bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Internationalizing quantity surveying services
Authors: Yean Yng Ling Florence , Hui Min Chan Amy 
Published: January 2010

PurposeWith the advent of globalization, consultancy firms could easily offer services outside their home countries. This study aims to investigate how quantity surveying (QS) firms in Singapore internationalize their services, by examining the unique characteristics of exporting firms, the forces that drive them to export and the strategies they adopt in internationalization.Design/methodology/approachThe research method is based on a structured questionnaire and data were collected via postal survey. Questionnaires were sent to all 47 QS firms operating in Singapore. A total of 25 responses were received.FindingsThe results show that QS firms that offer services overseas have more staff than non‐exporters, handle larger projects and offer a wider range of services. In addition, these firms are focused on generating additional revenue and conduct their own market research to secure overseas contracts. They enter foreign countries first as wholly owned foreign subsidiaries and later on form joint ventures with firms in the host country.Originality/valueThe finding suggests that to internationalize, firms need to be of a critical size in terms of staff strength. They must offer integrated and other value added services. To secure more overseas projects, firms should undertake aggressive marketing, collect market data in host countries, instead of relying on published information. Many projects were won through past and present clients' recommendations. To win more overseas contracts, it is recommended that QS firms form close relationships with clients who are best placed to give referrals or repeat business.
System dynamics modelling of machine downtime for small to medium highway contractors
Authors: Prasertrungruang Thanapun , Hadikusumo B.H.W. 
Published: January 2010

PurposeDowntime resulting from equipment failure is a major problem consistently faced in highway construction. Since managing construction equipment is tightly connected to various activities and parties inside as well as outside of the firm, failure to account for this fact invariably causes downtime to be even more severe. Variation in equipment management practices is thus, indeed, a root cause of the dynamics of machine downtime. This study is intended to address key dynamic features of heavy equipment management practices and downtime in small to medium highway contracting firms and propose policies for equipment performance improvement.Design/methodology/approachFace‐to‐face interviews with equipment managers from five different small to medium highway construction companies in Thailand were conducted. Data were analysed using a system dynamics (SD) simulation approach.FindingsTo overcome downtime problems, contractors need to understand the dynamics of downtime as well as its influential factors, and thus manage their equipment as a dynamic process rather than one that is static. Based on the simulation, various policies are proposed to improve the performance of heavy equipment for small to medium highway contractors.Originality/valueThe research is of value in facilitating better understanding on the dynamics of equipment management practices and downtime as well as their interdependency.
A mathematical‐based model for company‐level budgeting incorporating future unknown contracts
Authors: Kaka Ammar P. , Khosrowshahi F. 
Published: January 2010

PurposeOne of the main challenges facing construction contractors is incorporating future unknown contracts into their annual financial budgets. This paper sets out to review current academic work in this area and to argue that computer‐based simulation techniques are too complex to be adopted in the industry. Therefore, an alternative and a mathematically‐based technique needs to be developed and evaluated.Design/methodology/approachThe paper proposes that, as the pattern of winning construction contracts lacks any seasonality, it may be possible to assume all future work to be starting at one point in time and, by using an average standard value build‐up curve, average duration and the total value work needed, contractors will be able to estimate the total value of contracts needed to achieve a target turnover. Based on the total value of contracts to be won, a proposed mathematical equation is then used to assess the levels of working capital requirements.FindingsThe paper evaluates the proposed mathematical model through a series of hypothetical scenarios (developed using a detailed and tested computer‐based simulation model). Results demonstrated the validity and reliability of the models.Research limitations/implicationsThe working capital element of the proposed model applies to construction projects where traditional payment mechanisms have been applied (interim payments based on measurements).Practical implicationsThe model is very practical in nature and will allow construction companies (particularly large ones) to assess the level of work (in terms of number and values of contracts) they will need to win for them to meet targets for turnover. The model also allows contractors to assess the associated level of funding required.Originality/valueThe mathematical model developed allows contractors to incorporate into their budgets future unknown contracts without the need for computer simulation.
Critical evaluation of road infrastructure in India: a cross‐country view
Authors: Sharma A.K. , Vohra Ekta 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThis study aims to examine the current status of road infrastructure in India, working out the gap in the availability of required length and the quality of roads besides the comparison with other economies. It also seeks to analyse the socio‐economic‐political environment in India to assess the country's attractiveness towards private sector participation in road infrastructure development.Design/methodology/approachThe targets for the road sector development set by the Government of India and the current road status of China are taken as benchmarks to enumerate the existing gap in road development in the country. Growth trends of the road sector and their impact on the manufacturing sector have been worked out to assess the development of road infrastructure and its impact on the industry in the country.FindingsThe study advocates that the present pace of road infrastructure development is inadequate in India vis‐à‐vis other developing economies. The quality of roads compared with China is far below expectations and this poor hinterland connectivity is affecting the trade growth in the country.Originality/valueThe paper significantly contributes in assessing the state of road infrastructure in India and highlighting the weaknesses while comparing it with other developing and developed economies. The key issues identified are of immense help to the policy makers in the country for having detailed insight and correcting the road infrastructure development programmes.
A decision‐making system for accelerating roadway construction
Authors: Goodrum Paul M. , Wan Yinggang , Fenouil Philippe C. 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show the way in which State Transportation Agencies throughout the USA are under increasing pressure to preserve and expand the nation's roadway infrastructure in the shortest possible time with only a finite pool of resources with which to meet a state's transportation needs. With this in mind, a rapid construction methods decision‐making system was developed, to be used during the preliminary and conceptual design stage of a roadway project.Design/methodology/approachThe research completed an extensive literature review and examined case studies to identify rapid construction methods and summarize valuable lessons learned. Designed for use by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the research developed a series of conceptual road user cost (RUC) tables that reflect different socioeconomic conditions by varying the value of time based on average hourly per capita income and wages for different counties in Kentucky.FindingsThe case studies identified that the most effective mean for State Transportation Agencies to accelerate construction is through their construction contracts. Furthermore, determining RUC as outlined in the research way simplifies the method of calculating RUC by using fewer variables than would typically be available during the preliminary and conceptual design stage.Research limitations/implicationsThe proposed decision‐making model is designed for State Transportation Agencies who are involved in the scenarios of determining the value of accelerating construction in both an urban and rural environments.Practical implicationsThe project's intent in determining conceptual road user costs is to support a decision‐making process to identify the need and type of rapid construction methods for any given project.Originality/valueA specific decision‐making process is proposed, and it uses the ratios of the Conceptual Road User Cost to the Maximum Allowable Road User Cost and a set of additional criteria based on project features to recommend a selection of rapid construction methods for a given highway project.
Supporting pre‐tender construction planning with virtual prototyping
Authors: Baldwin Andrew , Li Heng , Huang Ting , Kong C.W. , Guo H.L. , Chan Neo , Wong Johnny 
Published: January 2010

PurposeVirtual prototyping technologies linked to building information models are commonplace within the aeronautical and automotive industries. Their use within the construction industry is now emerging. The purpose of this paper is to show how these technologies have been adopted on the pre‐tender planning for a typical construction project.Design/methodology/approachThe research methodology taken was an “action research” approach where the researchers and developers were actively involved in the production of the virtual prototypes on behalf of the contractor thereby gaining consistent access to the decisions of the planning staff. The experiences from the case study were considered together with similar research on other construction projects.FindingsThe findings from the case studies identify the role of virtual prototyping in components modelling, site modelling, construction equipment modelling, temporary works modelling, construction method visualization and method verification processes.Originality/valueThe paper presents a state‐of‐the‐art review and discusses the implications for the tendering process as these technologies are adopted. The adoption of the technologies will lead to new protocols and changes in the procurement of buildings and infrastructure.
An application of the construction management framework in highways major maintenance
Authors: Ansell Mary , Evans Rees , Holmes Mike , Price Andrew , Pasquire Christine 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThis paper describes the use of the construction management framework (CMF) in the Highways Agency's (HA) Areas 9 and 10, two of the HA's 14 areas within England, defined by geographical boundaries. It examines: how the CMF has adapted itself to the changing needs of the client; how it has captured and used innovation and lessons learnt; and how the number of companies involved has impacted on the effectiveness of the framework.Design/methodology/approachThe research compares the advantages and disadvantage of frameworks as reported in literature with the case study of the HA's CMF. The framework is examined in terms of: how well it met the client's changes/expectations; how it can be used to anticipate those changes; how it used innovations and lessons learnt to achieve competitive advantage; and how the number of parties involved in the framework can affect the effectiveness of this arrangement.FindingsThe CMF in Areas 9 and 10 has formed its own “Community” and established joint processes, including procedures and measures that have been put in place following changes in HA policy. The innovations process used in the CMF shows that savings of 6.3 per cent on average can be made with clear benefits resulting from the lessons learnt. Finally, it is recommended that the selection of specialisms in the framework should be considered carefully, taking into account the likely workload over the anticipated life of the framework in terms of continuity and percentage share of construction works for each specialism.Practical implicationsThis research provides a model of the CMF that can be used in other HA areas. Presenting the CMF model will: allow better informed decisions to be made on whether or not to adopt the CMF; help identify how many specialist contractors are to be included; and raise awareness of some of the potential pitfalls.Originality/valueThis paper presents a review of an application of the HA's CMF, an innovative long‐term collaborative working arrangement. The CMF is an option for delivering highways major maintenance and renewal schemes which is expected to be extended to other HA areas. This paper also helps to identify how this option can be best implemented.
Pre‐project peer reviews in GMP/lump sum contracts
Authors: Kaplanogu S.B. , Arditi D. 
Published: January 2010

PurposeA “pre‐project peer review” (PPPR) is conducted by a construction company or CM‐at‐risk firm to mitigate or reduce project risks prior to committing to a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) or lump sum. The purpose of this paper is to find out the common PPPR practices that may affect the outcome of a GMP/lump sum contract and to provide guidelines to the construction industry for PPPR implementation.Design/methodology/approachA survey was administered to the top 400 construction companies listed by Engineering New‐Record that also includes the top 100 construction management firms. The closed survey method was used. Respondents were asked to select from multiple answers to each question. The survey preparers worked on the predetermined answers carefully to ensure that respondents are comfortable with their selections. For some questions, respondents were allowed to provide their own answers in addition to the selection.FindingsEven though conducting formal PPPRs is not common practice in the industry, the results confirm the necessity and importance of this process in GMP or lump sum contracts. The other findings provide information about the current practices related to PPPR implementation. For example, more companies prefer conducting PPPRs on an informal basis; the PPPR team in most companies is composed of professionals in the local office with day‐to‐day responsibilities; the cost of PPPRs is included in the budget as part of overhead; and finally, a follow up process to PPPRs is conducted by many companies and is considered to be a critical by even those companies that do not conduct PPPRs.Originality/valueA literature survey indicates that there are no published studies related to PPPRs. The study reported in this paper fills this gap.
Role of knowledge in managing construction project change
Authors: Senaratne S. , Sexton M.G. 
Published: January 2010

PurposeUnplanned changes in construction projects are common and lead to disruptive effects such as project delays, cost overruns and quality deviations. Rework due to unplanned changes can cost 10‐15 per cent of contract value. By managing these changes more effectively, these disruptive effects can be minimised. Previous research has approached this problem from an information‐processing view. In this knowledge age, the purpose of this paper is to argue that effective change management can be brought about by better understanding the significant role of knowledge during change situations.Design/methodology/approachWithin this knowledge‐based context, the question of how construction project teams manage knowledge during unplanned change in the construction phase within collaborative team settings is investigated through a selected case study sample within the UK construction industry.FindingsCase study findings conclude that different forms of knowledge are created and shared between project team members during change events which is very much socially constructed and centred on tacit knowledge and experience of project personnel.Originality/valueBuilding on the case study findings the paper finally offers a model that represents the role of knowledge during managing project change.
Enhancing the logistics of construction materials through activity‐based simulation approach
Authors: Ng S. Thomas , Shi Jonathan , Fang Yuan 
Published: January 2010

PurposeMany planners and managers prefer to maintain more than enough construction materials on site to avoid valuable labour and plant resources staying idle. Despite the fact that minimising the buffer stock would improve the productivity of a construction project, no one likes to take this risk especially when the consequences are not totally clear. This paper aims to identify the possible savings in time and cost due to different amounts of buffer stock on site, by introducing an activity‐based simulation model.Design/methodology/approachIn this research, details and data of a residential project involving substantial amounts of pre‐cast components are collected. The project participants are asked to unveil the constraints on site and throughout the material delivery and storage processes. Finally, the collected data are fed into the activity‐based construction simulation tool for analysis.FindingsThe results indicate that simulation could help quantify the productivity of resources so as to establish the most suitable strategy for improving the logistics of materials handling in a construction project.Originality/valueThe paper helps construction planners and managers to streamline the flow of construction materials and determine optimal buffer stocks rather than relying on subjective judgement.
Construction process improvement through cognitive power under team generative learning
Authors: Keeble Kululanga Grant 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report a study that explores the means through which cognitive power under team learning is exploited for generative learning in order to remain competitive in the challenging business environment and to examine the extent to which various types of teams are used for purposes of generative learning by construction contractors.Design/methodology/approachTo ascertain the significance of cognitive power through various types of teams, a study was undertaken in Malawi, one of the countries in the Sub‐Saharan region. A questionnaire survey was employed to elicit data on the constructs of cognitive power from various types of business teams that were employed by construction contractors.FindingsUsing cognitive power under team application as an analytical lens, the research shows that construction contractors displayed low cognitive, social and physical competences in the various types of teams as critical determinants for generative learning. Innovative behaviour of construction contractors correlated positively to the overall physical, social and cognitive competences.Research limitations/implicationsA comparative study of the three preconditions for team generative learning in other developing and developed construction business environments is recommended whose results could further enrich the industry with tools for enhancing innovative behaviour of construction contractors.Practical implicationsThe primary implication of the research findings is that construction executives have an additional role of harnessing and managing cognitive power where mission‐pertinent learning and knowledge activities should be nurtured. In practice, it means that the objectives of utilizing various business teams need to be re‐conceptualized.Originality/valueThe article should be valuable to the leader of any construction organisation that is attempting to sustain superior competitive performance in the knowledge economy through effective engagement and utilization of business teams.
Integrating numerical tools in underground construction process
Authors: Attar Ahmed , Amine Boudjakdji Mohamed , Bhuiyan Nadia , Grine Khaled , Kenai Said , Aoubed Ali 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show how the time frame for the execution of a construction project in Algeria is rarely respected because of organizational problems and uncertainties encountered while the execution is underway.Design/methodology/approachA case study on the construction of a metro station is used as a pilot project to show the effectiveness of replacing traditional construction processes by more innovative procedures. Concurrent engineering (CE) is applied to optimize the execution time of the underground structure. A numerical simulation is integrated into the construction process in order to update design parameters with real site conditions observed during the construction process.FindingsThe results show that the implementation of CE is efficient in reducing the completion time, with an 18 per cent reduction observed in this case study. A cost reduction of 20 per cent on the steel frame support and a total cost reduction of 3 per cent were obtained.Research limitations/implicationsThe study demonstrates that the application of CE methods can be quite valuable in large, complex construction projects. Vulgarizing it as “the solution” to adjust time frame delay, control quality and cost, might be an issue for local construction enterprises in Algeria.Originality/valueUsing the concept of CE by overlapping different activities involved in a construction project and making use of simulation tools in the process at different stages of the execution have resulted in modifying the excavation method and hence reducing the completion times.
Enhancing visualization of 4D CAD model compared to conventional methods
Authors: Benjaoran Vacharapoom , Bhokha Sdhabhon 
Published: January 2010

PurposeThe 4D CAD model has been accepted for better conceptualizing and comprehending the sequences and spatial constraints in a construction schedule. The purpose of this paper is to identify the deficiencies of the visualization of the 4D CAD model and to propose improvements.Design/methodology/approachThe presentation abilities of the existing 4D CAD model are analyzed and compared with the other conventional methods, namely Gantt chart, network diagram, and the calendar. Four aspects of the visualization are addressed, namely the overview of a schedule, the duration of an activity, the relationship of an activity, and the project progress tracking. The proposed improvements employed different visual properties of 3D CAD objects such as color, line weight, and line type to represent the different activities' performing statuses. A prototype of the 4D CAD model with enhanced visualization was developed on a construction project case.FindingsThe model evaluation showed that this development could enhance the visualization of the 4D CAD model and provide a more informative construction schedule.Original/valueIt is anticipated that the 4D CAD model with these enhancements can substitute for conventional presentation methods of construction schedules.