Cause and effect 3-D model for measuring performance in construction acceleration: A decision support system

Despite the constant improvements in the management of building projects, the authors express concerns about the difficulties in controlling progress with construction, despite the availability of quantifiable and non-quantifiable data. They believe that a decision support system would assist managers when confronted by the consequences of arising delays, and by the decision whether and how to accelerate the remaining construction activities. The system has the advantages of providing support when facing an ill-structured decision about accelerating progress when delays occur; it also helps as a predictive management tool for minimizing or avoiding delays and their consequential claims.     

Environmental considerations in the Swedish building and construction industry: the role of costs,institutional setting,and information

Despite increasing evidence that being an environment-friendly company not only benefits the environment but also makes long-term economic sense, the transition to a more sustainable society is extremely slow. This is true of the building and construction industry as well. At a strategic level, environmental issues have received more attention with the establishment of roles such as environmental managers and implementation of advanced environmental management systems. However, adoption has been slow in the absence of a holistic approach to environmental challenges, partly reinforced by a perception that giving more than the legally required level of environmental consideration will only add to costs without corresponding financial benefits. This raises the following question that the study aims to answer: What is the most important factor influencing decision makers’ in adopting environmental considerations? To this end, it analysed questionnaire data collected from decision makers in the Swedish construction industry along with an in-depth case study of a specific building and construction company. The results show that decision makers perceive informational and institutional constraints on the adoption of environmental considerations. Lack of information is perceived as the biggest obstacle to environmental considerations. If information and knowledge about clients’ and end users’ financial benefits from adopting environmental considerations need to be exploited, they have to be supported by contractual forms that discard a short-term focus on the investment costs of a building in favour of a focus on long-term operational and maintenance costs and benefits.     

建筑企业商业模式创新结合点探讨

通过对建筑企业的现状研究并结合企业实践,从营销模式、发展模式、建造模式、管理模式、盈利模式这五个方面进行创新分析,探讨建筑企业进行商业模式创新的结合点问题,同时也是对传统建筑产业进行转型升级的一种战略思考。     

Understanding employee resourcing in construction organizations

In recent years the literature on employee resourcing has consistently advocated the importance of adopting a holistic, strategic approach to employee deployment decision making rather than adopting a reactive needs‐based approach. This is particularly problematic in construction where the multi‐project environment leads to constantly changing resource requirements and to changing demands over a project's life cycle. This can lead to inappropriate decisions, which fail to meet the longer‐term needs of both construction organizations and their employees. A structured and comprehensive understanding of the current project team deployment practices within large construction organizations was developed. Project deployment practices were examined within seven case study contracting firms. The emergent themes that shaped the decision‐making processes were grouped into five broad clusters comprising human resource planning, performance/career management, team deployment, employee involvement and training and development. The research confirms that a reactive and ad hoc approach to the function prevails within the firms investigated. This suggests a weak relationship between the deployment process and human resource planning, team deployment, performance management, employee involvement and training and development activities. It is suggested that strategic HR–business partnering could engender more transparent and productive relationships in this crucial area.     

Application of data warehouse and Decision Support System in construction management

How to provide construction managers with information about and insight into the existing data, so as to make decision more efficiently without interrupting the daily work of an On-Line Transaction Processing (OLTP) system is a problem during the construction management process. To solve this problem, the integration of a data warehouse and a Decision Support System (DSS) seems to be efficient. ‘Data warehouse’ technology is a new database discipline, which has not yet been applied to construction management. Hence, it is worthwhile to experiment in this particular field in order to gauge the full scope of its capability. First reviewed in this paper are the concepts of the data warehouse, On-Line Analysis Processing (OLAP) and DSS. The method of creating a data warehouse is then shown, changing the data in the data warehouse into a multidimensional data cube and integrating the data warehouse with a DSS. Finally, an application example is given to illustrate the use of the Construction Management Decision Support System (CMDSS) developed in this study. Integration of a data warehouse and a DSS enable the right data to be tracked down and provide the required information in a direct, rapid and meaningful way. Construction managers can view data from various perspectives with significantly reduced query time, thus making decisions faster and more comprehensive. The applications of a data warehousing integrated with a DSS in construction management practice are seen to have considerable potential.     

Owner organization design for mega industrial construction projects

The characteristics of Mega construction projects bring great difficulties and challenges to project management, as in the aspects of complexity, uncertainty, integrated management, etc. Mega industrial construction is more difficult to managers. Traditional project management with even appropriate method and data can not meet mega construction projects, so with integrating projects objectives with strategic view, managers should design project organization on the basis of every project characteristics, establish good communication and cross-functional coordination mechanism, create unity and cooperation partnership culture in the project process. This paper has designed an owner organization of a mega industrial construction project according to relevant literature and determining factors of organization, and has also proposed that cross-functional and cross-professional coordination is key to continuous improvement and successful implementation of the organization.     

基于"企业-城市"动态博弈的城市商务成本研究

城市价值决定城市商务成本,城市商务成本又决定企业的生产经营成本,是企业是否进入某一城市投资的重要决策依据。城市商务成本变化是企业与城市间动态博弈的结果,城市商务成本的判断既要与同类城市进行比较,又要与企业的主观判断进行比较。城市商务成本调整的起点,是明确城市的战略定位。     

Traversing and querying constraint driven temporal networks to estimate construction contingencies

Effective estimation of possible project futures is crucial to the success of construction projects. The focus of this paper is identifying and classifying possible construction crisis scenarios using an interactive simulation. We present a mathematical representation of construction processes, with foundations in temporal constraint networks, that can be used to infer alternative futures of a project as it unfolds. We present algorithms that can traverse the network in time, reason about the constraints driving the construction project, and present the combinatorial possibilities of futures that can emerge from one or more constraint violations during project implementation. The graphical depictions of the traversal results will aid construction managers in anticipating and reacting to crisis scenarios as they evolve in time. We present a case study and illustrate how the proposed algorithms can be used to represent and model uncertainty and estimate contingencies in construction projects. This research is part of a broader framework that integrates construction education, the study of expert decision making, and intelligent decision making aids.     

基于西安市地下综合管廊 PPP 项目的商业模式创新研究

面对国家密集启动城市地下综合管廊试点建设的战略机遇,如何创新商业模式,充分发挥全过程、全产业链专业集成的综合能力和比较优势,担负起中国城市地下综合管廊建设的核心责任,是领军建筑业企业亟待解决的一个重要问题。以国内单笔投资额最大、公里数最长,总投资额 140 亿元的西安市地下综合管廊 PPP 项目 I 标段为例,阐述中国建筑西北区域总部创新商业模式,在高端运作、集中资源、重点突破、多方共赢,实现企业跨越发展等方面的思考及典型做法,对领军建筑业企业创新商业模式具有一定的借鉴价值     

A framework for managing organizations in complex environments

The complex environments of today’s markets makes managing organizations in complexity and turbulence a concern for senior managers, and necessitate developing a dynamic strategic framework to cope with complexity in managing organizations. This paper demonstrates a study that was conducted to value a structured set of management principles and sub-elements by a panel of experts to develop a conceptual framework to manage in complex and very high dynamic environments. The panel consisted of 22 senior level managers of grade “A” companies in the construction industry in Qatar State using a two-round Delphi technique. The study developed two frameworks. The first framework is for managing complexity in the construction sector. The second one is the primary general framework, which forms a basis for a generalized framework for other industries. This study participates in developing valuable management practices in complex environments to tackle uncertainty, unpredictability, disorder, rapid changes and non-linearity, which would be of great help for leaders, senior managers and practitioners who operate in complex environments.     

基于多源信息融合的建筑施工安全管理策略分析

本文对建筑施工安全管理进行了研究,得出了安全事故发生大多是因为管理者没有将施工中的人、机、环境、管理方面的信息及时把握和融合的结果。可以把多源信息的融合技术进一步拓展到建筑领域,为建筑行业的施工安全管理做出策略分析。     

STRATEGIC INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS IN CONTRACT BIDDING: FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM

The results of a case study involving two major construction contracting companies are presented indicating the informational and other needs and considerations of construction contract bidding adjudication decision makers. A strategic information model is described and the development of prototype decision support system based on Executive Information System Technology.     

Computer viruses: a problem of management

Computer viruses present a major threat to the security of computing systems-a threat unlike those experienced previously. In the seven years since viruses became prevalent on business systems their destructive power has received widespread publicity. All computer professionals will be aware of their existence and prudent managers will have investigated the available countermeasures. A body of myth and folklore still surrounds the whole topic of computer viruses and obscures, even from computer professionals, the increasing sophistication of the later viruses. The development of an anti-viral policy presupposes an understanding of the nature of the threat and of the strategic options which are available. The threat is real and the potential damage is substantial. A major virus infection may inflict serious disruption on an organisation; such an outbreak may even put a small company out of business     

The learning organisation: toward a paradigm for mutually beneficial strategic construction alliances

Strategic alliances are becoming an important means of survival for managing construction organisations. Such alliances are a compromise between organisations doing business in isolation and in mutual partnership with another organisation(s). The key to competitive advantage and improving customer satisfaction lies in the ability of organisations to form learning alliances; these being strategic partnerships based on a business environment that encourages mutual (and reflective) learning between partners. Well-designed, successful alliances enhance co-operation and a high level of trust and commitment. A learning framework is presented to foster successful co-operative strategic alliances between construction organisations. A case study is highlighted based on Rameses Associates and Lloyds TSB Insurance of the UK, to illustrate the advantages of the thesis proffered.     

Mapping corporate social responsibility strategies in the construction and engineering industry

Interest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) is growing in response to societal and regulatory demands that construction businesses contribute positively to the environments and communities in which they build. While, CSR research in the construction and engineering industry is progressing there has been little research into whether and how firms in this industry operationalize CSR, how they incorporate CSR into their business vision, leadership and mission and strategies and what forms these strategies take. In addressing these gaps in knowledge, a survey of 104 firms from across the construction and engineering industry and its supply chain in Australia and New Zealand was undertaken. The results indicate that CSR in construction and engineering firms is largely informal, unsophisticated, compliance driven and in its early stages of development. There is little strategic focus in CSR initiatives and the potential social capital derived from better strategic relationships with communities appears to be largely wasted. Conceptually, it is concluded that there is a need to adapt current models of CSR practice, developed in a permanent business context, to reflect the transitional, nomadic and project-based nature of construction. Current models of CSR are inadequate at explaining how firms operating in the construction industry need to practically adjust and adapt their CSR strategies to fit with the constantly changing political, social, cultural, environmental and economic profiles of local communities and the requirements of clients and local governments.     

多元化战略的思考

多元化经营是很多企业发展到一定阶段的战备选择，但在实践中既有成功的经典，也有失败的例子。本文对企业主营业务的充分发展和核心竞争力的形成，多元化经营的产联产业战略目标；以及多元化经营的时机与途径等方面问题进行初步探讨。最终得出如下结论：经营业务的充分发展和核心竞争力的形成是企业多元化经营的基础；多元化经营进入的领域必须以战略关联产业为主攻目标；选择多元化经营的途径应以并购方式为首选；多元化经营的市场时机应综合考虑拟进入产业的发展势态及企业核心竞争力两者间的最佳切入点。通过对多元化战略的研究，以期对准备选择多元化战略的企业有所帮助。     

Enterprise Resource Planning in a large construction firm: implementation analysis

In most large Dutch construction firms, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have replaced non‐integrated information systems with integrated and maintainable software. The implementation of ERP systems in such firms is a difficult task. So far, ERP implementations have yielded more failures than successes. This study tries to understand the factors that lead to the success or failure of ERP in large construction firms by focusing on the fits between the following pairs of elements in ERP implementations: business and IT strategy, maturity of the IT infrastructure and the strategic role of IT, and the implementation method and organizational change. The premise of this study is that for an ERP implementation to be successful these elements must somehow fit together. Empirical research was conducted through a case study of three ERP implementations in different business units of a Dutch‐based construction firm. Implementing different systems within one company is typical of the way large construction firms in the Netherlands have dealt with ERP. The study shows that the success of ERP implementations depends on consistent patterns between: IT strategy and business strategy, IT maturity and the strategic role of IT, and the implementation method and organizational change.     

Negotiation‐based decision support model for utility relocations in transportation infrastructure projects

Highway projects in metropolitan areas often require that adjacent utilities be relocated to accommodate new or expanded highway facilities. Traditionally, utility owners have been responsible for their own relocations prior to highway construction. However, utility relocation delay was reported as one of the root causes of overall project delays in highway construction. In the USA, one strategic approach sporadically taken over the past 15 years by some state departments of transportation (DOTs) has been to combine utility relocation work with the highway contractor's scope of work. While the combined strategy offers many benefits, it does have its own set of challenges and disadvantages. Many of these difficulties involve disagreements between DOTs and utility owners over the appropriateness of the combined strategy for particular types of relocations. Hence, a negotiation‐based decision support model (DSM) for determining whether to use the combined strategy was developed to provide guidance to both DOTs and utility decision makers during the planning and design phases of highways. A literature review and interviews with experts from both DOTs and the utility industry were conducted to identify significant factors as well as their impact levels on the decision. A DSM aiming at synthesizing the factors and orchestrating the negotiation process for the decision was proposed and verified. As suggested by the model evaluators, the proposed DSM can improve the quality of this complex decision‐making process, especially for less experienced project managers or designers.     

项目管理成熟度对技术型战略联盟绩效的影响

通过设计调查问卷,运用统计工具信度分析、效度分析、因子分析、相关分析对项目管理成熟度及其技术成熟度、组织成熟度、人员成熟度三个维度和技术型战略联盟绩效及其任务绩效、关系绩效两个维度之间的关系进行了实证分析。结果表明项目管理成熟度整体与技术型战略联盟绩效整体之间存在显著的正向促进作用,项目技术成熟度、组织成熟度、人员成熟度对技术型战略联盟任务绩效、关系绩效两个维度相互之间都有不同程度的正向促进作用。可帮助企业管理者有效地提高项目管理成熟度水平和技术型战略联盟绩效,在理论和实践方法上可为政府制定相应联盟管理法规提供一定的借鉴。     

The role of line managers in creating and maintaining healthy work environments on project construction sites

The focus of this article is healthy work environments in project-based construction work, and particularly a sub-element of the work environment, the food environment. Although it is well accepted that stressful work environments negatively impact on organisational and individual health indices and project construction produces some of the most severe work environments in the modern industrial landscape, the role of line managers in creating these environments is largely unknown. Healthy work environments are explored in this article because they contribute to the development of many ‘behavioral’ diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, both of which are known problems amongst construction workers. Qualitative data were collected from eighty project-based construction workers and mangers on six large civil engineering construction projects in Brisbane, Australia. Unanimous views were expressed by all interviewees that managers should not and do not influence food choices on-site. However, results also revealed clear examples of managers making decisions about food environments, work and time pressures and permitted and discouraged behaviours on-site that impact on food choices. These findings indicate limited awareness of healthy work environments in construction with the impact of management actions being largely unrecognised and unintended. It suggests with more informed management decision-making, eating habits in construction are likely to improve.