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The purpose of this paper is to examine the efficacy of knowledge management (KM) based systems and best practices that could be used to address operational issues in the oil and gas sector.

Given little was known empirically about the strategies and practices which contribute to improved performance, innovation and continuous improvement in the oil and gas sector qualitative method was used. Semi-structured interviews were used to derive senior managers’ constructs of project delivery efficiency and KM based systems. The interviews were analysed through the use of a qualitative analysis software package NUDIST NVivoTM. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Validity and reliability were achieved by first assessing the plausibility in terms of already existing knowledge on some of the operational issues raised by participants.

These were synthesised into a framework capturing seven well-defined stages. All these steps emerged as being related; they are comprised of independent variables. These steps were found to comprise of knowledge management technology approaches, knowledge management people approaches, KM strategies and value enhancing practices.

Although the findings are pertinent to oil and gas organisations, it will be important to conduct follow-up research validating the potential for using the results of this study to establish frameworks for knowledge and information management in different organisations and contexts. This will provide not only data about the validity of the framework in generic terms but will also generate additional data on the application of KM strategy.

As shown in this study, successful KM based systems requires the aligning of business strategy, technology for KM, project management operations with an enterprise knowledge-sharing culture. Such sharing requires managing the behaviour of project personnel such that knowledge transfer becomes part of the organisation’s norm.

The implementation of KM based systems requires deliberate planning and action to create the conditions for success and put in place the strategy, leadership, goals, process, skills, systems, issue resolution, and structure to direct and exploit the dynamic nature of project work. The strategies proposed in this research cannot be expected to resolve all KM issues in the oil and gas sector. However, their use defines an approach that is superior to the traditional approaches typically adopted and consequently merits far wider application.

The proposed framework presents a better way of optimising the performance of project-based operations thus enabling oil and gas organisations to reform their poor performance on projects and empower them to better manage emerging cultural challenges in their future projects. Reflecting on their experiences, the participants confirmed that the proposed KM framework and its seven well-defined stages were central to the effectiveness of KM in oil and gas operations. Although the scope of this research was restricted to projects in Nigeria and the UK, the geographical focus of this research does not invalidate these results with respect to other countries. The fact is that the oil and gas sector globally shares some common fundamental characteristics.

This paper aims to highlight the availability and use of software systems in the Irish construction professional cost consultancy process. Also to gather the views from practising quantity surveying professionals as to how available systems could assist total cost management of green buildings throughout their lifespan.

A questionnaire was given to a number of senior quantity surveyors throughout Ireland to ascertain the extent to which IT systems were being used as part of a total life cycle cost analysis and control procedure. Particular focus of questions related to the extent to which use of IT systems encouraged information sharing. Statistical analyses of results of same are given.

Quantity surveying practice must adapt and integrate cost management systems within the life cycle cost plan of a building. Use of well‐designed IT systems should complement the existing knowledge base of traditional cost models.

The extent to which life cycle costs become an accepted and integral part of the total cost management package may be determined more by government legislation than client desire for the cost management system. Nevertheless, the quantity surveying profession with its well‐established cost control and planning techniques should consider the use of well‐designed IT systems as part of the future development of the profession.

The role of the professional quantity surveyor is to provide information with regard to the initial and future costs so that sound financial factors – inter alia – are considered by the design team. However, it has always been very difficult to produce conceptual estimates because they require the ability not to count the bricks, windows, doors and fixtures but the ability to visualise these components. This problem stifles quantity surveyors' capability to meet the demand for “value for money” (VfM) throughout sustainable building development. The purpose of this paper is to describe results from a case study of deploying a building product model on a commercial project in Ireland, with a view to easing the cost management duties of the quantity surveyor.

The paper comprises a case study of the Environmental Research Institute project and a questionnaire survey of quantity surveying business in Ireland.

Quantity surveying still encounters serious data compatibility problems in integrated teams because most software available on the market run proprietary file formats. It is concluded that there is a huge business potential for quantity surveying to facilitate designing to a budget within integrated teams, and that software interoperability could have a negative impact on professional fee structures, which could trigger more robust appraisal strategies for building products if quantity surveying is to maintain a leading role in providing cost management services to the construction industry.

Some case study data could not be made public.

Quantity surveyors might be encouraged to be innovative when using computerised systems that could produce better cost models; hence meet the demand for VfM throughout sustainable building development.

The paper provides valuable information to built environment stakeholders working in integrated teams so as to optimise whole life resources expendable on a constructed facility.

The research in this paper is aimed at re‐engineering existing approaches to the analysis of proposed developments in local authorities – from land pricing to planning permission – hence reducing the loss of revenue in councils, and nurture property development.

This paper is a case study of seven city councils on the Copperbelt province of Zambia was conducted using the same template of questions.

The research found that councils had overly politicised management structure, static appraisal methods, poor market data capture, analysis and use. Additionally, councils did not use market data on property values; hence the existing analysis and appraisal systems are static and ineffective.

The paper shows that extracting current data from the councils proved a severe limitation.

The paper shows that councils can: learn how overly politicised their interdepartmental communication and data exchange is; enhance paper based systems of appraising proposed developments by adding established methods of project appraisal that can ease the collection, analysis and synthesis of construction business data used in the appraisal process; Employ, and support qualified personnel with adequate resources necessary to perform their duties professionally; make gradual improvements to existing systems within the cultural and political atmosphere of the council; and appraise proposed developments using accepted business approaches; just like private sector consultants do.

The research provides practical solutions that enhance professional appraisal techniques in councils of most underdeveloped countries, hence setting the basis upon which market driven strategies for nurturing property development can be made