Knowledge Management to Learning Organization Connection

The changes in the engineering-construction industry of the 21st century require organizations to take a more active role in developing knowledge management and learning organization initiatives. The need to both retain knowledge within the organization and focus on continuous human resource development throughout all levels of the organization is becoming a primary challenge throughout the industry. This paper addresses this challenge by focusing on the question of the link between knowledge management and learning organizations, and how to transform an organization from a focus on knowledge management to a focus on developing a learning culture. Based on a series of studies by the writers into the characteristics of both knowledge management and learning organizations, this paper outlines models of each of these concepts and introduces a bridge that details the level of knowledge management implementation that must be in place prior to an organization having the capacity to move to a learning focus. Additionally, the case studies conducted during the current study provide a basis for presenting potentially unsuccessful paths that may be selected by organizations during the implementation of a knowledge management to learning organization transition.     

Reengineering of Construction Management Process

Applying the business process engineering philosophy, this study focuses on developing a construction management process reengineering (CMPR) method to improve the efficiency of construction management. The CMPR method includes four phases, namely, process representation, process transformation, process evaluation, and reengineering activity. Using CMPR, inefficient operations within a construction company working process can not only be identified, but a new rational operation process can also be developed to improve management efficiency. In this way, the competitive ability of a construction company is also increased. This study argues for the need of a new research agenda in construction management in general. This is illustrated by information technology within construction—in particular, by examining the potential application of the reengineering philosophy. The research possibilities are identified and tested based on the implementation of the CMPR method. To some extent, this study establishes a new agenda of process reengineering for future research.     

3D Scan Information Management System for Construction Management

This paper presents an internet-based three-dimensional (3D) scan information management system (3DSIMS) that can be used as an interface to input, display, and inspect design as-built construction information. This system is mainly developed using 3D scan data. The function of the 3DSIMS is to integrate the scan data collected before, during, and after a scan scheme that is designed to capture as-built 3D records. The information included in this system consists of a scan scheme, scanned point clouds, construction records, and postscan processed clouds for the display, search, and comparison of scans made each week during the construction of a campus building. This study represents a long-term effort that has rarely been done before. A web page is used to deliver and share scan information. The feasibility of this approach is explained by the examples of dimension-related checks through as-built data.     

Interface Management within Construction: In Particular, Building Facade

This paper discusses the need for interface management within construction, with particular reference to building facade interfaces. It categorizes the three different types of interface management—physical, contractual, and organizational. The implication of interface management in construction contracting is discussed; it is explained how the U.K. procurement trends have changed, affecting the interface management within projects. U.K. cladding procurement is very fragmented, and the paper maps the development of a typical cladding system showing the complexities of interface management. Finally, the paper discusses CladdISS, a U.K. government funded research project to develop a standardized strategy for the design and management of window and cladding interfaces. It explains the principles of CladdISS with reference to process maps, action plans, management strategy, bibliography, advice on standards, materials, maintenance, joints, movement, and tolerances. This will enable strategies to be developed to avoid the endemic interface problems occurring on-site. It will also guide the management of the interfaces throughout the project.     

Ontology-Centered Knowledge Management Using Information Retrieval Techniques

The paper argues that an effective solution to information and knowledge management (KM) needs of practitioners in the construction industry can be found in the provision of an adapted knowledge environment that makes use of user profiling and document summarization techniques based on information retrieval sciences. The conceptualization of the domain through ontology takes a pivotal role in the proposed knowledge environment and provides a semantic referential to ensure relevance, accuracy, and completeness of information. A set of KM services articulated around the selected ontology have been developed, using the Web services model, tested, and validated in real organizational settings. This provided the basis for formulating recommendations and key success factors for any KM project development.     

Construction Management Program

The typical limitations of the existing construction management programs are the lack of an integrated approach to managerial decisions in real life construction environment, not enough emphasis on engineering design, construction methods and communication skills, and poor coordination between the undergraduate and the graduate studies. An effective construction management program should. integrate teaching on undergraduate and graduate levels and research. On the undergraduate level it should provide the students with a good insight into all managerial tasks in civil engineering projects. On the graduate level it should allow specialization in the various areas of interest both to the practicing engineers and also to students who wish to pursue an academic career. The program should strongly interact with research and engineering practice.     

Knowledge Mining of Information Sources for Research in Construction Management

Extracting the right information at the right time is vital in any research project. Moreover, researchers generally seek innovative “knowledge mining” techniques for optimizing their research efforts within constrained time frames and with scarce resources. Meanwhile, rapid developments in the fields of computing and information technology drive the accelerated globalization process in both industry and academia. This paper explores some of the emerging technologies and associated research methodologies from an information supply chain perspective. An application in a recent Internet based two-phase questionnaire survey for design/build contractor selection provides a useful case study in the structuring of an innovative knowledge mining strategy. This experience feeds into the formulation of a “high-velocity” knowledge mining framework and a set of guidelines—to facilitate and enhance such innovative construction management research, while dealing with some initial issues/problems in the Internet based research environment. Furthermore, some critical success factors, key performance indicators, and mining strategies are consolidated for marshalling both vivid and tacit knowledge sources, such as by “exploiting” Internet resources for more creative and efficient construction management research.     

Difficulties and Hindrances Facing End Users of Electronic Information Exchange Systems in Design and Construction

Since information and communication technology (ICT) was introduced into the construction industry over a decade ago, the once fledging technologies have now been well developed. ICT has been commonly adopted, particularly in places where speedy construction is the norm, e.g., in Hong Kong. At the time when ICT is seemingly well developed, this paper aims at identifying the difficulties and hindrances facing the end users of such information exchange systems during design and construction and the consequential effects on project performance. Through literature review, a series of structured interviews, and a questionnaire survey, it is found that industry users welcomed the advancement of ICT, but that the necessary technical and psychological supports from their organizations were insufficiently provided. In addition, significant differences on the hindrances and their consequential effects have been identified between end users in the private sector and those in the public sector. The study findings have also highlighted factors impeding the smooth implementation of ICT systems at the end-user level, which would help organizations to formulate effective strategies to cope with ever-evolving communication technologies and changes in working style.     

Cost Information Model for Managing Multiple Projects

Construction companies must deal with several projects at once, but a system to manage multiple projects is not fully developed yet. The first step towards developing such system is to design an information model that is suitable for managing multiple projects. This paper presents the cost-based project modeling (CBPM) method in contrast to the traditional activity-based project modeling methods. The CBPM uses cost as a core of the model along with other project information organized around it. The CBPM serves as a platform for integrating project information from multiple projects. Various types of construction costs are hierarchically modeled to generate corporate-wide information such as project performances, cash flows, and other predictive indicators. Based on the information model, an object-oriented database was developed to contain cost data across several projects. In the model, a module that connects to external systems is built into the model to enhance interactivity with the legacy systems and the industry standards. A prototype system was developed and tested with actual project data to validate the information processing capabilities of the model. The findings from the test indicate construction cost can be an excellent medium that can organize various types of information of multiple projects.     

Object Model Framework for Interface Modeling and IT-Oriented Interface Management

The intense complexity of interfaces in a construction project makes information technology (IT) applications a must for effective interface management (IM). This largely requires a unified, accurate, and efficient way of modeling interface information. Conventionally, interfaces are simply modeled as dependencies/relationships between project entities; various interface information is loosely presented in different ways, which reduces the accuracy and completeness of interface information as well as the efficiency in information exchange and application. This paper introduces an object view of interfaces and its inherent interface object modeling technique, and then presents an interface object model (IOM) framework. The IOM is the first in the literature that aims to systematically define the data structure and dependencies of interface information for modeling. It is at the core of a conceptually proposed systematic model-based IM strategy. When fully developed, the IOM can be used to accurately model multiple types of interfaces. This will greatly enhance the quality and interoperability of interface information, promote IT applications for IM, and ultimately improve interface-related project performance.     

Development and Application of the Specialist Task Organization Procurement Approach

The study focuses on the development of an innovative procurement method in order to improve owners’ contracting strategies. The aim of this paper is to develop a procurement system that improves the overall project implementation process, in order to meet the project objectives of time, cost, and quality. The Specialist Task Organization (STO) approach is suggested based on a constructive research approach, where extensive theoretical development of the STO concept is developed. The analogical validation was carried out through the review of four case study examples in order to find the analogies between the positive outcomes of four case studies and the elements of the STO route. The proposed task-oriented approach utilizes integrated product (task) development, integrated management, and fragmented execution via task organizations. The merits of the STO approach include, the shifting of competition from only single design and cost based to multiple designs, life-cycle costs, alternative materials, and maintainability implications. The STO approach assumes a modular approach to design, and allows experts knowledge in design and construction through their involvement from preconstruction through project starts up. The suggested STO route is a potential tool in realizing complete sustainability in construction in terms of environmental and social sustainability, as well as economic sustainability.     

Development of IFC Modeling Extension for Supporting Drawing Information Exchange in the Model-Based Construction Environment

The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) has been known as a common product model that has interoperability between similar and dissimilar IT systems for the architecture, engineering, construction, and facility management (AEC/FM) industries covering all life cycle phases. Continuous efforts have been undertaken regarding the development of standardized specifications based on the IFC, a product model used in the AEC/FM industries. In accordance, the XM-4 project has been initiated by the Korea Chapter of the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) organizations to develop a two-dimensional (2D) extension model for IFC. The XM-4 project aims to add to the IFC2x platform the ability to exchange 2D computer-aided design data within representations of virtual building models, including annotations and styles mainly adapted from the ISO 10303. The focus of this research has been on developing a 2D extension model for the IFC as part of the IAI XM-4 project. This paper provides the scope and rationale of the model extension, major modeling concepts, defined high-level entities and row-level entities, and implementation issues to be considered.     

Project Management Practices and Information Technology Research

Corporations of varying sizes and operations within the construction industry acclaim the contribution of project management applications that assist in business and operational practices. An integrated intelligent construction management application that enables process modeling and algorithmic analysis of construction process planning, interacts with a mainframe-based automated relational database system, and drives the project sequencing, scheduling, decision making and change management processes can introduce dramatic speed, simplicity, accuracy, and collaboration into existing project planning practices. Several research organizations and academic fraternities in concert with industry participation are focusing on the development of such futuristic tools as described above. However, evidence of such computing applications being used by the industry is minimal and a number of reasons have been cited by researchers for this. This study, through a review of the genesis, evolution, and future of computing applications in construction followed by an industry-wide survey, aims to study whether or not concurrent research agendas in construction information technology are truly sustainable from the industry’s perspective.     

点检定修管理信息系统的开发与使用

介绍了冷轧厂点检定修管理信息系统的建设历程、系统建设中吸收的国内同行业的经验、采用的软硬件捆绑技术和设备管理理念。该系统的成功使用,提高了冷轧厂的设备管理效率。     

Construction Site Management Team Working: A Serendipitous Event

Despite the pervasive appeal of team working in the construction industry, the empirical relationship between team effectiveness and task performance continues to be generally overlooked. Recognized team performance appraisal remains one of the last frontiers of performance management. This paper sets out to challenge the conventional discourse of team working and test the hypothesis that construction site management team working and project performance is unrelated. The explanatory case-study research method utilizes a variety of data-gathering techniques. An attitude statement questionnaire evaluates team efficacy. A customized suite of key performance indicators sympathetic to project performance is used to measure project success. Statistical examination of the data demonstrates a marked correlation between the two variables. Although the results authenticate the universally acclaimed wisdom; teams and performance are inextricably linked, secondary analysis expose widespread contradictions between the rhetoric of team working and the action of practice. Obstacles to team working include management indifference towards substantive team building, organizational barriers to communication, and the absence of team rewards. A paradigm of individualism predominates, abetted by organizational structures and cultural subsystems that uphold individual answerability at the expense of collective responsibility.     

Benchmarking System for Evaluating Management Practices in the Construction Industry

This paper presents the results obtained for the initial application of a management evaluation system whose objective is to provide a continuous improvement tool for construction companies through benchmarking management practices. The outlined system seeks to support a benchmarking system that has been recently established in the Chilean construction industry by incorporating qualitative management aspects in addition to performance indicators. Different analyses were made to determine trends in the sector and to establish correlations between qualitative aspects coming from surveys and quantitative aspects coming from performance indicators. Thirteen construction companies participated in the initial application of the benchmarking system. A correlation analysis found that safety performance was strongly related to companies having superior planning and control, quality management, cost control, and subcontractor management policies. A factor analysis found that central office priorities focus on strategic management policies having longer-term competitive impact, while site management emphasizes tactical management dimensions having short-term impact. There is scope to elevate the profile of continuous improvement initiatives to strategic significance at the central office level.     

柳钢质量管理系统的构建及展望

介绍柳钢质量管理系统的结构和功能以及存在问题，并提出改进措施。     

Issues in Professional Construction Management

The use of professional construction management has increased rapidly since the introduction of this form of organization in the early 1960's. Despite this widespread use questions concerning the scope, definition, and differences in implementation of this project delivery system remain. An ASCE technical committee has investigated these questions and disseminated information concerning professional construction management through technical sessions at ASCE meetings, published papers, and a specialty conference. This paper summarizes the results of these activities and provides references of the literature available regarding the development and use of professional construction management.     

Enterprise Resource Planning for Construction Business Management

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) was originated in the manufacturing industry. It provides a general working environment for an enterprise to integrate its major business management functions with one single common database so that information can be shared and efficient communications can be achieved between management functions. This paper first briefs the ERP technology, its origin, and its current development in general. Based on the needs of running a construction enterprise, ERP shows its potential for the construction industry. However, the unique nature of the industry prevents a direct implementation of existing ERP systems, which are primarily developed for the manufacturing industry. This paper underlines the importance of the establishment of the basic theory for developing construction enterprise resource planning systems (CERP). A CERP must address the nature of the general industry practice. Fundamental features are identified and discussed in the paper. A three-tiered client/server architecture is proposed, with discussions on the functions and major components of each tier. Needed research issues are discussed, including CERP architectures, project management functions, advanced planning techniques, standardization of management functions, and modeling human intelligence. Construction management examples are incorporated into the discussions.