UK construction skills in the context of European developments

A critical examination is made of the ways in which UK construction skills training contributes to and diverges from the dynamic of European developments. In identifying aspects increasingly shared by different countries, the paper is intended to help in the formulation of a common training policy. These aspects include: (i) comprehensive training systems covering all aspects of construction work on site and subsumed under broad skill groupings, with the ‘traditional trades’ assuming a ‘universal’ character and labourers becoming a residual category; (ii) three locations for learning- the college, the site and the training workshop- with increasing prominence being given to workshops and trainee sites; (ii) a modular training system with broad-based foundation followed by gradual specialization; (iv) social partnership between employers and employees in the regulation of training, the maintenance of skill standards, and the administering of the industrial levy; (v) training and skill categories linked to wage grades, so providing an incentive to training and further training, and recognized additionally through certification; (vi) training for life, with greater emphasis on adult and further training; and (vii) equality of access to training and employment in construction to open up this largely white male preserve. The UK construction training system is out of step with many of these developments, being employer-led, largely confined to the traditional trades and dominated by qualifications broken into narrow task-related units. Nevertheless, a framework still exists which, if built on, would bring the UK training system into line with European developments.     

ISO 9000 standards: perceptions and experiences in the UK construction industry

Recently the South African government introduced new legislation to regulate the construction industry and, in particular, redistribute the responsibility for construction worker safety and health to include all industry participants. Consequently, the need to maintain and promote construction workers' health and working capacity has been given an increased prominence. Considering that the highest rates of new infections are reportedly occurring on the African continent, the fight against HIV and AIDS in the workplace has become an African priority. A comparative assessment is carried out on the levels of knowledge, perceptions and beliefs, and behaviours of construction workers in South Africa relative to HIV infection and AIDS. The levels of knowledge and awareness of HIV and AIDS among construction workers younger than 40 years of age (‘younger workers’) are compared with those of workers older than 40 years (‘older workers’). A regional exploratory study commenced in August 2002. Both age cohorts of construction workers generally had acceptable levels of knowledge, perceptions and attitudes on most issues relative to the disease. However, several areas are highlighted where they had deficient knowledge and attitudes or demonstrated high levels of uncertainty. Overall, younger workers had lower levels of uncertainty and deficient knowledge. There were several areas where these were common irrespective of age. These are the areas that deserve urgent employer driven interventions.     

Resolving the UK construction skills crisis: a critical perspective on the research and policy agenda

The ongoing skills crisis in the UK construction industry has constrained the productive capacity of the industry. Past research and skills policies have largely failed to develop an understanding of the realities of the skills crisis at the grassroots level. Solutions offered by researchers and policy makers have previously had little demonstrable impact in addressing skills concerns. Much of these policies seems disconnected from the realities experienced by employers and by those working in the industry. A critical perspective on resolving the skills crisis is offered. A set of mutually reinforcing research and policy initiatives are proposed, including the need for researchers and policy makers to move away from the conventionally national approach in addressing the skills problem and to engage in genuine, joined‐up thinking that meets the needs of local regions. Furthermore, employers and employees are called to be reflective practitioners in their participation of the skills development agenda. Adopting these recommendations could overcome many shortcomings in research and policy that have hitherto done little to combat the construction skills crisis.     

Mobilizing the skills of specialist firms to reduce costs and enhance performance in the European construction industry: two case studies

Analyses are made of procurement strategies capable of leading to cost reduction and higher quality through the contribution of specialized firms. An exploration is made of the literature concerning the procurement of manufactured goods and progress by analysing two case studies: the East Bridge of the Storebælt link and the Grand Canal Maritime bridge. Both these projects adopted procurement systems that led to a learning process capable of enhancing performance and reducing overall costs. It is evident that the success of learning-oriented procurement strategies relies on two major conditions. First, the client's tender must be issued with an open design demanding an active contribution from the firms involved in the construction process. Second, the firms bidding for the job must be able to manage two distinct sets of skills: the technical skills relating to a specific production process and the ability to connect these skills to the client's needs through a co-design process, or what is known as the strategic intermediation function.     

建筑业民工荒的原因与对策

从工资、环境、打工地的选择、劳动力的供给现状等方面分析了当前建筑业产生民工荒现象的原因，并提出了解决民工荒的措施，以引起社会各界的重视，正确对待民工，减少对企业的影响。     

Analysis of craft workers' and foremen's perceptions of the factors affecting construction labour productivity

Extensive studies have been conducted to examine the factors affecting construction productivity, but efforts have rarely been made to obtain craft workers' input. A survey was administered to 1996 craft workers throughout the US to quantify the workforce's perspective of construction labour productivity. Specifically, the survey measured the impact of 83 productivity factors, which had been identified through 18 focus group sessions with craft workers and their immediate supervisors on jobsites located throughout the US. Craft workers provide detailed insight into the factors affecting their daily productivity, and most of the adversarial factors affecting construction labour productivity can be addressed by jobsite management teams. The major findings indicated that craft workers and foremen share a general perception of the factors impacting on construction productivity; however, differences do exist. Specifically, foremen reported factors related to project management and engineering drawings having a more severe impact on their productivity compared to craft workers, and craft workers reported factors related to construction materials as having a more severe impact.     

Perceptions of gender roles and attitudes toward work among male and female operatives in the Scottish construction industry

The predominant image of construction is that of a male-dominated industry requiring brute strength and a good tolerance for outdoor conditions, inclement weather and bad language. Reconciling this image with women's participation in the construction industry is problematic. However, there are early signs of a cultural shift in the industry. This paper presents an empirical review of wome's roles within the industry and the ways in which people make sense of their working experience when traditional gender roles are challenged. Based on qualitative research, the study found that men in the industry regarded as the gatekeepers are now finding ways to respond to and make sense of a changing workplace, and the realities that women are now actively encouraged to participate, legally protected against discrimination and more highly represented in non-traditional areas of the construction industry. Women are also findings ways as apprentices and tradespeople to position themselves within this new environment. They identify ways of working that are more likely to ensure a smooth experience for themselves. While the stimulus for the changing face of the workplace is the notion of gender equality, the responses are not gender neutral. All players are trying to negotiate ways to integrate each other into a new environment in a manner which allows them to comfortably reconcile issues of gender.     

论建筑施工企业资金紧张的原因及对策

针对资金在企业生存和发展中的重要性,指出了资金管理作为企业财务管理的中心,始终贯穿于企业生产经营活动的全过程,分析了造成施工企业资金紧张的原因,提出了施工企业摆脱资金紧张的对策。     

Insolvency and resolution of construction contract disputes by adjudication in the UK construction industry

The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 provides that a party to a construction contract has a right, at any time, to refer any dispute under the contract for adjudication. This resolution method requires a neutral third party, the adjudicator, to determine the dispute within 28 days after receipt of the referral regardless of the complexity of the issues in dispute. The decision is to be implemented even if it is palpably wrong in fact or law. A key assumption of this legislation is that any mistakes made by an adjudicator can be corrected by reference of the same to litigation or arbitration. It is a major concern that restoration of the parties to their correct positions may become impossible where, after implementation of an adjudicator's mistaken decision, the beneficiary of the decision becomes insolvent. This article is a critical review of all the cases in which the courts have dealt with the effect of insolvency on the right to adjudicate and the enforceability of adjudicators' decisions. Two main conclusions are derived from the review. First, the court may decline to enforce an adjudicator's payment decision where there is strong evidence that, on account of formal insolvency, the payee would be unable to make repayment if final resolution of the dispute necessitates it. Second, the only exception so far to the general right to refer to adjudication arises where the other party is in administration.     

Electronic data interchange and the structure of the UK construction industry

The UK construction industry is characterized by its fragmented nature. Information technology (IT) has had little effect on the industry, its work practices and structure. Electronic data interchange (EDI) is a standardized technology aimed at reducing the inefficiencies of trading. This paper analyses the possible impact of EDI on the structure of the industry. The main finding of this analysis is that EDI is a technology that has the capability of altering organizational interfaces to such an extent that it will change the structure of the UK construction industry.     

Competition and the persistence of profits in the UK construction industry

An examination has been made of the performance of a range of medium-size publicly quoted construction firms over the five-year period 1990–1994 including evidence on the competitive nature of construction markets. The results suggest that construction markets are price competitive with mark-ups that vary positively with the construction cycle. Common arguments that competition in construction is excessive and that firms can gain from firm specific strategies are not supported by the analysis.     

建筑工程质量检测行业现状及发展对策

通过对建筑工程质量检测行业特点与现状的分析,探讨了行业现状的成因,提出了促进建筑工程质量检测行业走上规范、健康发展道路的监管对策。     

基于江苏省建筑业效率分析的大学生择业策略研究

运用DEA-SBM模型法,研究江苏省建筑业效率特征,为大学生精准择业提供依据,结果表明：江苏省建筑业综合效率偏低,苏州和南通建筑业生产达到有效;江苏省建筑业无效率主要由产出无效率决定,整体无效现状为大学生发挥专业优势、学以致用提供条件;各地级市建筑业效率水平受纯技术效率或规模效率影响各异,为大学生就业方向提供了多样选择。基于上述研究结果,为满足江苏省建筑业生产效率提高和大学生科学合理择业需求提出对策建议。     

Evaluation of trends in the UK construction industry using growth and productivity accounts

For an assessment of the productivity performance of construction at the industry level, the quality of any analysis can be improved by the availability and use of detailed data on the basic components of the industry’s production function. The EU KLEMS Growth and Productivity Accounts comprise a dataset that provides a rich source of information on the sources of growth by industry, one of which is the construction industry (ISIC 45), since the 1970s for European Union countries and other major economies. The database allows a breakdown of factor inputs by the categorization of capital inputs into asset types and labour inputs into components such as skill levels to provide more precise measurement of sources of growth at industry level. The UK construction sector forms the focal point of the analysis and the results of this analysis provide evidence of a steady increase in the growth of ICT and improved labour skills usage and a relatively high rate of total factor productivity for the UK construction industry.     

建筑工程检测鉴定行业现状及发展对策

通过对我国建筑工程检测鉴定行业发展现状的介绍,分析了现阶段行业建设中存在的若干问题,同时提出解决问题的对策,并对其发展前景进行了展望,从而带动全行业的整体发展。     

建筑工地消防安全问题的分析与对策

分析了建筑工地消防安全工作中存在的问题,从落实消防安全责任、消防安全培训、加强施工管理、合理选择外墙保温材料等方面,阐述了完善建筑工地消防安全工作的策略,确保建筑施工的安全性。     

当前大跨度斜拉桥的施工风险分析与对策

以大跨度斜拉桥施工期间的施工风险为主要研究对象,对桥梁施工中的各种风险进行了分析,并就分析结果提出针对性的风险应对措施与决策建议,从而为风险决策者提供决策依据。     

建设工程施工投标影响因素分析与对策

在了解建筑工程项目招投标发展现状和分析评标标准和办法的基础上,针对目前建筑行业中施工企业的投标竞争地位,对建筑工程施工投标的影响因素进行了综合考虑和分析,并且采取了相应的对策,以期降低不利因素对施工企业投标的影响,增加施工企业中标的可能性。     

Comparison of response surface and neural network with other methods for structural reliability analysis

The evaluation of the failure probability and safety levels of structural systems is of extreme importance in structural design, mainly when the variables are eminently random. Some examples of random variables on real structures are material properties, loads and member dimensions. It is necessary to quantify and compare the importance of each one of these variables in the structural safety. Many researchers studied structural reliability problems and nowadays there are several approaches for these problems. Two recent approaches, the Response Surface (RS) and the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) techniques, have emerged attempting to solve complex and more elaborated problems. In this work, these two techniques are presented, and comparison are carried out using the well known First Order Reliability Method (FORM), Direct Monte Carlo Simulation and Monte Carlo Simulation with Adaptive Importance Sampling technique with approximated and exact limit state functions. Problems with simple limit state functions (LSF) and closed form solutions of the failure probability are solved in order to highlight the advantages and shortcomings using these techniques. Some remarks are outlined regarding the fact that RS and ANN techniques have presented equivalent precision levels. It is observed that in problems where the computational cost of structural evaluations (looking for the failure probability and safety levels) is high, these two techniques may turn feasible the evaluation of the structural reliability through simulation techniques.     

中英两国建筑安全管理模式的比较研究

为健全建筑安全管理体制,提高我国建筑安全管理水平,采用比较法对中、英两国建筑安全的相关法律法规、安全管理体系、安全文化建设、安全投入与培训制度、安全管理理念等方面进行深入分析。指出当前国内建筑安全管理方面存在的主要不足,具体涉及：缺乏完整的建筑安全管理法律法规,缺乏清晰明了的监管机构组织,缺乏必要的安全培训与教育,缺乏对新型建筑理念的敏锐洞察力等。最后借鉴英国建筑安全管理模式和经验,提出相应的改进措施改进和完善建筑业安全管理模式,为我国今后建筑业的发展指明了方向。