Construction Project Outcomes Research Articles

Optimizing construction project outcomes through BIM and MEP system integration

The integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) with Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems represents a transformative approach to improving efficiency, coordination, and cost-effectiveness in construction projects. This paper explores a comprehensive methodology for BIM and MEP integration, encompassing framework development, data management, and collaboration mechanisms. It highlights the significant benefits such as enhanced project coordination, improved efficiency, and cost reduction while addressing key challenges including technical barriers, cultural and organizational changes, and data security concerns. Solutions such as the development of interoperability standards, middleware technologies, robust data management protocols, and collaborative platforms are discussed. The study underscores the necessity of a multifaceted strategy involving training, change management, and leadership commitment to drive successful implementation. Through detailed analysis and discussion, this paper demonstrates how BIM and MEP integration can lead to more streamlined, cost-effective, and high-quality construction projects.

Navigating Construction Project Outcomes: Synergy through the Evolution of Digital Innovation and Strategic Management

Navigating Construction Project Outcomes: Synergy through the Evolution of Digital Innovation and Strategic Management

Systems Thinking Interplay Between Project Complexities, Stakeholder Engagement, and Social Dynamics Roles in Influencing Construction Project Outcomes

Systems Thinking Interplay Between Project Complexities, Stakeholder Engagement, and Social Dynamics Roles in Influencing Construction Project Outcomes

Creativity in Project Implementation: An Empirical Study of Project Managers

The construction industry is a dynamic and ever-evolving sector, continuously adapting to societal needs. Within this context, project managers play a pivotal role in steering projects from inception to completion. This study delves into the vital dimension of creativity among project managers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its substantial contribution to the growth of the construction industry in the region. Research in the broader field of construction and project management has traditionally concentrated on factors such as scheduling, cost control, and risk management. However, a noticeable gap exists in the exploration of the relationship between project manager creativity and project success. Hence, the objective of this study is to comprehensively explore various dimensions of project managers’ creativity and evaluate its influence, alongside other criteria, on the outcomes of construction projects. Dimensions and indicators of creativity are derived from a meticulous literature review, and online survey questionnaires were employed to gather insights from individuals engaged in construction projects. The resulting hypothetical model underwent rigorous statistical analysis, employing confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings indicate a positive impact of tacit knowledge sharing and emotional intelligence on the creativity of construction project managers in the UAE. Moreover, the study establishes that project managers’ creativity, combined with other criteria, significantly contributes to the success of construction projects in the region. These insights are instrumental for fostering creativity among project managers and enhancing overall project success within the construction industry. The study’s originality lies in its distinct contribution to the discourse on creativity in the construction sector.

Optimal Sharing of Construction Project Outcomes with Downstream Contracting Parties: Principal–Agent Analysis

Optimal Sharing of Construction Project Outcomes with Downstream Contracting Parties: Principal–Agent Analysis

A PRELIMINARY FRAMEWORK FOR PREVENTING DISPUTES IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

The upward trend of dispute claims and occurrences throughout different stages has detrimentally affected the outcomes of construction projects. Building upon two major themes from a systematic literature review (SLR) study, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to further group the extensive causes and strategies into several meaningful groups using the Statistical Social Package Science (SPSS) software. Questionnaires were used and issued to three main stakeholders (clients, consultants, and contractors) in the Klang Valley area. This paper presents the PCA findings, which have led to the development of a framework to prevent disputes in different stages of building construction projects. The PCA findings have narrowed down the major contributors of disputes to “Contract-related causes” and “Time-related causes”. PCA analysis has also shown that the three key themes of “Quality-related strategies,” “Business relationship-related strategies,” and “Productivity-related strategies” were the most effective ways to reduce disagreements. It is important to highlight that the findings related to the causes of disputes during the planning stage consistently align with those of a prior study. This underscores the importance of ethical conduct, particularly during the planning phase and, more specifically, within the tendering process.

Assessment of Demski’s Model in House Construction Planning

The construction industry has witnessed significant advancements in recent years, particularly in the area of planning and project management. Efficient and effective planning plays a vital role in the successful completion of construction projects, ensuring timely delivery, cost-effectiveness, and quality. One prominent planning model that has gained attention is Demski's Model, which aims to optimize the house construction planning process by incorporating various factors and variables. This research paper presents an in-depth assessment of Demski's Model in the context of house construction planning. The objective is to evaluate the model's effectiveness, its applicability in realworld scenarios, and the potential benefits it offers to the construction industry. The assessment process involves a comprehensive literature review, analyzing existing studies, scholarly articles, and relevant industry reports. The gathered information provides a foundation for understanding the fundamental principles and components of Demski's Model. The research methodology consists of both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Quantitative analysis involves examining key performance indicators such as project duration, cost, and resource allocation, comparing projects that utilized Demski's Model with those that followed traditional planning approaches. Qualitative analysis focuses on gathering feedback from project stakeholders, including contractors, homebuilders, and house owners, to gauge their experiences and perceptions regarding the model's effectiveness and practicality. The findings of this research contribute to the existing knowledge base on house construction planning methodologies. The assessment of Demski's Model provides insights into its strengths, weaknesses, and potential areas for improvement. It also sheds light on the challenges and limitations that may arise during its implementation. By understanding these factors, construction professionals can make informed decisions when considering the adoption of Demski's Model in their planning processes. Ultimately, this research aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of Demski's Model in house construction planning, offering valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers in the construction industry. By evaluating the model's effectiveness and practicality, this study contributes to advancing planning methodologies and optimizing construction project outcomes in the pursuit of enhanced efficiency, reduced costs, and improved quality.

The moderating role of emerging technologies on the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 and the performance of construction projects: the case of Pakistan

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the outcome of construction projects and explore the moderating effects of emerging technologies on the relationship between COVID-19 and construction project outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Data for the study was collected through a Web-based, semistructured questionnaire. The responses of 62 construction practitioners were analyzed using a hierarchical linear regression model. The model consists of 16 independent variables, three control variables (organization size, organization type and project size), one moderator (adoption level of emerging technologies) and three dependent variables (project time, project cost and project quality). Findings The study confirms the negative significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of construction projects. It also identifies the significant moderating effects of emerging technologies in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on construction projects. Further, it shows a significant increase in the application of emerging technologies in construction projects during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the findings related to the moderating impact of the technology, this study provides a clear set of recommendations for construction firms, public sector and research community in combating the unavoidable situation similar to the COVID-19 pandemic in the future. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to identify the moderating role of technology on the impact of COVID-19 on the performance of the construction sector in Pakistan. The findings can also be used for the construction sectors of other developing countries.

Challenge and Awareness for Implemented Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) in Indonesian Projects

Many projects in Indonesia have implemented new strategies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Many projects suffered unexpected losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, and conditions were unpredictable. This situation must be considered by all stakeholders participating in a project. Another problem in the implementation of construction is the fragmentation between project participants. Therefore, a strategy is needed in each phase of the project life cycle. In the absence of proper planning, the contractor is the party responsible for bearing the risk associated with this occurrence. Improved project performance is a shared responsibility among owners, contractors, designers, and subcontractors, all of whom need to tap into their own sources of creativity and innovation. The potential of partnering as a tool for achieving lean construction performance, it is still in its infancy as a means of enhancing project outcomes. In this study, we used qualitative methods and in-depth interviews enhanced by focus group discussions of 14 experts (owners, designers, contractors, and academics) using the Delphi method. The results illustrate the maturity of partnering in integrated project delivery (IPD); therefore, its guiding philosophy can be developed and implemented to improve the outcomes of construction projects in terms of cost, quality, schedule, health and safety, and environmental performance. The most important part of this research is related to the implementation of the 17th goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), i.e., partnerships to achieve the goals. This research contributes to a deepening of partnering practices that can drive performance in project implementation.

A systematic review of the knowledge domain of institutional theory in construction project management

PurposeThe large scale of construction projects and the coexistence of multiple logics in the construction field are sparking interest in applying an institutional perspective to investigate managerial issues in construction projects. However, only a few conceptual papers have been published thus far, and a literature review is needed to identify how that knowledge domain has developed. Based on the results of bibliometric analysis and content analysis, this study proposes potential future avenues for institutional theory in construction project management (ITCPM) studies.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reports a bibliographic coupling analysis and a co-citation analysis conducted to identify existing research trajectories and determine the primary features of the current ITCPM literature. In addition, this paper employed a content analysis, identified the evolutionary stages of ITCPM knowledge over time and built a framework of existing research.FindingsThis paper first identified that the existing ITCPM studies evolve through three stages, and that the intellectual core of ITCPM studies can be categorized into five clusters. In addition, this paper proposes that future research can be extended from two existing streams: the institutional responses of project actors and the institutional outcomes of construction projects. This paper proposes several major questions that should be addressed by project management scholars working in both streams in order to develop an understanding of construction projects from an institutional perspective.Originality/valueThis is the first literature review of the existing body of knowledge based on a joining of institutional theory and construction project management literature. It uncovers knowledge gaps in contemporary research, notably a lack of broader consideration of how project actors respond to institutional environments and of the institutional outcomes of project management.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Demand, Output, and Outcomes of Construction Projects in Singapore

This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Singapore’s construction industry in terms of construction demand, output, prices and project performance. A three-pronged research approach was adopted: a survey, analyzing published statistical data, and conducting in-depth interviews with subject matter experts. The survey revealed that projects suffered significant delays and cost overruns and lower quality. It was found that construction demand and output decreased by 27.9% and 28.6%, respectively. Some project owners postponed awarding contracts or calling tenders because prices exceeded their budgets. While waiting for bid prices to decrease, they re-evaluated the feasibility, scope, design, budget, and timeline of their projects. Contraction of construction output was found to be due to a severe shortage of labor and to lower productivity as a consequence of complying with many safe management measures. The results of autoregressive time-series modeling predicted that tender prices will continue to rise in the short term before decreasing after mid-2022. Although manual labor may be replaced by productive technologies if technology is cheaper than labor, this was not found to be the case. The originality of this research is that it empirically quantified project outcomes due to the pandemic and predicted tender price indexes for the next 5 years. These predicted indexes are useful for estimating the risk and markup to be added to the base construction cost. The value of this research is that it informs policy makers that regulations need to be enacted to compel the adoption of productive technologies to reduce reliance on labor. Otherwise, the worker shortage problems faced in this pandemic may continue to surface in future pandemics. The implication of adopting productive technologies is that project owners must increase the project budget because these technologies cost more than manual labor. However, the cost might be passed to end users, who will end up paying more.

Choosing to be a craftsperson: factors influencing career decision-making among apprentices

PurposeHuman resource contributes significantly to the outcome of construction projects. In recent years, apprenticeship programs are being implemented to train young people to address shortage of skills workers and ageing workforce problem. This study aims to understand the factors influencing career decisions among apprentices in the construction sector.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research approach was used to address the objectives of the study. Forty semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain insights into the reason why young people decide to participate in construction craftsperson apprenticeship in Nigeria.FindingsThe study reveals that “interest and passion”, “role model”, “macroeconomic environment and government policies”, “spirit of entrepreneurship”, “formal, informal and non-formal education” and “family socioeconomic status” are the factors influencing career decisions among construction craftspeople.Originality/valueThe study provides fresh insights that can be used to develop strategies for attracting and increasing the number of young people that sign up for construction craftspeople apprenticeships. The apprentice training programmes are essential for addressing labour shortage, which is one of the factors affecting the performance of construction projects.

Effect of project team integration on the performance of Indian construction project: SMART PLS Structural Equation Approach

Due to competition and high expectations of customers, the construction sector is faced with several challenges while pursuing project outcomes. Generally, construction firms consist of various project teams with multipurpose, which necessitates participation and involvement of team members in an organised manner to complete the project effectively. The current research aimed to understand the essential factors that contribute to Effective Teamwork in the construction industry. The study is based on primary data via a questionnaire-based survey method. The data collected from 72 respondents comprises various construction team members like Engineers, Contractors, Owners, Architects from various parts of Tamil Nadu. The data collected were processed using the Structural Equation Model (SEM), which was employed in this research to understand the relationship among the successful outcomes and the factors determining the team's success. The analysis of the results and the model show that the integration between the project team brings about a uniquely positive effect on construction project outcomes at a R2 value of 0.733. This study provides empirical evidence that a successful construction project team will positively influence the outcome of construction projects.

Prioritize and Identify Main Influencing Causes for Cost Control and Optimal Cost Reduction Technique in Mega Construction Projects

The earned value management is a leading technique in monitoring and analyzing project performance and project progress. To fill the gap of limited researches for studying factors inhibiting the ability of contractors to effectively control their projects, a survey was conducted on 22 construction project organizations. It was noted that most project managers and contractors in Egypt find difficulty in controlling project costs due to problems which include Change order, Changes in the design, Errors in the design, current economic situation deterioration, Delay project and Rising prices of materials. Main objectives of this paper are; 1) Identify and prioritize main problems for lack of techniques which cause poor management of cost control with poor site organization and inadequate supervision. 2) Demonstrate the modified Activity Based Costing system as best choices for cost accounting approach for determining construction project accurate cost. To improve capital project cost schedule and predictability using project control system for monitoring and predicting the construction project outcomes. The detailed scope of control systems must base on complexity, size and sensitivity strategy of studied project.

The need for and benefits of buildability analysis: Nigeria as a case study

PurposeBuildability analysis has a potential of improving the outcomes of construction projects. However, the usage of buildability analysis is not well pronounced within the construction sector. This study aims to provide understanding of the concept of buildability analysis with the view to predicting the future stance for buildability analysis.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a survey research method. Questionnaires were administered to purposively selected group of construction professionals working in Nigeria. A total of 82 questionnaires were administered among the sampled respondents, out of which a total of 51 (62.2%) were adequately filled and returned. The data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.FindingsThe results revealed inability of the designers and constructors to have a common upstanding of the entire construction process, fragmented nature of the construction industry and poor correlation between design and construction as the most essential needs for buildability analysis. On the benefits of buildability analysis, the results showed increase in efficiency, save wasteful efforts and quality improvement as the most significant ones. In addition, the results from the study revealed that there is a statistically significant difference in some of the needs for and benefits of buildability analysis among the survey participants.Originality/valueThe study identified three future stances for buildability analysis to include building unity, efficient and effective construction and high competition. Framework for buildability analysis was developed aimed at providing guidance to professionals in achieving enhanced project production information. The findings provide in-depth insight of the needs for and benefits of buildability analysis that can inform professionals in the construction industry to adopt buildability analysis programme as a lasting solution to most design challenges and buildability problems confronting the sector.

Agent-Based Simulation of General Contractor–Subcontractor Interactions in a Multiproject Environment

AbstractThe behavioral dynamics of general contractors and subcontractors in bidding, construction planning, and production control influence the outcomes of construction projects. To date, researc...

Key training practice indicators for optimal site supervisors’ utilisation in construction firms

PurposeThe skills and knowledge of site supervisors play an important role in the outcome of construction projects. Evidence gleaned from the literature indicates that poor performance of construction projects remains a central concern for stakeholders in the construction sector. This suggests that the site supervisor’s training is important in the construction project outcomes. Various training programmes are available for site supervisors, yet construction firms are not satisfied with them. The purpose of this study is to determine the key training practice indicators for optimal site supervisor’s usage in construction firms.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a cross-sectional survey research design. In the approach, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to determine the key training practice indicators for site supervisors. Data were collected from 218 construction site supervisors using a questionnaire.FindingsFindings show that training practices are a multidimensional concept consisting of training needs assessment, training delivery, training evaluation and transfer. From the 50 training practice variables, this study establishes 12 key training practice indicators for training site supervisors in construction firms.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research should adopt a longitudinal survey for examining training practices in construction firms.Practical implicationsThe identified key training indicators can inform the policies and practices used in the training of site supervisors.Originality/valueThis study contributes to knowledge by establishing 12 significant training practice indicators for optimal site supervisors’ usage in construction firms.

Relational determinants of construction project outcomes: a social network perspective

In contributing a missing qualitative dimension to the emerging relationship-based approach to construction project management, social network theories are used to present a thematic analysis of interviews with senior construction project managers. The results provide new insights into the key stakeholders and social structures which determine construction project outcomes in the design and construct procurement context. They show that from a socio-structural perspective, a design and construct project can be broadly divided into four main stages: project scope/feasibility; tendering/estimating; design development/project planning; construction/handover. Key relational structures linked to project outcomes, both within and between stages, are discussed and the results show that the relationships between actors in different stages are as important as within each stage. Project managers perform an especially critical bridging role in developing a consistent project narrative and language which links project stages together. It is concluded that as lead indicators of project outcomes, the socio-structural concepts of bridging, centrality, structural equivalence and clustering can provide a valuable theoretical and practical foundation to further explore the emergent but as yet under-theorised relationship-based approach to project management.

Challenges of Electronic Reverse Auctions in Construction Industry—A Review

The innovation of construction procurement by means of electronic reverse auctions is a controversial subject of discussion among both researchers and practitioners. This paper consolidates and critically discusses current knowledge concerning the adoption and use of electronic reverse auctions in the light of specific features of the construction industry. A systematic literature review has been employed to select papers indexed in Scopus and Web of Science databases. The findings of the study indicate that studies are addressing especially five main areas, i.e., suitability of electronic reverse auction (eRA) for construction tenders, related drivers and barriers, ethical considerations, savings potential and bidding behavior, and bid distribution. Accordingly, the authors are suggesting three directions in which future research should focus on mutual interaction of electronic reverse auctions and long-term effects on construction project outcomes.

Construction project performance areas for Indian construction projects

Project management team always aims for successful outcome of construction projects. Time, cost and quality are performance areas which most of the researchers have acknowledged. However, there are other performance areas which are important in modern project management. The aim of the paper is to determine performance areas affecting the Indian construction industry. A comprehensive literature review was deployed to finalize a list of performance areas that affect project performance. A survey instrument was developed to gather data on the perception of industry professionals on the identified areas. The data collected was analysed using principal component analysis (PCA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). The results revealed 10 performance areas for project performance namely, customer relation, safety, schedule, cost, quality, productivity, finance, communication and collaboration, environment and stakeholder satisfaction. The validity of all performance areas was established by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using partial least square test–structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results of this paper can serve as guidelines in the field of construction management towards improving project performance.