项目管理是施工企业走向市场的必由之路

项目管理是一种科学的管理方式,贯穿于项目实施的全过程,关键内容是进度、费用和质量相互协调、相互适应,同时项目管理的组织与领导又是项目成败的关键。     

High-speed rail and air transport competition under high flight delay conditions in China: A case study of the Beijing-Shanghai corridor

Flight delays have become a widespread phenomenon in many parts of the world, especially in China. Few studies have investigated the effect of high flight delays on the competition between high-speed rail (HSR) and air transport (AT). A model based on the applied game theory is developed to obtain the optimal strategies of the two players in equilibrium. Results reveal that the revenue created by HSR and AT have gradually decreased as the flight delay rate increases. Moreover, if the flight delay rate exceeds 30%, the HSR operator will receive more revenue by implementing fare discounts strategies.     

国内EPC工程项目索赔管理研究——以杨房沟水电站为例

设计-采购-施工(EPC)模式在国内市场的应用日益广泛,但相应的索赔管理研究偏于论述,缺乏实证支撑。以国内首个大型水电EPC项目杨房沟水电站为例,分析其实际发生的索赔类型,通过对合同当中索赔有关规定、信息差异对索赔带来影响、争议处理情况等方面进行评价,深入剖析项目索赔管理现状,指出EPC项目索赔管理重点在于明确工程范围与功能标准要求、合理分担风险并发展参建方之间良好的伙伴关系,以期为国内EPC工程项目索赔管理提供参考。     

Natural gas distribution in Italy: When competition does not help the market

In this article consequences of the introduction of competition for the field in the Italian natural gas distribution sector are analyzed.Natural gas distribution constitutes, due to its technical and economic features, a natural monopoly. For this reason, in the framework of the liberalization process, the Italian legislator has introduced, in addition to price regulation, competitive tenders in order to have different operators compete amongst each other for the service concession.After a brief overview of the economic theory referring to competition for the field and an overview of the Italian gas market, the critical aspects of the outlined regulatory framework will be highlighted.More particularly the main features of tenders will be assessed, while, in the following section, the meaning of the imposed revenue cap and its tie to the concession fee will be explained. An analysis of possible reasons for extremely high concession fees will be carried out, evaluating their possible impact on companies' profitability. In the last part of the work, a solution will be proposed in order to build an effective regulatory framework in which competition for the field could actually lead the market to efficiency.     

Introduction of a new form of quote evaluation: a case study in southern Sweden

The effects of changing from traditional tendering methods to an alternative form of quote evaluation were tested in a case study within the southern Swedish construction market. The project studied replacing the outer surface of the roof of a multiple‐dwelling building 2000m² in area. Procurement was carried out in two steps. The first step consisted of traditional tendering methods in which quotations were obtained by asking different contractors to bid. In the second step, formal tender documents were sent by mail to the same contractors. These documents included an alternative form of quote evaluation requiring that references to be provided for similar work, as well as for issues of environmental control, working environment, quality control and the material's life cycle. This second step was found to create additional value for the client and to improve competition. It was also observed that although there was a communication threshold to overcome, this segment of the construction market appeared ready to accept alternative methods for evaluating quotes. It was regarded as important to make the criteria readily understandable and measurable and strive towards a standardized template form of quote evaluation to reflect the goals of both the project and the clients.     

网上项目管理在我国建设项目中的应用研究

在大型、复杂的建设项目上传统的项目管理模式的缺点日益凸显,而网上项目管理作为一种新型的项目管理模式,已在国外的许多项目上取得了成功的应用。首先分析网上项目管理的有关概念及其潜在的优势,在此基础上就我国建设项目中开展网上项目管理所面临的问题进行探讨,并提出相应的对策,供我国开展网上项目管理时参考和借鉴。     

Project affinity: the role of emotional attachment in construction projects

Although a wide range of human and organizational factors have been found to be important in the operation of projects, those determined by cultural variables are less well defined. One such influence concerns the notion of ‘project affinity’, the commitment and attachment by stakeholders and participants to projects and their outcomes. The temporal nature and transient involvement context provided by construction projects arguably presents a climate in which many participants are less likely to display commitment to its goals. This note is concerned with the issue of whether an attachment to a project's goals or to the completed product can lead to improved commitment among those involved. The concept of project affinity was developed in the course of a case study investigation in which operatives' attitudes towards the construction of a cancer research facility were explored. Because of the contribution of the facility to the future care of cancer sufferers, the concept of project affinity proved helpful in understanding a factor that appeared to be influencing the commitment of those involved. The results suggest a complementary concept to that of ‘project chemistry’ (c.f. Nicolini, 2002 Nicolini, D. 2002. In search of ‘project chemistry’.. Construction Management and Economics, 20: 167–77.  ).     

Exploring safety management challenges for multi-national construction workforces: a UK case study

Large construction projects frequently operate with multi-national workforces, utilizing migrant workers to provide both skilled and unskilled labour. Multi-national workforces are also brought together through joint ventures, as companies from different countries collaborate and share their expertise to construct large and complex construction projects. A multi-national joint venture in the UK provides the case study for an examination of the safety management challenges found on such projects. Whilst language and communication issues amongst workers are typically primary concerns, here they have not been prioritized. Instead, findings are presented that illuminate more nuanced and unquantifiable problems that faced the safety management team. An ethnographically informed approach was mobilized, with the lead researcher spending three years on the site with the safety team gathering data. Analysis revealed several challenges: problems with non-UK company compliance with UK legislation and standards; differences in working practices amongst both non-UK workers and their managers; differences associated with national cultures; and problems of poor worker welfare. It is suggested that awareness of these challenges should inform both the way in which such projects are initially contracted, as well as the development of more sophisticated safety management systems that better support multi-national construction projects in practice.     

Monitoring financial health of contractors at the aftermath of the Asian economic turmoil: a case study in Hong Kong

The whole construction industry (contractors, consultants and suppliers) is suffering from business shrinking under the prevailing deflationary economy in Hong Kong. Local contractors are facing tremendous financial problems. The financial situation of a typical local contractor has been analysed for the years since 1997 – the Asian Economic Crisis. By using the financial ratios together with one of Altman's distress models, it is possible to monitor and assess the financial health of contractors. Based on the results of the case study, the financial health of the contractor under study is found satisfactory. In addition to this quantitative analysis, it is advisable for local contractors to conduct a strategic review for their construction industry and their business environment so as to improve their financial performance in both the near future and longer term.     

Implementing commercial information exchange: a construction supply chain case study

The concept of electronic trading (e-trading) has transformed supply chain interactions in many industries, yet little research explored its implementation by Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) supply chain firms. E-trading relies on commercial information exchange by supply chain partners which is generally adopted through intermediary technology partners (Hub Providers) to facilitate the accurate and timely communication of transactional data between buyers and supplier. A case study was conducted to explore the challenges and barriers to implementation of cross-firm commercial information exchange. The study primarily involved investigation of the interfaces between software development and organizational functions assisting with the electronic exchange of commercial information (eCIX) implementation. Findings from the case study show that implementation of commercial information exchange is not an easy task with several themes of factors to be considered during delivery of such projects, namely technical, coordination, integration and organizational. The study contributes to the knowledge and deployment of e-trading solutions within the context of AEC firms, and should be of interest to the practitioners contemplating similar projects.     

A study of the factors affecting construction durations in Hong Kong

This is the second phase of an investigation into the significant factors influencing construction duration of projects in Hong Kong. The results of the first phase led to the conclusion that larger samples were justified to investigate further the discerned relationships. Expanded samples were obtained in this second phase by adding some reported data from Hong Kong projects to the original surveyed sample. The second phase of this study also further investigates the relationships between different project characteristic variables such as the construction duration, construction cost, total gross floor area and the number of storeys in the case of buildings. Moreover, a case study on plant utilization level and site labour productivity was carried out on a building site to explore the ‘micro-factors’ that affect construction durations. The findings are of importance to all construction industry participants as the derived models help to estimate the construction duration of a project on the basis of significant macro project parameters. Additionally, the results of the case study indicate the contribution of significantly variable site productivity levels to overall construction duration and suggest an agenda for future investigations. A third phase of this study is planned incorporating more detailed data collection and analysis of significant factors, as well as international comparisons where possible.     

Greenhouse gas emissions in building construction: A case study of One Peking in Hong Kong

The construction of buildings has a very important impact on the environment, and the process of manufacturing and transporting of building materials, and installing and constructing of buildings consumes great energy and emits large quantity of greenhouse gas (GHG). The present paper defines four sources of GHG emissions in building construction, which are: manufacture and transportation of building materials; energy consumption of construction equipment; energy consumption for processing resources; and disposal of construction waste, and then establishes the calculation method of GHG emissions. This paper presents a case study of GHG emissions in building construction in Hong Kong. The results show that 82–87% of the total GHG emissions are from the embodied GHG emissions of building materials, 6–8% are from the transportation of building materials, and 6–9% are due to the energy consumption of construction equipment. The results also indicate that embodied GHG emissions of concrete and reinforced steel account for 94–95% of those of all building materials, and thus the use of recycled building materials, especially reinforced steel, would decrease the GHG emissions by a considerable amount.     

Constructing a framework for building relationships and trust in project organizations: two case studies of building projects in China

A framework is constructed that can be used to foster trust and build relationships in construction project organizations in China. The research method was based on in‐depth study of two building projects in China and data were collected via face‐to‐face interviews. The results show that as the project progresses, the dominant relationship within each stage deepens. The deepening relationship gives rise to different types of inherent risks such as a partner's self‐interest seeking behaviour and opportunistic actions. To counterbalance these risks, trust fostering tools must be employed such as careful selection and effective management of partners. The framework for fostering trust and building relationship developed in the study suggests that (1) relationship deepens from shallow dependence to deep interdependence as the project progresses; (2) different relationships bring about distinct inherent risks; and (3) different trust‐fostering tools counterbalance specific inherent risks. This framework could aid in reducing adversarial relationships by suggesting ways to foster trustworthy relationships.     

Institutional reforms to integrate regulation and competition policy: Economic analysis,international perspectives,and the case of the CNMC in Spain

We review the related academic literature and the international evidence on the institutions of regulation and competition policy, to analyze the creation in 2013 of the new macro regulator in Spain, the CNMC. The institutional reform merged the competition policy authority with virtually all sector regulators with the exception of the financial regulator. The aim of the paper is to assess the extent to which the Spanish reform follows international best practices as well as how it fits within the analysis found in the academic literature. Although there is not a universally superior approach, neither in practice nor in theory, important shortcomings remain with the model that was finally adopted in Spain. Some institutional diversity would facilitate an optimal level of regulatory independence and governmental coordination for each sector, and ultimately achieving better results in terms of consumer welfare.     

Deformation of the central pier of the permanent shiplock, Three Gorges Project, China: an analysis case study

The central pier (CP) is one of the key structures of the permanent shiplock in the Three Gorges Project on the Yangtze River, China. This paper deals with the study of the rock mass deformation of the CP of the second shiplock under various operation conditions. Numerical simulations using the 2-D distinct-element method and 3-D finite-element method are applied to analyze the rock mass deformation. Also, time-series analysis and gray system theory are used to predict the trends of rock displacements based on in situ measured data. The results can be summarized as follows: (1) the main deformation of the rock mass in the CP occurs after excavation completion, while the shiplock is in operation, the dominant displacements mainly occurring on both sides of the northern chamber, developing generally towards the chamber; (2) the horizontal displacement varies with the process of excavation, and is in a steady state after excavation, and during operation of the shiplock the displacement is slightly decreased; (3) the horizontal displacement parallel to the axial line of the shiplock occurs downstream; and (4) the vertical displacement occurs during excavation, and then subsidence with various values takes place in different parts of the CP for different operation conditions.     

The performance excellence model in construction enterprises: an application study with modelling and analysis

The key factors of successful application of the performance excellence model (PEM) in construction enterprises are explored from the angle of internal and external collaboration. A systematic review is employed to define the foundation of the PEM and to examine which part of the PEM can be problematic when it is applied in construction. Next, according to the research paradigm of grounded theory, TS Group is taken as a representative case to analyse the specific application of the PEM. Encoding and analysing the interview data enable the process and results chain for PEM implementation to be refined. With the help of a canonical model, the logical relationships among phenomenon, action strategy, and control results are displayed. Finally, the optimal operational framework for each key factor is designed to reveal their corresponding causal conditions, context and effect mechanism.     

Selection of an ERP system for a construction firm in Taiwan: A case study

The primary functions of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) are to integrate the inter-departmental operation procedures and Management Information System (MIS) modules, and to reallocate the resources of a company. How to successfully implement an ERP system in an organization is always a hot research topic for researchers as well as a pending problem for an organization that wants to implement it. This research is a case study on the selection of system suppliers and contract negotiation during the ERP implementation of a local construction company in Taiwan. After reviewing the common key success factors discussed in the literature, this study discussed seven issues: coding system, working process reengineering, priority of ERP functionality implementation, customization, participant roles, consultant role and performance level of subcontractor, which also affected the implementation. Lessons learned from the case study in discussed seven issues are valuable for a construction company in deciding to implement an ERP system. This research suggests that additional case studies are necessary for the successful application of ERP systems in the construction industry.     

基于分形理论的低碳住宅 PPP 项目组织结构研究

在“低碳减排”的背景下,低碳住宅的发展正面临着新的挑战和机遇,PPP 模式的引入则在广度上为低碳住宅的可持续发展拓宽了渠道。为了使低碳住宅 PPP 项目的各参与方能有效协作、各项资源得到最优配置、各项权力均衡分配、信息高效传递,实现低碳住宅 PPP 项目的成功实施,论文将分形理论应用到低碳住宅 PPP 项目的组织结构上,构建了一种适应环境变化的动态组织结构,以实现低碳住宅 PPP 项目组织结构自优化的目的,并通过案例来验证方法的可行性与实用性     

Niche comparisons: toward a new approach for analysing competition and organizational performance in the international construction market

Over the past few decades, studies on competition and organizational performance in the international construction market have been prolific. Construction companies are founded, then grow, compete, evolve, and die in the international landscape, a common process from an ecological perspective. However, few studies have considered the international construction market from this perspective. Using niche theory, which was initially populated in the field of natural bio-ecology and then introduced to business management and economics, a NW/O-L (niche width/overlap and location) framework is established in this study. With this framework, the niche evolution of the top 225 international contractors is explored along two dimensions—product and geography. The effects of a proper niche on an international construction company’s performance are also investigated using the cluster analysis method. It was discovered that, despite fluctuations over time, the contractor’s niche is highly related to its performance in the international construction market. The most appropriate niche for international construction contractors is a wide niche width, with a small niche overlap and with its location near to the market centre with comparatively more market resources. However, only a few contractors can survive in this niche, as the majority of contractors are in a narrow niche width, with a comparatively large niche overlap and far from the market centre. Contractors which do not fit either of these two niches have proved to be poor performers in this study.     

Dust storms in China: a case study of dust storm variation and dust characteristics

The paper discusses the nature of dust storms, which have inherent environmental implications. The physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of dust sediments collected in Kashi, Taklimakan desert, Kunlun mountains, Donghuang, Lanzhou, Ningxia, Xi'an, Inner Mongolia and Beijing from 1990 to 1994 were studied. The texture of most aeolian deposits ranges from silty clay to clay loam with median particle diameters (Mds) generally between 5 and 63 μm; similar to the loess of central China and the silt/fine sand in western and northern China. The dust sediments were characterized by a predominance of SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ and a high amount of K₂O with molar ratios for SiO₂/Al₂O₃ and K₂O/SiO₂ from 5.17 to 8.43 and 0.009 to 0.0368 respectively. The triple peak spectrum is the main form of mass concentration in a clear sky. In a dust storm it shows as a single peak, with quartz, feldspar, chlorite, illite, calcite and dolomite being the dominant minerals. The physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of the present atmospheric dust are similar to those of wind-blown soils in western and central China. The results suggest that aeolian deposits and the fine-grained fractions of dust sediments collected in northern China are mainly soils transported from the arid and semi-arid regions of China and Mongolia by the prevailing winds. Electronic Publication