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1 – 10 of 40Nayana Dissanayake, Bo Xia, Martin Skitmore, Bambang Trigunarsyah and Vanessa Menadue
The purpose of this study was to prioritize the appropriate generic contractor selection criteria for Engineering–Procurement–Construction (EPC) projects in the construction…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to prioritize the appropriate generic contractor selection criteria for Engineering–Procurement–Construction (EPC) projects in the construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach
Proceeding from a review of previous studies and validation by a small group of experts, a preliminary set of 16 criteria was first identified. This was followed by three rounds of Delphi surveys: firstly, with 64 experienced participants confirming the relevance of the 16 criteria; secondly, with a reduced subgroup of 47 more experienced participants scoring the importance of each; and finally, providing the opportunity for these 47 to revise their scores in the light of knowing the aggregated results of the previous round.
Findings
The results show the consensus view, of which the most important criteria are ranked as past performance, project understanding, technical attributes, key personnel, health and safety, past experience, time, management, financial, contractual and legal, quality, cost, relationships, environmental and sustainability, organizational and industrial relations, and geographic location.
Originality/value
The findings are useful for both practitioners and academics in making a significant contribution to the body of knowledge of the EPC process. This will assist in providing a better understanding of criteria importance and pave the way to developing an EPC contractor selection model involving the criteria most needed to objectively identify potential contractors and evaluate tenders.
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Muhammad Saiful Islam, Madhav Nepal and Martin Skitmore
Power plant projects are very complex and encounter serious cost overruns worldwide. Their cost overrun risks are not independent but interrelated in many cases, having structural…
Abstract
Purpose
Power plant projects are very complex and encounter serious cost overruns worldwide. Their cost overrun risks are not independent but interrelated in many cases, having structural relationships among each other. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to establish the complex structural relationships of risks involved.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 76 published articles from the previous literature are reviewed using the content analysis method. Three risk networks in different phases of power plant projects are depicted based on literature review and case studies. The possible methods of solving these risk networks are also discussed.
Findings
The study finds critical cost overrun risks and develops risk networks for the procurement, civil and mechanical works of power plant projects. It identifies potential models to assess cost overrun risks based on the developed risk networks. The literature review also revealed some research gaps in the cost overrun risk management of power plants and similar infrastructure projects.
Practical implications
This study will assist project risk managers to understand the potential risks and their relationships to prevent and mitigate cost overruns for future power plant projects. It will also facilitate decision-makers developing a risk management framework and controlling projects’ cost overruns.
Originality/value
The study presents conceptual risk networks in different phases of power plant projects for comprehending the root causes of cost overruns. A comparative discussion of the relevant models available in the literature is presented, where their potential applications, limitations and further improvement areas are discussed to solve the developed risk networks for modeling cost overrun risks.
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Hongyang Li, Anjie Xue, Junwei Zheng, Martin Skitmore and Matthew Moorhead
The current booming development of smart cities poses new requirements and challenges for their internal infrastructure development. This article aims to explore the questions…
Abstract
Purpose
The current booming development of smart cities poses new requirements and challenges for their internal infrastructure development. This article aims to explore the questions of: What is the level of social sustainability of smart city infrastructure today? and What are the core contents and paths to improve this level?
Design/methodology/approach
With the theme of public participation in the social sustainability evaluation of smart city infrastructure in the context of big data, this study mainly makes a systematic literature review of the Web of Science's Science Citation Index Expanded and Social Sciences Citation Index databases. After collection and screening, 199 documents were finally obtained.
Findings
It is found that the level of social sustainability of smart city infrastructure is still low, and public participation can provide solutions to the difficulties and challenges involved in its development, while big data technology can broaden the channels for public participation and promote the development of smart city-related components in the process, including smart city infrastructure.
Originality/value
This article summarizes the internal mechanisms of smart cities at the theoretical level and analyzes the social sustainable development of smart city infrastructure. In practice, the shortcomings in this field are identified and suggestions are provided on how to carry out digital public participation, which has practical reference value.
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Rustanto Nanang, Connie Susilawati and Martin Skitmore
Governments in developing countries manage their considerable state assets for public service delivery directly. In Indonesia, the Directorate of State Asset Management…
Abstract
Purpose
Governments in developing countries manage their considerable state assets for public service delivery directly. In Indonesia, the Directorate of State Asset Management responsible for developing the national strategy for state asset optimization requires the determination of key elements and prioritization tools. The purpose of this paper is to show that a simple calculation using the combination of the balanced scorecard (BCS) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) will help in the prioritization of strategy development.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey of 131 multistakeholder respondents to identify the most important key elements and the best alternative for asset optimization was done in this study.
Findings
The respondents agree on the most important key elements, and that the best alternative for asset optimization is the efficient maintenance of assets. Competitive human resources comprise the recommended second key element, and that improvements in asset performance and value will improve public service as the second-highest alternative. This study also shows the importance of the integration of asset optimization in existing government strategic instruments supported by a comprehensive data set related to public assets and their performance.
Originality/value
This paper provides a new contribution to integrating asset optimization strategies as the core of the organization’s performance and prioritization strategies. Additional BSC perspectives are suggested, with the inclusion of AHP for prioritization. In addition, this study includes the opinions of all the stakeholders, from external users to the central management. The flexibility of the tools to adapt to the existing strategic framework will allow their application by different agencies and in different countries.
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Mohd Azrai Azman, Zulkiflee Abdul-Samad, Boon L. Lee, Martin Skitmore, Darmicka Rajendra and Nor Nazihah Chuweni
Total factor productivity (TFP) change is an important driver of long-run economic growth in the construction sector. However, examining TFP alone is insufficient to identify the…
Abstract
Purpose
Total factor productivity (TFP) change is an important driver of long-run economic growth in the construction sector. However, examining TFP alone is insufficient to identify the cause of TFP changes. Therefore, this paper employs the infrequently used Geometric Young Index (GYI) and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) to measure and decompose the TFP Index (TFPI) at the firm-level from 2009 to 2018 based on Malaysian construction firms' data.
Design/methodology/approach
To improve the TFPI estimation, normally unobserved environmental variables were included in the GYI-TFPI model. These are the physical operation of the firm (inland versus marine operation) and regional locality (West Malaysia versus East Malaysia). Consequently, the complete components of TFPI (i.e. technological, environmental, managerial, and statistical noise) can be accurately decomposed.
Findings
The results reveal that TFP change is affected by technological stagnation and improvements in technical efficiency but a decline in scale-mix efficiency. Moreover, the effect of environmental efficiency on TFP is most profound. In this case, being a marine construction firm and operating in East Malaysia can reduce TFPI by up to 38%. The result, therefore, indicates the need for progressive policies to improve long-term productivity.
Practical implications
Monitoring and evaluating productivity change allows an informed decision to be made by managers/policy makers to improve firms' competitiveness. Incentives and policies to improve innovation, competition, training, removing unnecessary taxes and regulation on outputs (inputs) could enhance the technological, technical and scale-mix of resources. Furthermore, improving public infrastructure, particularly in East Malaysia could improve regionality locality in relation to the environmental index.
Originality/value
This study contributes to knowledge by demonstrating how TFP components can be completely modelled using an aggregator index with good axiomatic properties and SFA. In addition, this paper is the first to apply and include the GYI and environmental variables in modelling construction productivity, which is of crucial importance in formulating appropriate policies.
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Xiaoyan Jiang, Sai Wang, Yong Liu, Bo Xia, Martin Skitmore, Madhav Nepal and Amir Naser Ghanbaripour
With the increasing complexity of public–private partnership (PPP) projects, the amount of data generated during the construction process is massive. This paper aims to develop a…
Abstract
Purpose
With the increasing complexity of public–private partnership (PPP) projects, the amount of data generated during the construction process is massive. This paper aims to develop a new information management method to cope with the risk problems involved in dealing with such data, based on domain ontologies of the construction industry, to help manage PPP risks, share and reuse risk knowledge.
Design/methodology/approach
Risk knowledge concepts are acquired and summarized through PPP failure cases and an extensive literature review to establish a domain framework for risk knowledge using ontology technology to help manage PPP risks.
Findings
The results indicate that the risk ontology is capable of capturing key concepts and relationships involved in managing PPP risks and can be used to facilitate knowledge reuse and storage beneficial to risk management.
Research limitations/implications
The classes in the risk knowledge ontology model constructed in this research do not yet cover all the information in PPP project risks and need to be further extended. Moreover, only the framework and basic methods needed are developed, while the construction of a working ontology model and the relationship between implicit and explicit knowledge is a complicated process that requires repeated modifications and evaluations before it can be implemented.
Practical implications
The ontology provides a basis for turning PPP risk information into risk knowledge to allow the effective sharing and communication of project risks between different project stakeholders. It can also have the potential to help reduce the dependence on subjectivity by mining, using and storing tacit knowledge in the risk management process.
Originality/value
The apparent suitability of the nine classes of PPP risk knowledge (project model, risk type, risk occurrence stage, risk source, risk consequence, risk likelihood, risk carrier, risk management measures and risk case) is identified, and the proposed construction method and steps for a complete domain ontology for PPP risk management are unique. A combination of criteria- and task-based evaluations is also developed for assessing the PPP risk ontology for the first time.
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Sushilawati Ismail, Carol K.H. Hon, Philip Crowther, Martin Skitmore and Fiona Lamari
Malaysia’s industrialised building system (IBS) has been increasingly adopted for sustainable development by the country’s construction industry. However, although it has been…
Abstract
Purpose
Malaysia’s industrialised building system (IBS) has been increasingly adopted for sustainable development by the country’s construction industry. However, although it has been used for commercial building projects, its application to sustainable infrastructure development has been limited to date. This study aims to examine the drivers and challenges involved.
Design/methodology/approach
A preliminary conceptual framework was initially developed based on a systematic literature review. Semi-structured interviews involving 20 participants were undertaken to gain insightful thoughts from the construction practitioners to discover the perception towards IBS application in the construction industry, the applicability of IBS, particularly in infrastructure projects, the strategies of IBS delivery and the sustainable potential of its application. A two-round Delphi study was conducted with 15 experienced and knowledgeable panellists to further identify, verify and prioritise factors developed from the literature review and interview findings. Then, the results were synthesised and triangulated to demonstrate a holistic insight.
Findings
The results show the main drivers to be better productivity, quality, environmental, safety and health, constructability design and cost, policy and requirements, with the main challenges being project planning and cost-related issues, inexperience and industry capacity.
Originality/value
The study’s main contribution is in systematically determining the practical implications involved in applying the IBS to sustainable infrastructure developments in Malaysia and other similar developing countries.
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Jin Cai, Zhongfu Li, Yudan Dou, Yue Teng and Mengqi Yuan
Contractor selection is critical in green buildings (GBs) since the preferred contractor has the responsibility to achieve construction sustainability as well as relationship…
Abstract
Purpose
Contractor selection is critical in green buildings (GBs) since the preferred contractor has the responsibility to achieve construction sustainability as well as relationship sustainability. The developer satisfaction reflecting requirements can boost the cooperative relationship among stakeholders and act as an evaluation scale for the success of GB projects, which needs to be emphasized in the selection process but little involved in the existing research. This study explores improving GB contractor (GBC) selection by integrating developer satisfaction into selection procedures.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic framework of GBC selection including twenty-five criteria from literature review and experts survey is firstly constructed. Both tactical and strategic criteria are further classified into Kano categories (must-be, one-dimensional, and attractive categories) using the fuzzy Kano model (FKM), and weighted by the developer satisfaction index. The model proposed by this study combining FKM and TOPSIS divides the selection process into the filtration phase and selection phase by Kano categories. The proposed model is finally verified through performance comparison among multiple methods in a case.
Findings
Selection criteria are measured linearly and nonlinearly, showing criteria having nonlinear satisfaction change accounts for two-thirds of all. Criteria at tactical level tend to be must-be or one-dimensional categories for the developer, and most strategic criteria are classed as the attractive category, indicating that adding strategic criteria is necessary for long-term cooperation. The proposed model, using developer satisfaction to improve the selection process, ensures the selected GBC to be the most satisfactory with requirements of the developer and makes the performance of GBCs easily distinguishable.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge for promoting relationship sustainability by supplementing an integrated model with emphasis on developer satisfaction in GBC selection, so as to establish a good initial foundation due to the match between performances of GBCs and needs of developers. It not only helps maximize developer satisfaction in GBC selection by applying satisfaction to pre-construction management, but also instructs GBCs to prioritize performance improvements. The framework is also conducive for developers to classify selection criteria and select other participants (like green suppliers) from the satisfaction perspective in GBs.
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Samuel Adeniyi Adekunle, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa, Obuks Ejohwomu, Emmanuel Abiodun Adekunle and Wellington Didibhuku Thwala
The construction industry has been traditionally referred to as slow when it comes to technological transformation. This study aims to investigate and present a scorecard of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The construction industry has been traditionally referred to as slow when it comes to technological transformation. This study aims to investigate and present a scorecard of the construction industry in the past decade, the paper adopted Bibliometrics. The study identified the various digital transformation (DT) aspects in the construction industry and future research directions are also identified.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve the aim of this research, an inductive approach was adopted through a grounded theory strategy. Secondary data was retrieved from the Scopus database and analysed using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer. The data was retrieved through specific keywords related to the study focus.
Findings
The study also proposed a balanced flow model for DT discussion in the construction industry. DT in the construction industry disrupts every aspect of the industry, albeit at different rates due to the existing barriers; hence, the study identified areas that require further research. It, thus, provides a theoretical and practical basis for researchers and practitioners alike.
Originality/value
The study reviewed the DT research discuss in the construction industry. It is worthy of note that this is the first study that analyses the DT of the construction industry in the past decade.
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James Prater and Konstantinos Kirytopoulos
This research aspires to contribute in the area of exploration of the psychological traits evolving by practitioners within the project management profession. Specifically, it…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aspires to contribute in the area of exploration of the psychological traits evolving by practitioners within the project management profession. Specifically, it investigates whether there is any difference in optimism levels among experienced project management practitioners and newcomers in the profession.
Design/methodology/approach
The research used the life orientation test-revised (LOTR) (Scheier et al., 1994) to calculate respondents’ optimism scores. With these scores at hand, the researchers could then apply inferential statistics in order to deduce any differences observed among optimism score and the respondents’ characteristics (age, years of experience etc.).
Findings
Based on the results of this research, several demographic variables were shown to be statistically significant with optimism. These were (1) the number of years of experience the respondent had in managing projects, (2) working in a government organisation and (3) possessing specific project management certifications, all of which were found to adversely affect the respondent’s optimism score.
Originality/value
This research was unique in applying a well-known psychological test instrument (LOTR) to provide insight into the psychological impacts of a career as an information technology (IT) project manager. It is also highly likely that this correlation between the length of time working as a project manager and the adverse impact on their optimism would also apply to not just IT project managers but all experienced project managers.
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