Managing short-term efficiency and long-term development through industrialized construction

There is a strong need for a productive and innovative infrastructure sector because of its monetary value and importance for the development of a sustainable society. An increased level of industrialization is often proposed as a way to improve efficiency and productivity in construction projects. In prior literature on industrialized construction, there are however neither many studies addressing more long-term aspects of innovation and sustainability nor studies within the infrastructure context. Organizational theory suggests that firms need to be ambidextrous and focus on both long-term exploration of new knowledge and technologies and short-term exploitation of current knowledge and technologies, in order to achieve sustainable development. Therefore, an investigation of how both short-term exploitative performance objectives and long-term explorative development can be addressed when implementing industrialized construction in infrastructure projects was conducted. A case study consisting of four infrastructure projects shows that the main drivers for increased industrialization are of an exploitative nature, focusing on cost savings and increased productivity through more efficient processes. The main barriers to increased industrialization are however related to both explorative and exploitative activities. Hence, by managing the identified barriers and explicitly addressing both exploitation and exploration, industrialized construction can improve both short-term efficiency and long-term innovation and sustainability.     

The governance of knowledge in project-based organizations

This research investigates patterns of knowledge governance practices in project-based organizations (PBOs). Five propositions about knowledge governance in PBOs were deductively and empirically tested using qualitative data from 82 interviews. The results were triangulated with those of prior studies. Results indicate that knowledge governance practices in PBOs are impacted by structural and situational factors, such as being a subsidiary or standalone PBO, a PBO striving for excellence or not, as well as some preconditions, such as the executives' competence in project governance. The results show that informal governance mechanisms are more useful than formal when it comes to knowledge creating processes. Governance of informal knowledge creating mechanisms appears to be complex for executives and their preconceptions showed either to be enablers or barriers to productive knowledge governance practices. Executive's competence and preconditions, concerning aspects like human capabilities and attitudes to professional ethos, seems to impact knowledge governance strategies. In subsidiary PBOs knowledge governance provides practitioners with proper assistance to avoid unbeneficial situations of having knowledge silos among loosely coupled islands.     

Organizational culture and willingness to share knowledge: A competing values perspective in Australian context

A considerable amount of research has confirmed the relationship between organizational culture and knowledge sharing behaviours. However, less research has been conducted on the impact of project sub-cultures in relation to the sharing of knowledge between projects, particularly in project based organizations (PBOs). The unique structures and contexts characterized by PBOs indicate the need to investigate further the impact of cultures present within PBOs and their effect on knowledge sharing. We report on a rich case study of four large Australian-based PBOs whereby the cultural values of these large organizations were seen to impact significantly on whether project teams were more or less likely to improve inter-project knowledge sharing. Furthermore, this research demonstrates the utility of using Cameron and Quinn's (2005) Competing Values Framework to evaluate culture in the context of PBOs.     

Achieving ambidexterity in large,complex engineering projects: a case study of the Sutong Bridge project

Complex engineering projects typically face unique challenges that demand both exploring innovative solutions and exploiting existing capabilities. However, it is difficult to manage both exploitation and exploration in the same organizational unit owing to the different organizational support required for each. The solutions to managing the tension involve separating the two approaches into separate organizational units—structural separation, or separating by time—temporal separation, or by creating an organizational context that empowers employees to pursue both. Structural separation may not work because of the predominant need for integration at project level due to the fragmented nature of the construction industry and the co-location of project team. Instead, temporal separation could be an effective mechanism of separation. Creating the appropriate project context could facilitate project ambidexterity. Extant studies on ambidexterity focus on the organizational level which may not apply at project level. This study examines the effects of the above three antecedents to project ambidexterity. The key findings are that ambidexterity can be achieved during the limited lifespan of a complex engineering project through: (1) partitioning the two approaches in different project phases and then integrating the two; (2) implementing policies and financial support aiming at facilitating contextual ambidexterity both at and above project level.     

Organizational practices that enable and disable knowledge transfer: The case of a public sector project-based organization

Project-based organizations (PBOs) are framed in a dynamic bi-directional interaction between the permanent organization and its temporary units (projects). The study of knowledge transfer in PBOs has focused exclusively on the knowledge transfer practices held at the realm of the temporary units; however, we still need to understand how the permanent organization can enable this knowledge transfer process. Using a deductive-inductive approach and exploring the case of a division managed as PBO in a provincial government agency in Canada, we analyzed how the practices led by the permanent organization enable the actual knowledge transfer across projects. We found that different practices conducted at the level of the permanent organization were enabling or disabling the performance of formal and informal knowledge transfer practices executed at the temporary units. In this work we show how by distorting the goal of the formal knowledge transfer practices the permanent organization pushed the project team members to the use of informal knowledge practices to overcome this flaw. We argue that a balanced deployment of formal and informal knowledge transfer practices not only can boost knowledge transfer but also can reinforce the temporary organizations’ embeddedness within the permanent organization.     

Enhancing knowledge exchange through web map-based knowledge management system in construction: Lessons learned in Taiwan

Knowledge management involves creating, securing, coordinating, combining, retrieving and distributing knowledge. Knowledge can be reused and shared among engineers and experts to enhance construction processes and decrease the time and cost of solving problems. This study presents a novel and practical method to capture and represent construction project knowledge by using network knowledge maps. Network Knowledge Maps (NKM) gives users an overview of available and missing knowledge in core project areas, enabling tacit and explicit knowledge to be managed appropriately. This study addresses application of knowledge management in the construction phase of construction projects, and presents a construction Map-based Knowledge Management (MBKM) concept and system for contractors. The MBKM system is then utilized in selected case studies involving a High-Tech factory building enterprise in Taiwan to verify the proposed methodology and indicate the effectiveness of sharing knowledge, particularly in the construction phase. Knowledge can be captured and managed to benefit future projects by effectively utilizing information and web technologies during the construction phase of a project. The results of this study demonstrate that an MBKM-like system can be applied effectively in knowledge management systems in the construction industry by using map-based knowledge management and web technology.     

Analysis of the impact of craft labour availability on North American construction project productivity and schedule performance

The North American construction industry has experienced periods of craft shortages for decades. While this problem has received significant attention from researchers, less attention has been given to quantifying the impact of availability of craft labour on project performance. The primary contribution of the current work to the body of knowledge is the quantification of the relationship between craft labour availability and project performance, as measured by project productivity and schedule. Data from 97 construction projects completed in the U.S. and Canada between 2001 and 2014 were collected from two industry databases. The primary analysis shows that projects that experienced craft shortages underwent substantial and statistically lower productivity compared to projects that did not. The analysis also shows a significant growth in schedule overrun due to the craft labour shortages among the same population of projects. Further exploration by means of several regression analyses shows a statistically significant correlation between increased craft recruiting difficulty and lower project productivity and also higher schedule overruns in both project databases. The results are confirmed across both databases and serve as informative models that provide valuable insight for project management teams to perceive the risk that lack of skills poses on project productivity and time performance. Understanding the level of impact that craft shortages are having through robust statistical analyses is a first step in developing the motivation for industry leaders, communities and construction stakeholders to address this challenge.     

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.     

Project management office a knowledge broker in project-based organisations

Current research into project management offices (PMOs) has stressed the PMOs' potential to act as knowledge brokers between projects, and between project and top management. Nonetheless, the literature does not provide sufficient evidence of the brokering role of PMOs. The research reported here aims to examine PMO's functions from a knowledge sharing perspective and explore whether or not these functions reflect the knowledge sharing needs of project managers (PMs). These issues are investigated through a cross-case analysis of seven organisations. The main contribution is insight into how PMs share knowledge and awareness of the need to structure PMOs to align with PMs' nature, needs and expectations in order to improve knowledge sharing in PBOs. Finally, some practical steps for helping PMOs to better adapt their functions to the needs of PMs and their learning and knowledge sharing style are proposed.     

A configurational explanation for performance management systems' design in project-based organizations

This paper investigates what configurations of organization-level contingencies explain different performance management system (PMS) designs in project-based organizations (PBOs). By studying organization-level contingency factors – perceived environmental uncertainty, organizational size, innovation strategy, and opportunity strategy – this paper extends prior literature on PMSs in PBOs, which predominantly focused on project and portfolio level contingencies. In addition, while prior literature studied the contingency factors separately, this paper argues that it is the configuration of contingencies that matter for PMS design choices. Data on 15 PBOs in the management consulting industry reveal that PBOs combine various controls into performance management systems that are either predominantly mechanistic or organic in nature. Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) points to four configurations of organization-level characteristics, two of which are associated with the PBO's choice for mechanistic performance management system, and two that are related to organic performance management system.     

Organizational memory formation and its use in construction

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.     

A conceptualization of knowledge governance in project-based organizations

This paper conceptualizes and defines knowledge governance (KG) in project-based organizations (PBOs). Two key contributions towards a multi-faceted view of KG and an understanding of KG in PBOs are advanced, as distinguished from knowledge management and organizational learning concepts. The conceptual framework addresses macro- and micro-level elements of KG and their interaction. Our definition of KG in PBOs highlights the contingent nature of KG processes in relation to their organizational context. These contributions provide a novel platform for understanding KG in PBOs.     

土木工程施工安全知识共享的组织网络初探

土木工程施工安全事故频发的原因之一是从业人员在技术操作、安全防护等方面的知识缺陷。本文提出应重视人员之间的沟通和协作,建立一种组织内部人员、不同组织人员之间的施工安全知识共享网络。这种网络应将业主、设计、施工和监理单位的主要管理人员、工人等包括在内,理清人员之间的沟通关系、知识之间的关联,以及人员之间传递知识的路径。应用这种模型可以分析工程实践中的安全管理沟通、知识共享现状,发现不足并制定改进措施。这种从组织机制层面的探索,将有助于提高从业人员施工安全知识水平、改进施工安全管理,从而降低施工安全事故发生的概率。     

Study of ICT adoption for building project management in the Indian construction industry

Building project management requires effective coordination and collaboration between multiple project members. It can be achieved through real time communication flow between all. In present scenario, it can be achieved through adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Construction industry primarily comprises small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Also, ICT adoption has been slow in the industry. Research is required to assess the factors that affect ICT adoption at the three levels of industry, organization and people, with focus on SMEs. This paper discusses a component of the research undertaken to study these factors and issues in the context of Indian construction industry. A questionnaire survey was conducted and through quantitative data analysis the extent of adoption of formal Project Management processes, ICT adoption for these processes and factors including perception based factors affecting ICT adoption were studied. Results of data analysis includes identification of issues that require action at the three study levels. The results can be generalized for other countries with due considerations, specifically for countries where the construction industry is similar to Indian construction industry in terms of working methodologies or for large countries.     

Enhancing project managers’ strategy commitment by leader-leader exchange: The role of psychological empowerment and organizational identification

Projects are considered an important means of implementing strategies in project-based organizations (PBOs). Project managers need to lead projects following organizational strategies in PBOs. As a result, project managers’ commitment to strategy, which reflects their intention to perform strategic behavior, plays an important role in strategy implementation in PBOs. This study examined the role of leader-leader exchange (LLX), psychological empowerment, and organizational identification of project managers in enhancing strategy commitment. Survey data were analyzed with structural equation modeling. The results show that both LLX and psychological empowerment of project managers enhance their strategy commitment. Besides, this study reveals project managers’ psychological motivational mechanisms by investigating the mediating role of psychological empowerment and the moderating role of organizational identification. This study contributes to PBOs strategy implementation literature by extending the enhancers of strategy commitment. It generates useful insights by revealing project managers’ psychological mechanisms between LLX and strategy commitment.     

Organisation, ‘anchoring’ of knowledge,and innovative activity in construction

The construction industry is characterised by the widespread use of project organisation. It has been suggested that the relatively low level of innovative activity in the industry can be explained by the temporary nature of firm boundary‐crossing projects. Survey data from the Danish construction industry is used to investigate the importance of learning and ‘anchoring’ of project‐specific knowledge at the firm level for participation in innovative activities. The data cover both the overall Danish construction industry and a specific region, North Jutland, which has a relatively high specialisation of construction workers. Latent class and regression analyses reveal that firms that make extensive use of partnering, together with internal product and process evaluation and knowledge diffusion (labelled ‘knowledge‐anchoring mechanisms’), are more likely to participate in innovative activities than firms which make less use of these mechanisms. This indicates that construction firms are able to compensate for the problems that temporary interorganisational projects may cause in relation to continuous learning at the firm level.     

Developing an activity-based knowledge management system for contractors

Knowledge Management (KM) has become an important term in the IT industry. Knowledge management involves creating, securing, capturing, coordinating, combining, retrieving and distributing knowledge. Most know-what, know-how and experience exist only in the minds of individual participants during the construction phase of construction projects. The knowledge can be reused and shared among the engineers and experts involved who participate in projects in order to improve the construction process and reduce the time and cost of solving problems. Sharing and reusing knowledge depends on acquiring and preserving both tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge as the property of a corporation. Effectively using information and web technologies during the construction phase of a project enables knowledge to be captured and managed to the benefit of future projects. This study addresses application of knowledge management to construction projects in the construction phase and proposes a Construction Activity-Based Knowledge Management (ConABKM) concept and system for general contractors. This paper proposes the concept of integrating IDEF (Integrated DEFinition function modeling) modeling methods and provides a prototype used for designing construction knowledge management systems. The ConABKM system is then applied in a case study of a highway construction project; the results demonstrate the effectiveness of sharing knowledge in the construction phase. The combined results demonstrate that by utilizing the latest web technology, knowledge exchange and storage concepts and modes of implementation, a ConABKM system is an effective tool for all experts and engineers participating in the construction phase of a project.     

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.     

IT usage in Alberta's building construction projects: Current status and challenges

The Construction Industry lags behind other industries in its acquisition and use of modern technology. As a result construction workers are dissatisfied with the level and availability of communication systems and channels. Construction managers are not confident to acquire modern technologies to the construction workplace, because of the unavailability of information on worker abilities, available technologies, possible outcomes, related costs and benefits and so on. Technology providers are also lagging in the understanding of the information related to construction industry specific needs. There were no direct studies noted in Canada that were focusing the construction stakeholder views — workers, managers, and technology providers — related to the information technology (IT). This paper presents the views of three different construction industry stakeholders regarding the possibilities and opportunities in using Information Technology in construction project to improve communication and worker satisfaction. The paper ends with a set of recommendations for enhancing the usage of IT tools and systems on construction projects.     

BIM技术在城市隧道工程EPC项目管理中的探索与实践

EPC项目是我国建筑行业发展的总体趋势,但由于目前国内建筑行业信息化管理水平较低,使得EPC项目的优势难以发挥,通过BIM技术与EPC模式融合,进行两者的优势互补可使EPC管理更加科学、高效。本文以城市隧道工程EPC项目为载体,进行了BIM技术在EPC项目管理中的探索与实践,重点从设计、进度管理和安全文明施工角度研究了EPC模式与BIM技术结合的可行性及科学性。