Essay competition: The individual and the intelligent facade

As knowledge becomes a source of competitive advantage, knowledge-management activities have become critical for success. Construction firms can effectively use their organizational memory to enhance their decision-making abilities. A framework was constructed to model the organizational memory formation process in construction companies. Based on this model, an interview study was conducted to investigate both the organizational memory formation and the role of organizational memory in strategic decision-making within the construction industry. Eight Turkish contractors were assessed. The results suggest that construction companies make use of several knowledge sources and mechanisms to acquire knowledge. Although construction companies are successful at the collection and storage of knowledge, they are weak in the exploitation of organizational memory, especially at the strategic decision-making stage. In addition, they cannot increase their organizational learning competence due to some company- and industry-specific barriers.     

Data mining for government construction procurement

A new data-mining model for government construction procurement was developed to consider data preparation, domain knowledge and a conceptual model to reflect the needs of the knowledge economy. Prototype experiments and analysis were performed to test the data mining using information from a typical Taiwanese local construction procurement unit. The application of the data-mining algorithm to this construction procurement management model improves government procurement effectiveness and efficiency. By complying with this governmental procurement information system and revealing the information required by the World Trade Organization and the Government Procurement Agreement, the model has the potential to improve government procurement and industry effectiveness and efficiency. It also provides a platform for government access to the international community.     

Towards a knowledge-based assessment of conceptual cost estimates

Conceptual cost estimates are critical inputs for owners' decision-making in the early planning stages of construction projects. However, a recurrent problem associated with conceptual estimating is how to assess the quality of the estimates, i.e. the expected accuracy and reliability of cost figures given the uncertainty and risk that every project will face during its development. One of the approaches used to assess the quality of an estimate is the application of expertise and experience. This paper examines the problem of the quality of conceptual estimating, proposes a model of this problem based on existing knowledge and shows how the model was used to develop an assessment system. Through the use of expert knowledge, it is possible to get an appropriate initial assessment of the expected accuracy and reliability of an estimate which should be later complemented with historical and empirical information.     

Constructing safety: investigating senior executive long-term incentive plans and safety objectives in the construction sector

In the private sector, incentive plans are one of the major means used by Boards of Directors to align the interests of senior management with organizational interests. However, research conducted in the energy and resources sector revealed a poor alignment between incentive plans and the need to have senior management focus on safety. The research discussed here examined long-term incentive plans (LTIPs) for senior executives in the construction sector to investigate whether these direct senior managers attention to long-term safety objectives and if they include any long-term safety indicators. Annual Reports of publicly listed companies in the Australian non-domestic construction sector were used as the major information source and subjected to content analysis. Despite a strong safety commitment expressed by all the companies, LTIPs were exclusively associated with financial indicators. Although safety indicators are included in Annual Reports, these only appear in short-term incentive plans, indicating that senior executives are not incentivized to align their long-term decision-making with long-term safety objectives. Findings from the research demonstrate that valid and meaningful safety indicators should be developed and included in LTIPs in order to better align the focus of senior management to include safety performance in the construction industry.     

Maximizing strategic value from megaprojects: The influence of information-feed on decision-making by the project manager

Large projects are notorious for erosion of value during execution. Decisions made by project managers have a significant impact on the strategic value of the asset delivered, and those decisions depend on the information feed on which they are based. This study uses theories of organizational behavior, decision-making and program management to investigate the impact of information feed used by project managers on the strategic value delivered by mega projects in the oil and gas industry. A global survey of 69 managers of mega-projects was conducted. Results showed that information feed to project managers significantly influences the strategic value created by megaprojects. Also some moderating effects of contextual factors on this relationship were found. The contextual factors that influenced project manager decision-making relate to what they perceived to be Senior Management drivers for their projects. However the hypothesized moderating influence of project manager experience on decision-making was not found—an interesting observation. It was found that the extent to which project managers feel in control should influence the scope and quality of information-feed that should be sought. Four risk areas were observed as significant to long-term value creation from megaprojects: government relations; host community relations; contract management and procurement; and the influence of multi-location execution.     

中国房地产企业项目组织模式发展趋势分析

近年来,"基于项目的管理模式"在企业管理中的应用势头强劲.为迅速拓展市场并实现企业战略,一些大中型的房地产企业进行了适于此种模式下的组织架构变革,这种转型正处于摸索阶段.本文就房地产从业人员对项目组织架构的偏好进行了问卷调研和统计分析,揭示房地产企业项目组织模式的发展趋势,对房地产企业的项目管理改制有一定参考价值.     

How do project management competencies change within the project management career model in large Chinese construction companies?

Due to the increasing complexity and flexibility of business activities, project-based organizations have become common. In such organizations, project management competencies, which refer to a collection of knowledge, personal attitudes, skills, and relevant experience, are core assets that must be taken seriously. Formalized project management career paths have been widely implemented in the construction industry. However, most recent studies treat project management competencies as static constructs and fail to consider their dynamic changes as a career path advances. To fill this gap in the literature, this study conducted an empirical examination of project management competencies integrated with a career model for the construction industry. First, key project management competencies are identified through a literature review. Then, a project management career model for large Chinese construction companies is developed based on an empirical investigation of six large Chinese construction companies from various sectors. Moreover, a quantitative analysis is performed to explore how these competencies dynamically change as position levels rise in the career model. The research findings indicate that significant differences in project management competencies exist at different levels of the career model. However, the distribution remains steady at different project management position levels for conceptual and organizational competencies, human competencies, and technical competencies.     

An empirical analysis of the influences of corporate social responsibility on organizational performance of Taiwan’s construction industry: using corporate image as a mediator

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a hot issue for modern enterprises recently. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of CSR and organizational performance. The secondary purpose was to determine whether the effect of CSR on organizational performance could be mediated by corporate image. To fulfil the primary purpose, a questionnaire-based survey was used to measure CSR, corporate image and overall organizational performance in Taiwan’s construction industry. Two hundred and eighty-one valid samples were collected and statistically analysed using factor analysis, correlation analysis and hierarchical regression analysis. The analysis results suggest that CSR is positively correlated with corporate image and organizational performance. Additionally, levels of corporate image are positively associated with organizational performance levels. The results also indicate that corporate image may serve as a mediator between CSR and organizational performance, meaning that companies benefit from investment in CSR realization, even if they also have a positive corporate image.     

我国建筑业企业应急战略影响海外业务预期绩效的传导机制研究

为了解新冠疫情下建筑业企业应急战略对海外业务预期绩效的影响作用及传导机制,明确组织运营与经营风险在其中的作用,构建了新冠疫情冲击下建筑业企业海外业务发展的“战略—绩效”概念模型,通过问卷调查获取相关数据,采用层次回归方法进行分析。研究结果表明,应急战略与企业绩效之间存在正相关关系,组织运营在其中起到中介作用,同时经营风险不仅调节了应急战略与组织运营之间的关系,还进一步调节了组织运营在应急战略与企业预期绩效之间的中介效应。为我国政府及建筑业企业采取措施以应对新冠疫情的冲击提供理论及实践指导。     

文化视野中的大学战略管理实施

大学战略管理的有效实施受到大学组织文化的影响。战略以文化为转移，并且受其价值观、规范和习俗的支配；同时，作为一种前瞻性、外向性的管理方式，战略管理同时也创造和改变着大学的组织文化。有效的大学战略管理实施过程体现大学战略管理与大学组织文化的动态适应与协调。     

承包商进入海外市场的决策研究

与当前“基于项目”的承包商对战略管理缺乏应有的关注相反,行业环境的快速变化使得承包商急需利用战略武器来应对来自国内、国际和全球的竞争。基于“AHP-Delphi法”的“海外市场进入决策”涵盖了一般只从事国内业务的承包商没有深入了解的但对海外扩张至关重要的众多因素,有助于承包商作出进入海外市场的决策。     

Revisiting a programmatic planning approach: managing linkages between transport and land use planning

The body of knowledge on transport and land use planning shows considerable overlap with management theories and practices. Notable examples can be found in project management and strategic management. Recently, in the field of management theory, the idea of programme management has gained prominence in response to the need to coordinate on a tactical level. Programme management links to both strategic management and project management, as it focuses on the coordinated management of related projects in order to realize strategic objectives. In line with the tradition to integrate management theories into spatial planning, the aim of this paper is to explore the power of a programme management approach in a transport and land use planning context. We investigate whether and how a programme management approach when applied in transport and land use planning can deal with three important interrelated challenges that emerge between the strategic and operational level in transport and land use planning: (1) linking strategic goals to operational projects, (2) developing the accompanying joint organizational structures, and (3) moulding fixed and separate procedures into more adaptive joint decision-making processes. To do so, we conducted an in-depth case study of two recent programme management approaches in Dutch transport and land use planning. We show that both programmes function as platforms where different parties come together and where a wide range of management and monitoring tools are used to guide the programme in a specific direction.     

Strategic change towards cost-efficient public construction projects

The cost of public construction projects is a central topic in project management. However, studies have primarily focused on cost at the project level, not on cost management at the portfolio level. In this paper, we take the perspective of a government agency, conducting a strategic initiative to increase cost-efficiency in their portfolio of construction projects. We use an action research approach to investigate the dynamics of the initiative and the implementation of resulting actions to achieve lasting change towards cost-efficiency. Co-creating actions for cost-efficiency together with the project teams was important for the success of the strategic initiative. For successful implementation, alignment of the objectives of the initiative with organizational strategy, and knowledge transfer between projects is central. This study expands the project management literature regarding strategic cost management of portfolios of construction projects and provides practical guidance for organizations.     

Sex segregation in construction organizations in Bangladesh and Thailand

Why do more women in Bangladesh study civil engineering than in Thailand, but fewer Bangladeshi women take employment in construction companies? The primary data for answering this question were drawn from questionnaire surveys with 204 professional engineers, in‐depth interviews with 80 professional women engineers, and informal discussions with employers/representatives in construction organizations in Bangladesh and Thailand. The findings underline the importance of organizational policy, practices and culture in creating a women‐friendly workplace in both countries. The findings suggest that despite the reinforcement of societal gender expectations, organizations are able to create their own organizational culture and practices, which could help to utilize women's talent and improve their professional careers.     

Design and construction of the Downland Gridshell

A gridshell is a structure that gains its strength and stiffness through its double curvature configuration. Its advantages are a minimum use of materials, structural efficiency and the creation of a large volume, as well as the potential for quick and cost-effective construction. However, few gridshells have been built due to a lack of knowledge and data. The process of creating the Downland Gridshell, as a specialist museum workshop completed in the spring of 2002, is a case study of successful collaboration and innovation in architecture, engineering and construction led by a multidisciplinary team of practitioners. This gridshell structure was composed of a double layer of mats comprising four layers of thin timber laths. These were harnessed together as a flat mat and then formed into a three-dimensional structure by a carefully orchestrated lowering of each supporting scaffolding prop, thereby harnessing gravity to pull the mat into shape. Many innovations are described in detail: team working, risk sharing, multidisciplinary design, structural modelling, the creation of new structural components, cladding, and construction processes including the sequence and techniques of gridshell forming. Advances made in this project have added to the knowledge of gridshell behaviour, construction and cost, thereby making the design and construction of future timber gridshells a more viable option.     

基于权变因素分析的建筑企业组织优化策略研究

组织结构设计在企业战略落地和日常运营管理过程中扮演着关键角色。有效的组织结构能够使工作得到合理分工,资源得以充分共享,机制得以持续完善。在揭示7类常见组织结构形式特点及适用性的基础上,分析企业环境、建筑企业发展战略、建筑企业规模、建筑企业技术水平及建筑企业人员素质等权变因素对建筑企业组织结构设计的影响,提出基于权变因素的建筑企业组织优化总体原则,并针对主营业务集中于特定领域的中等规模建筑企业和具有复合业务结构的大型总承包建筑企业,提出组织优化策略,以期提升组织结构的适宜性与有效性,为建筑企业战略目标的实现提供组织保障。     

Key determinants of performance of design-bid-build projects in Singapore

What are the factors affecting the performance of design-bid-build projects? Ten performance metrics and 60 factors are identified that project team members can use to measure and manage the success levels of construction projects in four broad categories: cost, time, quality and administrative burden. A survey and correlation analysis of 65 design-bid-build projects in Singapore is used to suggest the factors that affect each performance metric significantly. Contractor characteristics are the key determinants affecting the highest number of performance metrics. The most significant variable is the contractor's past record for completing projects on budget and to an acceptable level of quality. Based on this evidence, it is recommended that clients and consultants pay closer attention to a wider array of characteristics (not just the initial price) involving contractor selection. Another key determinant is the project character with the most important variable being the percentage of repetitive elements.     

Antecedents of construction project coalitions: a study of the Spanish construction industry

Research into the formation of alliances, relevant in the field of strategic management and especially, in the construction industry, is often explained in terms of interdependency and complementarities (exogenous factors). In contrast, the influence of a firm’s social relations networks (endogenous factors) has hardly been studied at all. Thus, a model is needed that includes both exogenous and endogenous factors as antecedents to the formation of strategic alliances in the construction industry. Cooperation in the construction sector is especially frequent, above all in public works programmes, as their scale requires coalitions of different‐sized firms. Accordingly, to explore how both exogenous and endogenous factors influence the formation of alliances, a social network analytical method—Multiple Regression Quadratic Assignment Procedure (MRQAP)—was applied to cooperative project coalitions in the Spanish public works construction sector from 2001–2007. Empirical findings confirm that construction companies form coalitions, principally on the basis of past alliances. Membership of business associations and groups is also a key factor, though the influence of geographic proximity is the most debatable result. In the construction industry, the formation of alliances is conditioned, among other factors, by previous social and economic relations that can generate the necessary information and trust for the selection of whichever partner is considered the most suitable for the development of the joint project.     

Success factors of knowledge management in temporary organizations

The prevalence of temporary forms of cooperation and project-based work is increasing. Likewise, the knowledge-intensity of work contents is growing. However, the unique and temporary nature of projects and programs does not support knowledge transfer from, between and within projects.This research aims at spotting success factors of knowledge management in temporary organizations. Based on a cross-industry sample with 414 organizations, we apply the partial least square (PLS) method to test the influence of cultural, organizational, structural, and process-related factors on knowledge management effectiveness.Besides IT-support and formal elements of the organization, it is cultural factors that strongly influence knowledge management success. In temporary organizations they compensate for the lack of organizational routines and organizational memory. Our results contribute to a more differentiated understanding of knowledge management in project environments.