers’ conceptions of the training they receive is critical to the design and deployment of effective workplace education programmes. Utilizing a hybrid questionnaire of qualitative and quantitative components to assess perceptions and knowledge, data were collected from a sample (n = 121) representing construction professionals across the United States who had completed an OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety Training Course. The data described a workforce dissatisfied with training effectiveness and characterized a widespread situation in which the distinguishing characteristics of adult learning had not been addres...

Enabling and measuring innovation in the construction industry

Abstract: Innovation is vital to successful, long-term company performance in the construction industry. Understanding the innovation process, how innovation can be enhanced and how it can be measured are key steps to managing and enhancing innovation. The factors that affect innovation on a project were identified, as well as how these factors can be used to measure the level of innovation on a project, and the practices and processes that encourage and facilitate innovative changes. Case studies of construction projects in the United States revealed three necessary components of innovation: idea generation, opportunity and diffusion. A variety of practices are used to optimize each component including support and commitment from the owner/client and firm upper management, workforce and project team integration and diversity. Applying the practices identified in the research leads to enhanced innovation through better communication among project team members, integration of the design and construction disciplines,...

Demystifying the cost barriers to offsite construction in the UK

Abstract: Offsite construction has long been reported as an effective alternative to conventional construction, with wide-ranging benefits. However, a wider take-up has been inhibited by perceived cost barriers which are insufficiently studied. Such cost barriers are addressed, drawing on an examination of the cost performance of four types of construction method: pre-cast concrete cross-wall panel, in-situ reinforced concrete (RC) frame, steel frame and timber frame. Data were collected for 20 medium to high rise residential buildings of eight projects by a leading UK housebuilder over a five-year period (2004–08). In all cases, detailed cost comparisons were completed for build method selection. Cross-wall was found to be consistently cheaper than RC frame or steel frame by 11% to 32% in the projects. The process of developing and innovating cross-wall technology led to sustained cost savings up to 25% from its first use. Cross-wall construction also improved cost effectiveness of 20-storey high rise buildings ov...

Factors influencing the risk of falls in the construction industry: a review of the evidence

Abstract: Falls are a significant public health risk and a leading cause of non‐fatal and fatal injuries among construction workers worldwide. A more comprehensive understanding of casual factors leading to fall incidents is essential to prevent falls in the construction industry. However, an extensive overview of causal factors is missing from the literature. In this paper, 536 articles on factors contributing to the risk of falls were retrieved. One hundred and twenty‐one (121) studies met the criteria for relevance and quality to be coded, and were synthesized to provide an overview. In lieu of the homogeneity needed across studies to conduct a structured meta‐analysis, a literature synthesis method based on macro‐variables was advanced. This method provides a flexible approach to aggregating previous findings and assessing agreement across those studies. Factors commonly associated with falls included working surfaces and platforms, workers' safety behaviours and attitudes, and construction structure and facili...

Identification and evaluation of success factors for public construction projects

Abstract: Achieving success in public construction projects is difficult because it requires economy, efficiency, quality, fairness and transparency. Such projects are taken up on the requisition of owners/clients and almost always involve multiple entities and are also accountable to external financial audit and vigilance agencies. Identification of the success factors is considered the key to achieving success in these projects. Through an extensive literature review, 36 success attributes were identified and a questionnaire-based survey was undertaken to elicit views of professionals on these success attributes. The responses from 105 professionals with an average of 22 years of experience in public construction projects in India were collected and analysed. The factor analysis yielded four success factors: awareness of and compliance with rules and regulations; pre-project planning and clarity in scope; effective partnering among project participants; and external monitoring and control. These four success fact...

Factors that influence the development and diffusion of technical innovations in the construction industry

Abstract: Some technical innovations diffuse rapidly throughout the construction industry while others take a long time or are never integrated into everyday practice. Understanding the initiation, development, implementation and outcomes of successful technical innovations within the construction industry provides guidance for the improvement of the innovation process. To further this understanding, innovation generating organizations (IGOs) in the construction industry were surveyed and the data were statistically analysed. Two sources were used to identify newly developed products, technologies and management strategies: the Construction Innovation Forum’s NOVA Award website and the Emerging Construction Technologies (ECT) website. A total of 233 innovative products were identified from the two websites. The results showed that there are many statistically significant motivating factors for investment in the initial development of successful technical innovation, barriers and enablers to efficient diffusion and ...

Location‐Based Management for Construction: Planning, Scheduling and Control

Abstract: Russell Kenley and Olli Seppanen, Spon Press, London, 2009, 336 pp., ISBN 978 0 415 37050 9, £90 I found this book to be a very well‐researched and written summary of prevalent construction industr...

Trends of productivity growth in the construction industry across Europe, US and Japan

Abstract: Productivity is a key driver for economic growth and prosperity in any country. The pursuit of productivity growth requires an understanding of the factors affecting productivity. The trend of productivity growth, along with the possible factors underlying such growth across Europe, the US and Japan, is thus examined. In particular, there is a focus on comparing the productivity performance of the construction sector to that of other industries. Using the recently released EU KLEMS 1 database, 2 a growth accounting framework was adopted to assess the contribution of the following factors to productivity growth (during 1971–2005): capital, labour quality and total factor productivity (TFP). It was found that there is a general slowdown in labour productivity growth in total industries including construction across major OECD countries, with the exception of the UK. The differences in labour productivity growth between construction and total industries can be largely explained by construction’s poor TFP per...

Use and misuse of qualitative comparative analysis

Abstract: Research in construction is often confronted with a trade-off of selecting either in-depth studies of small-N cases, which may affect generalization of findings, or statistical large-N studies, which may limit examination of causal links. Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) provides a middle ground between these options, allowing researchers to analytically determine different combinations of conditions that produce an outcome in comparative studies. QCA has been applied extensively in other fields; however, the method has only recently started to gain traction in construction research. Guidance on the implementation of QCA is provided, including: a description of the method and its variants; stages required for its application; its benefits and critiques; applications in the construction field; and recommendations for scholars employing the method. QCA is a promising approach for probing causal links via investigations between variable-based, large-N analyses and qualitative, case-based, small-N studi...

A typology of operational approaches for stakeholder analysis and engagement

Abstract: Stakeholder analysis and engagement are the main tasks in stakeholder management. To identify operational approaches for stakeholder analysis and engagement, six interviews and a questionnaire survey were conducted in Hong Kong, and an additional 15 interviews were held in Australia. The main finding is a typology of practical approaches for practitioners in construction. A total of 30 approaches are comprised in the typology, and they are classified by application. To test the usefulness of the typology, action research is applied to two real-life projects in Australia. The implication is that the selection of the approaches is an art and a contingency approach as well, requiring practitioners' judgments. Each approach has its strengths and limitations, so the most appropriate way for effective stakeholder management is to use a combination of elements from each approach as circumstances dictate. This study can serve as a reference for the systematic consideration of the project management team about the operational approaches for stakeholder management in construction projects.

Analyses and evaluation of irregularities in public procurement in India

Abstract: Public procurement is prone to corruption, which in the global construction market alone accounts for an estimated US$340 billion per year There is a growing need for procurement systems to be able to fight corruption and improve the effectiveness, efficiency, fairness and transparency of public procurement A comprehensive list of irregularities in public procurement is derived from irregularities observed during technical vigilance inspections by experts and reported cases The research involved a questionnaire survey, Delphi method and an empirical investigation of the dynamics of irregular practices in public procurement The survey revealed the top 15 most frequent irregularities The irregularities have been classified under five categories: transparency, professional standards, fairness, contract monitoring and regulation and procedural irregularities The ranking of these categories reveals that transparency is the key factor requiring prime attention The other categories are of nearly equal imp

How procurement options influence risk management in construction projects

Abstract: Before proceeding with a project, a client has to choose an appropriate procurement option that facilitates an effective project organization in general and a thorough risk management process in particular. By identifying three procurement variables that have a major influence on risk management: project delivery method, form of payment, and use of collaboration or partnering arrangements, the effect of each variable is studied. An exploratory study and a series of interviews with clients, contractors and consultants involved in 11 Swedish construction projects, were performed in order to examine how risk management was carried out in each project. Irrespective of the procurement option, many projects suffered from variations in cost affecting one or more actors. Risk management was not carried out systematically throughout project phases. However, in the projects with early involvement of the actors, their participation throughout the project, and opportunities for open dialogue and collaboration, a more...

Analysing the structure of public–private partnership projects using network theory

Abstract: In public–private partnership projects (PPP), the relationships between the participants are established through a variety of contractual agreements between financiers, government, contractors, operators and customers. Raising funds, linking various participants legally and financially, ensuring supply, and producing and marketing products depend on well‐established financial and legal structures of PPP. Though numerous research studies have been conducted to establish and justify the structure of PPP projects based on contractual agreements between participating stakeholders and on existing legal frameworks of a host country, there are still questions left unanswered. Examples are: What are the factors that influence the structuring of PPP? Who are the key stakeholders? And what are the roles of participating partners in a PPP project? However, not much work has been done. Application of network theory can help fill these gaps and identify and distinguish potential stakeholders in PPP affiliation and can...

Fatigue: the most critical accident risk in oil and gas construction

Abstract: Construction work in oil and gas projects is both challenging and hazardous. The occupational hazards are often associated with fatigue and stress, and an accident is one possible outcome. The purpose of the two‐part study was to identify the new and emergent risks within the top 10 ranked risks and to evaluate their contribution to accidents. Three hundred and twenty stakeholders, from four oil and gas construction projects in mainland China participated in the survey questionnaire. Fifteen workers, who have experienced actual fatigue‐related accidents, were also interviewed. All of the stakeholders unanimously ranked fatigue as the most critical risk perceived to cause accidents with emotional disturbance, the emergent risk. This is the first time that fatigue has been identified as the leading accident risk in the construction industry. It was further reported as a trigger risk to a bundle of other synergetic risks. The new discovery confirms the need to consider fatigue as a complex multidimensional p...

Structural equation modelling of organizational justice and cooperative behaviour in the construction project claims process: contractors' perspectives

Abstract: A cooperative attitude is essential for successful teamwork in construction. The levels of conflict and dispute on construction projects are conceptualized as forms of cooperative/uncooperative attitude. A theoretical model demonstrates how conflict intensity, contractors' dispute tendencies and six identified constructs of organizational justice interact with and relate to each other. The model is tested using a structural equation modelling technique with partial least‐squares estimation. It uses survey data obtained from 41 contractors regarding their project experience. The results suggest that perceptions about organizational justice either promote or hinder cooperative behaviour in the construction project delivery process. Organizational justice, or at least people's perceptions of it, influenced 38% of conflict intensity levels, and altered 46% of contractors' tendencies to dispute. Perceptions about the quantum of claims approved (favourability of the outcome and the perceived fairness of the out...

Rethinking prefabricated construction management using the VP‐based IKEA model in Hong Kong

Abstract: Prefabricated construction is regarded by many as an effective and efficient approach to improving construction processes and productivity, ensuring construction quality and reducing time and cost in the construction industry. However, many problems occur with this approach in practice, including higher risk levels and cost or time overruns. In order to solve such problems, it is proposed that the IKEA model of the manufacturing industry and VP technology are introduced into a prefabricated construction process. The concept of the IKEA model is identified in detail and VP technology is briefly introduced. In conjunction with VP technology, the applications of the IKEA model are presented in detail, i.e. design optimization, production optimization and installation optimization. Furthermore, through a case study of a prefabricated hotel project in Hong Kong, it is shown that the VP‐based IKEA model can improve the efficiency and safety of prefabricated construction as well as reducing cost and time.

Quality of tender documents: case studies from the UK

Abstract: Tendering is one of the stages in construction procurement that requires extensive information and documents exchange. However, tender documents are not always clear in practice. The aim of this study was to ascertain the clarity and adequacy of tender documents used in practice. Access was negotiated into two UK construction firms and the whole tender process for two projects was shadowed for six to seven weeks in each firm using an ethnographic approach. A significant amount of tender queries, amendments and addenda were recorded. This showed that quality of tender documentation is still a problem in construction despite the existence of Co‐ordinated Project Information (1987) and British Standard 1192 (1984, 1990, 2007) that are meant to help in producing clear and consistent project information. Poor quality tender documents are a source of inaccurate estimates, claims and disputes on contracts. Six recommendations are presented to help in improving the quality of tender documentation. Further researc...

Decision‐making in a model‐based design process

Abstract: Decisions early in the design process have a big impact on the life cycle performance of a building. The outcome of a construction project can be improved if different design options can rapidly be analysed to assist the client and design team in making informed decisions in the design process. A model‐based design approach can facilitate the decision‐making process if the design alternatives' performances can be evaluated and compared. A decision‐making framework using a performance‐based design process in the early design phase is proposed. It is developed to support decision‐makers to take informed decisions regarding the life cycle performance of a building. A scenario is developed in order to demonstrate the proposed framework of evaluating the different design alternatives' energy performance. The framework is applicable to decision‐making in a structured design process, where design alternatives consisting of both objective and subjective evaluation criteria can be evaluated.

Subjectively construed identities and discourse: towards a research agenda for construction management

Abstract: Identity issues are under‐explored in construction management. We provide a brief introduction to the organization studies literature on subjectively construed identities, focusing on discourse, agency, relations of power and identity work. The construction management literature is investigated in order to examine identity concerns as they relate to construction managers centred on (1) professionalism; (2) ethics; (3) relational aspects of self‐identity; (4) competence, knowledge and tools; and (5) national culture. Identity, we argue, is a key performance issue, and needs to be accounted for in explanations of the success and failure of projects. Our overriding concern is to raise identity issues in order to demonstrate their importance to researchers in construction management and to spark debate. The purpose of this work is not to provide answers or to propose prescriptive models, but to explore ideas, raise awareness and to generate questions for further programmatic research. To this end, we promote ...

Critical parameters influencing value for money variations in PFI projects in the healthcare and transport sectors

Abstract: Achieving good value for money (VFM) is the principal objective of any private finance initiative (PFI) project while sustaining it throughout the contract life is the greatest challenge. Empirical evidence is required to understand uncertainties surrounding VFM of PFI before finding effective ways to improve it. Variations in costs, time and client requirements are explored, between successive review stages of PFI projects from the strategic business case stage through to the operational phase. The magnitudes of these variations are established and critical parameters that influence them are identified. The research methods include a documentary analysis of the full business cases of five PFI projects and a questionnaire survey of 44 PFI projects from the healthcare and transport sectors in the UK. The findings reveal that the current VFM assessment of PFI projects is often carried out under conditions of considerable uncertainty with frequent changes in costs, timescales and client requirements. The lis...

Understanding the early stages of the innovation diffusion process: awareness, influence and communication networks

Abstract: The themes of awareness and influence within the innovation diffusion process are addressed. The innovation diffusion process is typically represented as stages, yet awareness and influence are somewhat under-represented in the literature. Awareness and influence are situated within the contextual setting of individual actors but also within the broader institutional forces. Understanding how actors become aware of an innovation and then how their opinion is influenced is important for creating a more innovation-active UK construction sector. Social network analysis is proposed as one technique for mapping how awareness and influence occur and what they look like as a network. Empirical data are gathered using two modes of enquiry. This is done through a pilot study consisting of chartered professionals and then through a case study organization as it attempted to diffuse an innovation. The analysis demonstrates significant variations across actors’ awareness and influence networks. It is argued that soci...

The overworked site manager: gendered ideologies in the construction industry

Abstract: Organizations are sites where gendered ideologies are established and played out and in the case of the construction industry there is a strong underrepresentation of women and ethnic minorities in certain positions such as site managers. Masculine ideologies here denote the totality of norms, belief and assumptions that serve to enact specific images of e.g. leadership work. In the case of the Swedish construction industry, the site manager role is enacted as a paternal figure having full control of the situation, always in the position to take care of emerging and unforeseen events, and spending long hours at work. Such site management role is thus reproducing gender ideologies, imposing expectations on individual site managers, and erecting entry barriers for e.g. women or individuals not willing to forsake family life. The managerial implications are that the construction industry needs to critically evaluate what demands are put on site managers and how to create more balanced leadership positions.

Safety risk interactions among highway construction work tasks

Abstract: Recent research has produced frameworks for integrating safety risk data into project schedules, visual models and other construction planning tools. Unfortunately, only a few studies have attempted to quantify base‐level safety risk for construction tasks and no study has attempted to quantify the degree to which spatial and temporal interactions among tasks contribute to the potential for injury. A research study was performed to quantify the impact that pair‐wise spatial and temporal interactions have on the base‐level risk of 25 common highway construction work tasks in the United States. Six hundred risk interactions were quantified by obtaining and aggregating over 23 500 individual ratings from certified experts using the Delphi method. The results indicate that incompatible tasks may increase the base‐level risk up to 60%. The most incompatible highway construction tasks are: (1) installing curbs and gutters and installing rigid pavement; and (2) construction zone traffic control and installing ri...

Modelling profitability and effectiveness of Greek-listed construction firms: an integrated DEA and ratio analysis

Abstract: Existing research on construction performance measurement is dominated by project level studies, and the firm stakeholders require the development of models that compare performance in terms of efficiency. A new framework that integrates data envelopment analysis (DEA) and ratio analysis using a two-step approach is described to evaluate performance in terms of profitability and effectiveness of a sample of construction firms listed on the Athens Exchange. In the first step, profitability and effectiveness are assessed by employing DEA and by using the profit margin (i.e. income-to-sales ratio), respectively. In the second step, a Tobit and an ordinary least squares model are used in order to identify the drivers of profitability efficiency and effectiveness, respectively. Results do point out positive links between profitability efficiency and effectiveness. Profitability inefficiency can be explained by the size and expenses-to-total revenue ratio, whereas effectiveness can be explained only by the latt...

Revisiting the applicability of learning curve theory to formwork labour productivity

Abstract: The learning phenomenon has proved applicable in various industries, especially those associated with mass productions, such as aircraft and automobile assembly. The learning process in labour‐intensive industries is assumed to be more significant in the sense that automated work is constrained by the fact that machines cannot benefit from previous experience and therefore would not ‘learn’ to run any faster or increase the rate of production. Several previous investigations into the applicability of learning curve theory to the construction industry proved the importance of this concept to labour productivity. Nevertheless, a thorough examination of the literature revealed a dearth of research into the effect of learning on the formwork operation of building floors. Consequently, the objective of this research is to explore the influence of recurring building floor configurations on formwork labour productivity. To achieve this objective, formwork labour inputs from 45 multi‐storey in situ reinforced con...

Strategies for reducing employee turnover and increasing retention rates of quantity surveyors

Abstract: Quantity surveyors (QS) play an important role in the construction industry. There is therefore a need to reduce their job turnover, by minimizing their intention to quit the job (turnover intention) and improving their job satisfaction. Turnover intention was operationalized as the number of years QS are likely to remain in the profession (Y1) and in their present firms (Y2). The aims are to investigate job and jobholder characteristics that significantly affect Y1 and Y2; and provide recommendations to reduce QS’ turnover intentions. Using questionnaire survey, data were collected via e-mail from randomly selected QS in Singapore. Correlation analysis revealed that to reduce turnover, QS should be given competitive monetary and non-monetary benefits, and autonomy in decision making. To reverse turnover intention of well-performing QS who are ensconced in their firms, firms could enrich QS’ jobs so that their growth needs are met and they feel a sense of accomplishment. Certain characteristics of QS and ...

A pilot study of client complexity, emergent requirements and stakeholder perceptions of project success

Abstract: Construction industry reliance on performance metrics fixed at the project outset is being superseded by increasing use of emergent client judgments to characterize success. Clients may still consider a project that fails to meet formalized time, cost and performance goals successful if it satisfies emergent requirements not understood during initial briefing. Construction practitioners do not routinely recognize that client awareness of requirements improves as projects progress. Internal conflict among the client stakeholders and their reflections on the emerging project solution help client stakeholders to better understand their needs. Dissatisfaction results when these emergent requirements are not acknowledged. The need for practitioners to recognize and respond to these issues is explored by a paradigmatic case study of an office relocation and refurbishment project. The role of the ‘project sponsor’ as a synthesizer of client requirements and reflections on the emerging solution was observed to be...

Forecasting construction demand: a vector error correction model with dummy variables

Abstract: Modelling the level of demand for construction is vital in policy formulation and implementation as the construction industry plays an important role in a country’s economic development process. In construction economics, research efforts on construction demand modelling and forecasting are various, but few researchers have considered the impact of global economy events in construction demand modelling. An advanced multivariate modelling technique, namely the vector error correction (VEC) model with dummy variables, was adopted to predict demand in the Australian construction market. The results of prediction accuracy tests suggest that the general VEC model and the VEC model with dummy variables are both acceptable for forecasting construction economic indicators. However, the VEC model that considers external impacts achieves higher prediction accuracy than the general VEC model. The model estimates indicate that the growth in population, changes in national income, fluctuations in interest rates and changes in householder expenditure all play significant roles when explaining variations in construction demand. The VEC model with disturbances developed can serve as an experimentation using an advanced econometrical method which can be used to analyse the effect of specific events or factors on the construction market growth.

Identifying factors affecting resource availability for post‐disaster reconstruction: a case study in China

Abstract: The availability of resources allows for the rapid and cost‐effective delivery of a construction project. For rebuilding programmes after a disaster, the need for better understanding of factors affecting resource availability and their potential impacts on resourcing outcomes can be of crucial importance to effective reconstruction performance. Drawing on an empirical survey in China following the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the critical factors affecting resource availability for post‐quake reconstruction of housing are identified. Resource availability in a post‐disaster situation is not only associated with (1) project‐related factors such as quantity of resources required, project schedule, project resourcing plan, and resource procurement lead time; and (2) factors related to the reconstruction practitioners, including competency of resourcing manager and qualification of contractor; but is also related to (3) factors external to reconstruction projects including legislation and policy, general econom...

A lean-agile model of homebuilders' production systems

Abstract: A lean-agile model of homebuilders' production systems is proposed in this research. Value stream mapping is utilized to clarify the proposed lean-agile model, in which pull and Kanban are used to ...