| 1. |
- Adam, Abderisak, 1988, et al.
(författare)
-
Aggregation of factors causing cost overruns and time delays in large public construction projects: Trends and implications
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. - 1365-232X .- 0969-9988. ; 24:3, s. 393-406
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the impact that cost overruns and time delays exert on large public construction projects to clarify how past and current research regard factors causing cost overruns and time delays in large public construction projects.Design/methodology/approachThis paper, which is based on an analysis of a literature selection consisting of 40 journal articles, investigates and ranks the occurrence of and the explanations for cost overruns and time delays in large public construction projects. The study makes use of a kiviat diagram/radar chart in order to visualize multivariate data.FindingsAggregated rankings of important causes of cost overruns and time delays are reported. These show a strong emphasis on the management aspect as a primary cause of cost overruns and delays. Additionally, there seems to be a trend toward deemphasizing the role of financial considerations in explaining cost overruns and delays. It is argued that there needs to be a more rigorous assessment of the impact that each factor has on cost increases and delays based on factual observed data as opposed to retrospective accounts from questionnaire respondents.Research limitations/implicationsOnly public construction projects have been considered. The results will not be directly applicable to privately funded construction projects and/or projects of a smaller size.Originality/valueThe use of trend data, as illustrated in a kiviat diagram, showing how different ranking factors causing cost overruns and time delays has changed in importance over time.
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
- Eriksson, Per-Erik, et al.
(författare)
-
Client perceptions of barriers to partnering
- 2008
-
Ingår i: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. - : Emerald. - 0969-9988 .- 1365-232X. ; 15:6, s. 527-539
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to identify critical barriers to partnering, as perceived by construction clients, and the specific measures that are taken to overcome them during implementation. Design/methodology/approach - Empirical data were collected through a survey study of 87 professional construction clients in Sweden. Findings - Clients regard the most critical barriers as those attributable to cultural and organisational aspects. The analysis also shows that clients' perceptions of these barriers do not, in fact, affect their procurement procedures. Two-thirds of clients in the survey wish to increase cooperation with actors in the belief that it will favour project success. Their intention does not have any bearing on their procurement and project management procedures, which are still aligned to competitive bidding. Two potential reasons for this inconsistency are discussed: clients may be unaware of how their procurement procedures affect cooperation, and/or the individual decision maker may not have strong enough incentives to start using new and less familiar procurement procedures even though they are potentially more suitable than traditional procedures. Research limitations/implications - The quantitative data are limited to clients' perceptions of barriers to partnering; a contractor perspective is not included in the survey. Practical implications - The research results can serve as an alert for construction clients that their procurement procedures need to be adapted if they want to achieve the move towards increased cooperation that they say they do. Originality/value - This paper offers a unique analysis of the correlations between desired outcome in the form of increased cooperation, and actual behaviour in the form of procurement procedures.
|
|
| 4. |
- Eriksson, Per-Erik, et al.
(författare)
-
Overcoming barriers to partnering through cooperative procurement procedures
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. - : Emerald. - 0969-9988 .- 1365-232X. ; 16:6, s. 598-611
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to report on research into investigating ways in which construction clients can overcome barriers to partnering through the adoption of purposeful procurement procedures within an overall project management context. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected through interviews, document analysis, surveys and workshops as part of a longitudinal case study using an action-research approach. Findings - Analysis reveals how the early involvement of partners, selected for their long-term perspective and willingness to use collaborative working arrangements, can help to overcome cultural and organizational barriers. Research limitations/implications - The research results are based on empirical study for which reasonable generalisations could be made, albeit cautiously. Clients' implementation of partnering requires an appropriate use of a broad range of suitable procurement procedures that are quite different from more commonly used procedures. Hence, clients need to reassess their procurement procedures and tailor them to different project situations. Additionally, a long-term perspective is crucial in order to facilitate continual improvement over time. Originality/value - The case study data support the analysis of how utilised procurement procedures affect project results.
|
|
| 5. |
- Eriksson, Per-Erik, et al.
(författare)
-
Procurement effects on trust and control in client-contractor relationships
- 2007
-
Ingår i: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. - : Emerald. - 0969-9988 .- 1365-232X. ; 14:4, s. 387-399
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: To investigate how construction clients currently deal with procurement and analyze how the choices made during the buying process stages affect the combination of governance mechanisms and control types in client-contractor relationships.Methodology/approach: Empirical data was collected through a survey to 87 Swedish construction clients. Findings: Current procurement procedures establish governance forms facilitating a focus on price, through output control, and authority, through process control. Since construction transactions are mostly characterized by high complexity and customization and long duration, the theoretical framework prescribes a focus on trust and a somewhat lower focus on price and authority. Hence, from a transaction cost perspective, construction clients focus too much on price and authority and too little on trust. Since current procedures may cause problems in all stages of the buying process, the result suggests that partnering arrangements, entailing completely different choices during the buying process, may be a suitable way to facilitate trust and cooperation through informal social control.Research limitations/implications - Since the empirical results are based on data collected from only Swedish clients, international generalizations should be made cautiously.Practical implications - Clients wishing to implement trust-based collaborative relationships need to reconsider their procurement procedures entirely; joint objectives, teambuilding and other "fuzzy" techniques are not enough to transform adversarial relationships into cooperative ones.Originality/value - Earlier research has focused on one or a few aspects of procurement and governance, while this paper adopts an overall process perspective, taking into account clients' procurement procedures in their entirety.
|
|
| 6. |
- Feng, Kailun, 1991-, et al.
(författare)
-
Embedding ensemble learning into simulation-based optimisation : a learning-based optimisation approach for construction planning
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0969-9988 .- 1365-232X. ; 30:1, s. 259-295
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - Simulation-based optimisation (SO) is a popular optimisation approach for building and civil engineering construction planning. However, in the framework of SO, the simulation is continuously invoked during the optimisation trajectory, which increases the computational loads to levels unrealistic for timely construction decisions. Modification on the optimisation settings such as reducing searching ability is a popular method to address this challenge, but the quality measurement of the obtained optimal decisions, also termed as optimisation quality, is also reduced by this setting. Therefore, this study aims to develop an optimisation approach for construction planning that reduces the high computational loads of SO and provides reliable optimisation quality simultaneously.Design/methodology/approach - This study proposes the optimisation approach by modifying the SO framework through establishing an embedded connection between simulation and optimisation technologies. This approach reduces the computational loads and ensures the optimisation quality associated with the conventional SO approach by accurately learning the knowledge from construction simulations using embedded ensemble learning algorithms, which automatically provides efficient and reliable fitness evaluations for optimisation iterations.Findings - A large-scale project application shows that the proposed approach was able to reduce computational loads of SO by approximately 90%. Meanwhile, the proposed approach outperformed SO in terms of optimisation quality when the optimisation has limited searching ability.Originality/value - The core contribution of this research is to provide an innovative method that improves efficiency and ensures effectiveness, simultaneously, of the well-known SO approach in construction applications. The proposed method is an alternative approach to SO that can run on standard computing platforms and support nearly real-time construction on-site decision-making.
|
|
| 7. |
- Frödell, Mikael, 1981
(författare)
-
Criteria for achieving efficient contractor-supplier relations
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. - : Emerald. - 1365-232X .- 0969-9988. ; 18:4, s. 381 - 393
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – Despite numerous examples of benefits when adapting supplier relationship management in the manufacturing industry, the construction industry still lags behind in such areas as long-term relationships with suppliers and continuous cost-reductions. This may be because the characteristics of the construction industry differ from those of the manufacturing industry due to their project-based structure, its inherent tendency for sub-optimization and the vast number and variety of suppliers. The purpose of this study is to identify criteria for achieving efficient contractor-supplier relations in the construction industry and for large contractors. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on the literature on efficiency and differentiation of efficient buyer-supplier relationships as well as a two-year case study based on participatory observations and interviews with strategic purchasers at a large Swedish contractor.Findings – As it not always is possible to increase efficiency in the interface-related value creating processes by only aiming the development and improvement efforts directly at these processes, relationship enablers as total cost focus, aligned core values as well as willingness and capability for collaboration and development must first be in place. In order to achieve this, the contractor has to adopt a long-term orientation towards the relationship with the suppliers which is a decision for the management to make.Practical implications – Drawing from the findings, this paper elucidate the connection between increased efficiency and input variables in the contractor-supplier relationship which might be difficult for contractors to see. Furthermore, contractors need to take responsibility over their own processes in order to be an attractive customer to the supplier.Originality/value – Even though research within construction has focused at relations between different actors, mostly client and contractor, this paper widen the perspective and takes a grasp of the relationship between contractor and supplier.
|
|
| 8. |
- Gluch, Pernilla, 1968, et al.
(författare)
-
What tensions obstruct an alignment between project and environmental management practices?
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. - : Emerald. - 1365-232X .- 0969-9988. ; 19:2, s. 127-140
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Using an activity theory lens, this paper aims to examine the interrelationships between project practice and environmental management. It also aims to focus on tensions that occur between human agents and material objects within a motivedirected, historicallysituated activity system, namely that of managing environmental issues in projects. Case studies of two large infrastructure projects were conducted 20032004 and 2008. The studies comprised onsite observations, text analyses, 20 semistructured interviews and one group interview. Time was spent on the construction site to become familiarized with the context and the practices of the project community. A total of 15 weekly environmental site inspections were monitored and photodocumented. The findings show how new and emergent environmental management practices and routines were inherently contradictory to the situated and established culture within the projects. In fact project practices seemed to amplify the contradictions between environmental management and project management rather than mitigating them. As a result project members and organization members strove toward different goals and foci. It is argued that management needs to create arenas where members from the two units can align practices and merge routines. Aligning the permanent structures of the organization with the temporary organizing of practices and operational activities in projects is a challenge for the construction industry. A prevalent lack of fit between the organization and its projects causes contradictions which negatively affect the way in which longterm environmental strategies and goals are understood and implemented in the project settings. The system theoretical lens adopted in this study enables a holistic interpretation of complex and dynamic activities and the linking of the micro, the individual, to the macro, the organizational structure. By indicating some inherent and emergent contradictions between project practice and corporate environmental management, this paper contributes to an emergent field of research that focuses on social practice in construction. © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
|
|
| 9. |
- Granheimer, Klara, et al.
(författare)
-
Public procurement of engineering services: the influence of task characteristics on organisational control
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0969-9988 .- 1365-232X.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Prior research has emphasised the importance of the early phases of construction projects, as well as the difficulties of procuring engineering services – especially due to the uncertainties. Despite that, studies on the public procurement of engineering services are scarce. Although scholars have shown that uncertainty may affect the choice of control modes, the level of uncertainty that characterises services is not addressed by the two task characteristics: knowledge of the transformation process and output measurability. The purpose is to investigate organisational control in public procurement of engineering services.Design/methodology/approachThe existing control model was adjusted in this study by conceptually adding uncertainty as a third aspect to the two task characteristics. A single case study of the Swedish Transport Administration was used. The empirical data, comprising 14 interviews with managers from the client and engineering consulting companies, were analysed using flexible pattern matching and visual mapping approaches and then illustrated using the model.FindingsThe public client did not base its choice of control modes on uncertainty, but rather on the other two task characteristics. Consequently, the service providers argued that the chosen control modes reduced their creativity, increased their financial risks and caused unclear responsibilities. This study therefore shows that uncertainty is an important factor to consider in the choice of control modes, both from a theoretical perspective and from the service providers' point of view. The developed model may therefore be useful for researchers as well as practitioners.Originality/valueThis study is the first attempt to add uncertainty as a task characteristic when choosing control modes. The results contribute to the scarce control literature regarding the procurement of engineering services for construction projects and the procurement of other services with high uncertainty.
|
|
| 10. |
- Jacobsson, Mattias, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
-
BIM coordinators : a review
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0969-9988 .- 1365-232X. ; 25:8, s. 989-1008
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the role, practices and responsibilities of building information modeling (BIM) coordinators (BCs).Design/methodology/approach: The aim is achieved through a review of existing publications (n = 183) in which the term “BIM coordinators” has been described and discussed (n = 78), complemented by interviews with four Norwegian BIM experts.Findings: The findings from the review indicate that the core responsibilities of BCs involve clash detection, managing information flows and communication flows, monitoring and coordinating design changes, supporting new working procedures and technical development and acting as a boundary spanner. The complementary interview study extends these findings with two additional practices and a reflection on the experienced challenges, obstacles and potential future development of the role. In essence, the authors propose that the role of BCs can be defined as being responsible for external/internal alignment and coordination of actor needs, and engaged in product-, process- and system-oriented practices of BIM.Research limitations/implications: Given that this study is primarily an integrative literature review of BCs, it has the limitations common with such an approach. Therefore, future studies should preferably extend presented findings through either a survey, further in-depth interviews with BCs or reviews of closely related BIM specialist roles such as BIM managers or BIM technicians.Practical implications: With BCs seemingly being central to information management and knowledge domain integration within the architecture, engineering and construction industry, an understanding of their importance and role should be of interest to anyone seeking to tap into the potential of BIM. This paper outlines specific implications for construction manager, educators and BCs.Originality/value: The value of this study lies primarily in the fact that it is the first thorough investigation of the role, practices and responsibilities of BCs.
|
|
| 11. |
- Josephson, Per-Erik, 1960, et al.
(författare)
-
Why do work sampling studies in construction? The case of plumbing work in Scandiavia
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. - 1365-232X .- 0969-9988. ; 20:6, s. 589-603
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to identify reasons for doing work sampling studies in processes performed by temporary organisations. Specific questions consider if the technique can be used for measuring productivity and if it can be used to compare performances over time.Design/methodology/approach– A work sampling study of plumbing work in eight construction projects is compared with a similar study performed 20 years earlier. Interviews are made in order to find out how the work conditions have developed over time.Findings– Work sampling studies are of little value for measuring productivity as well as for comparing performances over time. One reason is that the conditions vary to a high extent from one situation to another. Another reason is that working conditions undergo significant development over time. On the other hand, the authors experience that data from work sampling studies are of high relevance for discussions on improvement opportunities among workers as well as among corporate managers.
|
|
| 12. |
- Karamoozian, Amirhossein, et al.
(författare)
-
A hybrid risk prioritization approach in construction projects using failure mode and effective analysis
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. - 0969-9988 .- 1365-232X. ; 27:9, s. 2661-2686
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - Construction projects involve with various risks during all phases of project lifecycle. Failure mode and effective analysis (FMEA) is a useful tool for identifying and eliminating possible risk of failure modes (FMs) and improving the reliability and safety of systems in a broad range of industries. The traditional FMEA method applies risk priority number method (RPN) to calculate risk of FMs. RPN method cannot consider the direct and indirect interdependencies between the FMs and is not appropriate for complex system with numerous components. The purpose of this study is to propose an approach to consider interdependencies between FMs and also using fuzzy theory to consider uncertainties in experts' judgments.Design/methodology/approach - The proposed approach consist of three stages: the first stage of hybrid model used fuzzy FMEA method to identify the failure mode risks and derive the RPN values. The second stage applied Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (FDEMATEL) method to determine the interdependencies between the FMs which are defined through fuzzy FMEA. Then, analytic network process (ANP) is applied in the third stage to calculate the weights of FMs based on the interdependencies that are generated through FDEMATEL method. Finally, weight of FMs through fuzzy FMEA and FDEMATEL-ANP are multiplied to generate the final weights for prioritization. Afterward, a case study for a commercial building project is introduced to illustrate proficiency of model.Findings - The results showed that the suggested approach could reveal the important FMs and specify the interdependencies between them successfully. Overall, the suggested model can be considered as an efficient hybrid FMEA approach for risk prioritization.Originality/value - The originality of approach comes from its ability to consider interdependencies between FMs and uncertainties of experts' judgments.
|
|
| 13. |
- Lindgren, John, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
-
Construction projects as mechanisms for knowledge integration : mechanisms and effects when diffusing a systemic innovation
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. - Bingley : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0969-9988 .- 1365-232X. ; 25:11, s. 1516-1533
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - The aim of this research is to study knowledge integration (KI) when diffusing a systemic innovation. The objectives are to understand what mechanisms are used, and when and what their effects are in terms of knowledge development.Design/Methodology/Approach - The method comprised a longitudinal case study which followed a firm’s attempts to develop and diffuse a timber multi-storey building system (the systemic innovation) over a number of projects.Findings - The findings emphasize actual projects as the most crucial activity for KI and when and why soft personalization mechanisms and codified knowledge should be mixed. Furthermore, it shows how different types of knowledge is built up including construction process effects over a series of projects.Research limitations/implications - The research contributes with knowledge about mechanisms for the diffusion of a specific systemic innovation type and provides input regarding mechanisms to use. The introduction of the concepts ‘domain-specific’, ‘procedural’ and ‘general knowledge’ into construction has increased understanding of innovation diffusion and knowledge flows and where and how they are integrated.Practical Implications – The research shows how knowledge develops and through which mechanisms, and where problems occur. Construction organisations can learn from this to avoid mistakes and potentially better understand how to manage knowledge to diffuse a systemic innovation.Originality/value - The research provides insight into systemic innovation diffusion over a series of projects and focuses on both projects and the construction process. © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited.
|
|
| 14. |
- Löwstedt, Martin, 1982, et al.
(författare)
-
Standardizing the free and independent professional: The case of construction site managers in Sweden
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. - 1365-232X .- 0969-9988. ; 27:6, s. 1337-1355
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose Research concerned with standardization of the construction process has generally considered the challenges from only rational and instrumental perspectives. The purpose of this paper is to foreground a social perspective of this challenge. Specifically, the work of construction site managers is explored through a professional work lens in order to emphasize significant misalignments with the principles of standardized production in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach Data are drawn from a longitudinal (2014-ongoing) case study of site managers' work in a large Swedish construction company. The research design is characterized by an explorative approach, altogether consisting of 44 in-depth interviews at the site manager level (28) and at other managerial levels (16). All the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed particularly to highlight two contrasting dominant discourses: "standardized construction production" and "site manager work." Findings The findings show that site manager's work is enmeshed with a particular type of professional expertise and identity that is ideologically crafted around a proclivity for free and independent work. It is outlined in detail how these social dimensions of work are enacted to form an ongoing (and successful) resistance to organizational initiatives that are based on principles of standardization. Originality/value This study improves our understanding of an unresolved social challenge that impedes the transformation toward more standardized construction production. It adds new perspectives and value to current research by reminding that (and how) significant changes in production processes also seriously implicate professional work.
|
|
| 15. |
- Meiling, John, et al.
(författare)
-
Managing for continuous improvement in off-site construction : Evaluation of lean management principles
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. - : Emerald. - 0969-9988 .- 1365-232X. ; 19:2, s. 141-158
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – Several off-site manufacturing companies in Sweden have attempted to apply lean management to improve process effectiveness and efficiency. A state of continuous improvement is a key goal of lean management, as described in, e.g. Likers 4P model. The aim of this study is to test a method to measure the degree to which lean management principles have been adopted by companies that base their production on off-site manufacturing, as a prerequisite for a sustainable approach to continuous improvement. Design/methodology/approach – A survey is applied as research method, using a questionnaire based on the authors' perceptions of best practices corresponding to each lean management principle. Two questionnaires were distributed to both management and factory production personnel in two off-site manufacturing firms in Sweden. Findings – The Likert scores regarding the degree to which lean principles have been applied in the two studied companies showed similar patterns (and similar differences between the management and production personnel's responses), indicating that the results can be generalised within an off-site construction context. The study shows that continuous improvements must emerge and evolve simultaneously with a focus on processes, people and long-term thinking. Research limitations/implications – In order to obtain more generalised and detailed results a more extensive survey covering several companies, as well as more detailed case studies and more questions regarding each principle, are needed. A multivariate analysis will also scan the material for further dependences. Originality/value – The paper highlights several aspects that are important for management to be aware of when aiming for continuous improvements in off-site manufacturing.
|
|
| 16. |
- Sadrinooshabadi, Seyedhabibollah, et al.
(författare)
-
Requirement management in a life cycle perspective based on ISO 19650-1 and CoClass as the new classification system in Sweden
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0969-9988 .- 1365-232X. ; 28:9, s. 2736-2753
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – Each building project demands an integrated method for information and requirement management in its life cycle. The main purpose of this paper is to explore the major obstacles in integrated life cycle information management and recognize the potentials of CoClass as the new Swedish digital classification system to tackle them throughout asset life cycle.Design/methodology/approach – The industry viewpoint toward the current status of asset information management considering ISO 19650-1 principles and the existing obstacles and the industry practitioners’ ideas regarding CoClass capabilities and applicability were captured and analyzed. A total of 13 semistructured interviews were conducted with the AECO industry professionals to have an understanding of information requirement management. Then the results were analyzed qualitatively, using the NVivo 12 software. Different attributes of a component (heating panel) in a meeting room according to CoClass and data deviations throughout the asset life cycle were elaborated.Findings – This study reveals some obstacles in information management process in seven categories in relation to: (1) the need to employ information exchange platforms as common data environments (CDEs) by all actors from early stages; (2) the communication issues caused by lack of utilizing common languages; (3) the costly and time-consuming implementation process; (4) the misunderstandings in terms of data communication between service providers and owners; (5) the definition and fulfillment of information requirements as well as keeping track of data deviations throughout asset life cycle; (6) the information update difficulty; and (7) the need for training practitioners dealing with new systems such as CoClass.Originality/value – The research explores the major obstacles in information requirement management concerning the practical implementation of the new Swedish classification system, CoClass, supporting the asset life cycle.
|
|
| 17. |
- Sezer, Ahmet Anil, 1987, et al.
(författare)
-
Site managers’ ICT tools for monitoring resources in refurbishment
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. - 1365-232X .- 0969-9988. ; 27:1, s. 109-127
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose : The purpose of this paper is to analyse site managers’ ICT preferences for monitoring resource use in refurbishment projects. Design/methodology/approach : Information and communication technologies (ICT) developments for the construction industry are increasing the scope for more efficient planning and monitoring of refurbishment projects. The analysis is based on the unified theory of acceptance and the use of technology model. After a short initial survey, a Swedish web/postal questionnaire has received 78 responses from refurbishment site managers, implying a 34 per cent response rate. Findings : Managerial choices related to ICT depend more on perceived performance expectancy than on effort expectancy. Large projects and larger firms are associated with more extensive ICT use. Site managers see little need to link to refurbishment clients’ ICT systems. Performance expectancy and age are found to influence ICT choices. Practical implications : Site managers play a crucial role in everyday use of ICT tools in the construction industry. The outcome of this investigation is useful for developing digital support, including applications of building information modelling, to improve refurbishment site practices. Originality / value : Much has been written about ICT support for new construction practices, but not much attention has been paid to refurbishment site managers’ media choices.
|
|
| 18. |
- Sherratt, Fred, et al.
(författare)
-
Managing "a little bit unsafe" : complexity, construction safety and situational self-organising
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. - : EMERALD GROUP PUBLISHING LTD. - 0969-9988 .- 1365-232X. ; 26:11, s. 2519-2534
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose The purpose of this paper is to unpack the shared understandings of safety held by workers on large UK construction sites using a complexity lens, and so provide empirical support for the inclusion of situational self-organising within construction site safety management systems (SMS). Design/methodology/approach A social constructionist epistemology supports the discourse analysis of talk (semi-structured interview and conversational), text (SMS and documentation) and visual (safety related signage) data collection from five large (+20 pound m) UK construction sites. Findings Construction workers readily understand safety to be an emergent phenomenon with the complex system that is the construction site. Contemporary safety management approaches struggle with this complexity, yet there is the potential to mobilise situational self-organising on sites to improve safety in practice. Research limitations/implications - Epistemological foundations mean no claim is made to generalisability as perceived by traditional positivistic parameters. The data are limited to large (+20m) pound UK construction sites; however, underlying construction management systems are common to the industry as a whole and can find fit with practitioner experiences and other empirical academic work from both the UK and other countries. Practical implications - Situational self-organising of safety management within the construction workforce is proposed as a key contribution to a relevant, dynamic and effective SMS. Originality/value Data are analysed from a social constructionist perspective and considered through a complexity lens. This approach unpacks these data in an original way to seek synergy with existing adaptive safety approaches, specifically situational self-organising and make recommendations for practice.
|
|
| 19. |
- Sundquist, Viktoria, 1976, et al.
(författare)
-
From project partnering towards strategic supplier partnering
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. - 1365-232X .- 0969-9988. ; 25:3, s. 358-373
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Partnering has been at the top of the management agenda in the construction industry for many years as a means of improving performance. Previous research shows that partnering has not reached the desired level of strategic partnering, but stopped at project partnering. The purpose of this paper is to provide an analytical framing for transformation from project partnering towards strategic partnering with suppliers. Design/methodology/approach: The framework is based on two building blocks: a case study of a contractor involved in implementing strategic partnering with four of its suppliers and a literature review dealing with partnering in construction; and models for close and long-term buyer-supplier collaboration in other contexts. Findings: Transformation towards strategic partnering should preferably be based on extension of project partnering in two dimensions: extension in time through relationship development with suppliers and extension in space through increasing network orientation across projects. Practical implications: Succeeding with relationship development and network orientation requires contractors to abandon two significant aspects of established construction logic that serve as significant implementation barriers. Competitive bidding in single projects needs to be replaced by collaboration over series of projects. The decentralisation of authority to the project level needs to be supplemented with increasing centralised decision making. Originality/value: Previous research showed that despite the considerable interest in partnering there is a lack of systematic theorizing of the phenomenon. This paper contributes to theoretical anchoring through the combining of the case study and the literature review in the abductive approach applied.
|
|
| 20. |
- Walker, Derek H.T., et al.
(författare)
-
A rationale for alliancing within a public-private partnership
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. - 0969-9988 .- 1365-232X. ; 21:6, s. 648-673
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – This case study was chosen for its rare, if not unique, project procurement strategy. It is, to the authors’ knowledge, the only example of a project alliance (PA) being undertaken within a public-private partnership (PPP) project delivery approach. The purpose of this paper is to explore the case study from a strategic perspective to better understand if it is possible to combine a PA within a less collaborative procurement form, such as PPP or design and construct (D&C), and to determine if there were any specific prerequisite conditions needed for such an arrangement to be successfully adopted. Design/methodology/approach – A single exploratory case study was undertaken through interviewing seven of the most senior project participant executives for approximately an hour that each had a separate and unique perspective to offer relating to the organisational role they represented in the PA. These interviewees were identified as the most knowledgeable key executives participating in the PA from whom both strategic and operational insights could be gained.Findings – It is possible to design a PA approach within a PPP for large and complex infrastructure projects and this can provide a competitive advantage to do so, however, the reasons for doing so should be clear and compelling. Parties to such an arrangement should be prepared to fully engage through adopting full PA principles. In such a case as this, the PPP special purpose vehicle takes on the role of “project owner” that normally the public body part of the PPP would normally adopt. Research limitations/implications – This research reports upon a single case study within a specific project delivery culture that has extensive experience of PAs. Demonstrated positive project outcomes would not be likely to be more generally repeatable across the engineering infrastructure sector unless parties engaged within such a PA had not already experienced and understood outcomes resulting from such a close collaboration. Practical implications – This research has implications for project participants bidding for PPP projects as well as others using a D&C tending approach. It offers a potential competitive advantage because it demonstrates and explains how choices may be expanded beyond a simple single project procurement strategy approach. Social implications – Many PPP and PA infrastructure projects are delivered to provide community benefit. This paper provides a way to improve the project delivery process and thus improving value to the community. Originality/value – The paper makes three contributions. Primarily, it pioneers analysis of a PA within a PPP. Second, it provides important insights into the reasons and emergence of this phenomenon. Finally, it provides an understanding of this how this novel form of early contractor involvement with a PPP special purpose ownership vehicle that combines competition and collaboration may function operationally.
|
|
| 21. |
- Yitmen, Ibrahim, et al.
(författare)
-
ANP model for evaluating the performance of adaptive façade systems in complex commercial buildings
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Engineering Construction and Architectural Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0969-9988 .- 1365-232X. ; 29:1, s. 431-455
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeDecisions taken during the early design of adaptive façades involving kinetic, active and responsive envelope for complex commercial buildings have a substantial effect on inclusive building functioning and the comfort level of inhabitants. This study aims to present the application of an analytic network process (ANP) model indicating the order of priority for high performance criteria that must be taken into account in the assessment of the performance of adaptive façade systems for complex commercial buildings.Design/methodology/approachThe nominal group technique (NGT) stimulating and refining group judgments are used to find and categorize relevant high performance attributes of the adaptive façade systems and their relative pair-wise significance scores. An ANP model is applied to prioritize these high performance objectives and criteria for the adaptive façade systems.FindingsEmbodied energy and CO2 emission, sustainability, energy saving, daylight and operation maintenance were as the most likely and crucial high performance criteria. The criteria and the weights presented in this study could be used as guidelines for evaluating the performance of adaptive façade systems for commercial buildings in planning and design phases.Practical implicationsThis research primarily provides the required actions and evaluations for design managers in accomplishing a high performance adaptive façade system, with the support of an ANP method. Before beginning the adaptive façade system of a building design process, the design manager must determine the significance of each of these attributes as high performance primacies will affect the results all through the entire design process.Originality/valueIn this research, a relatively innovative, systematic and practical approach is proposed to sustain the decision-making procedure for evaluation of the high performance criteria of adaptive façade systems in complex commercial buildings.
|
|
| 22. |
- Kyrö, Riikka, et al.
(författare)
-
Connecting adaptability strategies to building system lifecycles in hospital retrofits
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. - 0969-9988.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeThe fast advancement of medical technology and processes poses challenges to hospital construction and management. The purpose of this paper is to provide a structured approach to advancing adaptability in hospital retrofits, proposing the preferable timing and scope of different adaptability strategies.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research approach was chosen, with 28 semi-structured interviews designers, project managers, clients and healthcare professionals as the primary research data.FindingsThis paper presents a model for planning for the future in hospital retrofits. The model includes 11 different adaptability strategies, categorized based on the level of adaptability. Furthermore, each strategy is linked to an open building system level, indicating the appropriate timing. Based on the findings, generality strategies in the tertiary building system level are the most effective forms of adaptability, as they are easy to implement and answer to non-specific changes in hospital operations.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings contribute to existing knowledge on adaptability in buildings, and provide practical guidance particularly for designers. A new type of service offering, an adaptability roadmap detailing the scope and timing of adaptability, is suggested.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the existing research by detailing different approaches and knowledge related to adaptability and its strategies in hospital retrofits. More specifically, the three-fold categorization of adaptability is linked to both timing and intrusiveness in a novel way.
|
|
| 23. |
- Landin, Anne, et al.
(författare)
-
Evaluation of Quality Systems for Specialist Contractors
- 1998
-
Ingår i: Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. - : Emerald. - 0969-9988. ; 5:3, s. 210-219
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Quality systems are being adopted by the Swedish building industry to an increasing degree. The present paper examines two categories of specialist contractors — electrical contractors, and plumbing, heating and ventilation contractors — and the introduction of quality systems in these environments. The companies were assessed in terms of the ISO 9001 standard and the Crosby Quality Management Maturity Grid. The evaluation shows that much has been accomplished in efforts to ensure quality, but that much is yet to be done. Considering the investment in resources which the introduction of a quality system represented for these firms, it is noteworthy that none of them measured the effects of quality control in a concrete way. A specific instrument, based on ISO 9001 and the Crosby Grid, is seen as applicable. The importance of developing the evaluation of quality systems further is emphasized, an approach which can be used both by suppliers and by customers.
|
|
| 24. |
- Lavikka, Rita Henriikka, et al.
(författare)
-
Revealing change dynamics in hospital construction projects
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. - 0969-9988. ; 26:9, s. 1946-1961
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Hospital construction projects often suffer from relatively late changes in the project lifecycle, which disrupt the project execution and impact project productivity. The purpose of this paper is to explore the root causes of changes in hospital construction projects. The paper aims to propose ways to prepare for the changes. Design/methodology/approach: The study focuses on changes during the construction of new hospital facilities. An explorative, case study research design is utilised. Five case projects from Finland, Sweden and the USA were selected for in-depth analysis. The primary data comprise semi-structured interviews, supported by secondary evidence such as change order documents. Findings: The findings reveal eight categories for change sources: contracts, and equipment and systems are reflective of the fast-paced healthcare technology and changing user requirements, while external environment comprises changes caused by both regulatory and physical environment. Changes in operations are reflected in the continuous development of treatment methods and processes. The user, owner, designer and contractor initiated changes represent the stakeholder influence. The paper makes a connection between these change sources and project complexity dimension. A framework for change dynamics is introduced, and product and process flexibility is suggested as a suitable method to prepare for and manage changes. Originality/value: The paper is the first to link construction changes to project complexity factors. The paper argues that changes, when managed appropriately, are not only necessary but also beneficial to large construction projects in a quickly changing environment. The findings guide project stakeholders in implementing project flexibility, in the product and process dimensions, which is a balancing force to project complexity.
|
|
