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Russell, Marion M.; Liu, Min; Hsiang, Simon M.
doi: 10.1080/01446193.2015.1137335pmid: N/A
Construction personnel at every level of management are constantly planning and trying to figure out how to best deal with the uncertainty and variability of construction projects. The allocation of a time buffer in task planning is one method used to absorb variation caused by the inherent complexity and uncertainty present in construction. The research objective is to identify the causal structure used in planning for uncertainty and allocating a time buffer to construction project tasks. A time buffer questionnaire was developed and distributed to 175 companies across 37 states in the US. A structural equation modelling approach was used to develop mental models for field management personnel and upper management personnel based on both the frequency and severity response data collected. A total of 63 completed surveys from construction field managers were collected to validate the models. Contributions to the body of knowledge include (1) the development of causal structures for decision support through identification of risk areas, and the prioritization, prevention, and mitigation of those risks; and (2) the comparison of the field management models with the upper management models to identify both the shared key causes of buffer allocation and the differences in planning priorities. The contribution to practice is that the findings will help construction managers understand what drives the need for buffers in their construction schedules and allow them to focus efforts on strategically addressing the most critical areas of concern and uncertainty. Furthermore, the execution of a model survey serves to strengthen the findings of the data analysis and improve the overall models from a practical standpoint.
Alasad, Rajaa; Motawa, Ibrahim
doi: 10.1080/01446193.2016.1143561pmid: N/A
To bridge the gap between supply of and increasing demand for roads, public–private partnership (PPP) concession contracts in which the investment cost is recovered via payments from the end users have been established. Although this mechanism has been seen as an efficient way for road projects to be completed on time and within budget, the demand risk faced during the operation stage has considerably limited this efficiency. Demand depends on a range of interrelated and dynamic factors such as the demographic and economic conditions. In addition, uncertainty is an inherent aspect of most demand-underlying factors which always make demand estimation inaccurate. However, this uncertainty is largely ignored by modellers where a single demand estimate is often used when evaluating the facility. The aim is to develop a system dynamics model to assess demand risk in road projects. The model captures the factors affecting demand and their relationships and simulates their change over time. By employing Monte Carlo simulation, the model assesses the likelihood and potential effect of an event on the outcome and provides a full picture of the various effects of potential risk. The model can help public, private, and financial stakeholders of PPP facilities make more informed decisions.
Zhang, Rita Peihua; Lingard, Helen; Nevin, Steve
doi: 10.1080/01446193.2015.1108451pmid: N/A
Construction organizations are large and complex with decentralized structures, and characterized by non-routine work undertaken by semi-autonomous work groups. Construction workers’ perceptions of safety climate can form at different levels and vary between subunits. A multilevel safety climate measurement tool was proposed, which identified five important safety agents, i.e. client, principal contractor, supervisor, co-workers, and individual workers. Surveys were conducted at three construction projects commissioned by Fonterra Co-operative Group. A total of 356 participants completed the survey. The data was subject to scale reliability analysis and factor analysis. The results showed that all scales achieved satisfactory internal consistency and the multilevel factorial structure was generally supported. At the organizational level, the tool measures clients’ overall safety priority and safety actions, and principal contractors’ general commitment to safety. At the group level, the tool measures supervisors’ safety actions and safety expectations, and co-workers’ general safety values and practices. The tool also measures individual safety responses reflected by safety compliance and safety participation. The measurement tool would help construction organizations to diagnose potential weaknesses in their safety management practices for safety improvement and also help to develop a social and cultural work environment that is supportive of safety at all levels.
doi: 10.1080/01446193.2015.1133918pmid: N/A
Attention to epistemology, theory use and citation practices are all issues which distinguish academic disciplines from other ways of knowing. Examples from construction research are used to outline and reflect on these issues. In doing so, the discussion provides an introduction to some key issues in social research as well as a reflection on the current state of construction research as a field. More specifically, differences between positivist and interpretivist epistemologies, the role of theory in each and their use by construction researchers are discussed. Philosophical differences are illustrated by appeal to two published construction research articles by Reichstein et al. and Harty on innovation (Reichstein, Salter and Gann, 2005; Harty, 2008). An analysis of citations for each highlights different cumulativity strategies. The potential contribution of mixed research programmes, combining positivist and interpretivist research, is evaluated. The paper should be of interest to early researchers and to scholars concerned with the ongoing development of construction research as an academic field.
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