Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management

W.P. Hughes

2003 Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management

doi: 10.1108/09699980310502919

The RIBA Plan of Work describes the way a construction process should be organized. Although not officially approved by the RIBA council, a new plan of work was published in 2000 with the intention of replacing the RIBA Plan of Work , so it is useful to analyse both in terms of the organizational structure they impose upon construction projects. Using analytical principles from organizational theory, both plans are analysed by converting them into organizational matrices and assessing their relative complexities, the load on participants, decentralization of responsibility, number of interfaces and the extent to which they provide for co‐ordination and control. This demonstrates first, that the analysis of organizational structure is an appropriate approach for undertaking comparisons of such documents; and second, that while both plans of work are of roughly equal complexity, the new one is more demanding on the participants; produces a higher number of interfaces between processes, and provides for more co‐ordination than the old one. Neither plan deals with controlling the output of individuals, leaving it as an internal matter for each participating organization.

A. Singh

2003 Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management

doi: 10.1108/09699980310502928

Construction projects frequently need to use overtime and overmanning to get work done on time. Overtime and overmanning often appear concurrently, especially when acceleration has been ordered. However, the calculation of the number of workers required for overtime and overmanning is often left to the experience and judgment of the foreman or superintendent. Whereas the overtime and overmanning estimate of superintendents and foremen is sometimes correct, it is sometimes incorrect also. The reason is that factors such as efficiency loss are not taken into account in an objective manner. More pertinently, calculations for efficiency loss are often not normally performed on job sites when overtime and overmanning must be designed. When we really delve deeply into the problem, we see that calculation of overtime with overmanning is a lengthy process involving iterations. Using a sample problem, this paper demonstrates how overtime and overmanning should be objectively and correctly designed using standard charts prevalent in the industry.

Hong Xiao; David Proverbs

2003 Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management

doi: 10.1108/09699980310502937

International comparisons of contractor performance can provide robust benchmarks for contractors in different countries and help to identify ways towards performance improvement. Based on a hypothetical construction project, overall contractor performance (OCP) in Japan, the UK and the USA is compared. Overall contractor performance is defined to embrace construction cost, construction time, construction quality and sustainable development, the philosophy being that the achievement of one aspect of performance should not be at the expense of another. Multiple regression analysis reveals that overall contractor performance is dependent on: their past performance on previous similar projects; their commitment towards lifetime employment; their perceived importance of time performance; their relationship with subcontractors; and the number of design variations during construction. To improve their overall performance, contractors are advised to focus on construction time, reduce delays, maintain a stable workforce and establish partnerships with their subcontractors. Clients should attempt to reduce design variations during construction.

Rathavoot Ruthankoon; Stephen Olu Ogunlana

2003 Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management

doi: 10.1108/09699980310502946

Herzberg’s two‐factor theory of motivation is widely known in management circles. However, it has been criticized regarding its validity in different work settings. Construction is an industry with unique characteristics which may have special effects on employee motivation. This study tests the two‐factor theory on Thai construction engineers and foremen following Herzberg’s interviewing procedure and compares the results to Herzberg’s. Responsibility, advancement, possibility of growth, and supervision contribute to job satisfaction, while working conditions, job security, safety on site, and relationships with other organizations contribute to job dissatisfaction. Recognition, work itself, company’s policy and administration, interpersonal relations, personal life, and status contribute to both satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Achievement contributes to satisfaction for engineers but contributes to both satisfaction and dissatisfaction for foremen. It is concluded that Herzberg’s theory is not entirely applicable in the Thai construction setting. Some factors should receive attention if construction employees are to be motivated effectively.

Javier C. Cuervo; Low Sui Pheng

2003 Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management

doi: 10.1108/09699980310502955

Dunning’s eclectic paradigm of international production, which focuses on the ownership, location and internalisation factors, presents a useful framework to explain the foreign value‐added activities of transnational corporations. “Eclectic paradigm” means a general framework or model chosen from what is preferred from various theories, systems or doctrines. The present study extends the eclectic paradigm to a study of Singapore transnational construction corporations (STCCs) and examines what location factors are viewed as the most significant for STCCs engaged in foreign value‐added construction‐related activities in their major international construction market. This study examines if these location factors vary significantly according to firm‐specific contextual variables in the STCCs, such as size, international age, multinationality and extent of specialisation/diversification, as well as the major reasons for STCCs to export their services overseas. The most important host location factors identified by STCCs operating in other Southeast Asian countries are: the host governments’ attitudes, policies and regulatory framework; the social, political, cultural and geographic factors; and the cost of doing business factors.

Scott Fernie; Stuart D. Green; Stephanie J. Weller

2003 Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management

doi: 10.1108/09699980310502964

Requirements management (RM), as practised in the aerospace and defence sectors, attracts interest from construction researchers in response to longstanding problems of project definition. Doubts are expressed whether RM offers a new discipline for construction practitioners or whether it repeats previous exhortations to adopt a more disciplined way of working. Whilst systems engineering has an established track record of addressing complex technical problems, its extension to socially complex problems has been challenged. The dominant storyline of RM is one of procedural rationality and RM is commonly presented as a means of controlling dilettante behaviour. Interviews with RM practitioners suggest a considerable gulf between the dominant storyline in the literature and how practitioners operate in practice. The paper challenges construction researchers interested in RM to reflect more upon the theoretical debates that underpin current equivalent practices in construction and the disparity between espoused and enacted practice.