Construction Management & Economics

Bresnen, M. J.; Ford, J. R.; Bryman, A. E.; Keil, E. T.; Beardsworth, A. D.; Wray, K.

doi: 10.1080/01446198600000003pmid: N/A

Discussions of the recruitment and employment of labour in the construction industry tend to be aggregate analyses, at the level of the firm or industry. The question as to what firms do when faced with a particular set of labour requirements at the operational level so far remains largely unanswered. This paper focuses upon the patterns of recruitment and selection adopted by main contractors on 43 medium to large construction sites. The balance of directly employed (newly recruited and transferred) and subcontracted labour is examined and variation noted by size and nature of work,firm size and location of work. Although variable, the restricted degree of direct employment is documented. The recruitment processes adopted on site are identified as relatively informal, adaptive and based upon short-term production needs. Selection processes emphasize criteria such as work history, experience, reliability and conformity, as opposed to formal qualifications. The paper suggests that while the recruitment and selection strategies adopted on sites are both instrumental and rational from the contractors viewpoint, they may have wider deleterious consequences. In particular the impact of such strategies on training provision, and on the development and maintenance of an adequately skilled workforce is raised.

Walker, A.; Hughes, W. P.

doi: 10.1080/01446198600000004pmid: N/A

The technique of linear responsibility analysis is used for a retrospective case study of a private development consisting of an extension to an existing building to provide a wholesale butchery facility. The project used a conventionally-organized management process. The organization structure adopted on the project is analysed using concepts from systems theory which are included in Walker's theoretical model of the structure of building project organizations ( Walker, 1981). This model proposes that the process of building provision can be viewed as systems and sub-systems which are differentiated from each other at decision points. Further to this, the sub-systems can be viewed as the interaction of managing system and operating system. Using Walker's model, a systematic analysis of the relationships between the contributors gives a quantitative assessment of the efficacy of the organizational structure used. The project's organization structure diverged from the model's propositions resulting in delay to the project's completion and cost overrun but the client was satisfied with the project functionally.

Beeston* , Derek

doi: 10.1080/01446198600000005pmid: N/A

A method is described which attempts to provide a practical way of building up an estimate which will be exceeded with a calculated probability. The stakes are high in a large project but a statistically rigorous method would be impossibly complex for projects with a large number of risks to consider. The method described is a compromise between precision and practicability. It follows the spirit of a full probability treatment but is appropriate to the level of reliability in the subjective evaluations of risk which form a large part of the input to any method of risk analysis.

Barnes, Martin

doi: 10.1080/01446198600000006pmid: N/A

doi: 10.1080/01446198600000007pmid: N/A

doi: 10.1080/01446198600000008pmid: N/A