Delivery Of Infrastructure Projects Research Articles

Re-imagining the Factors Influencing the Choice of Project Management Tools and Techniques in Tanzanian Infrastructure Projects: Elicitation of Practitioners’ Perspectives

Construction project Management tools and Techniques (CPMTT) are vital for the success of construction projects. Nonetheless, there is a paucity of studies that examined the factors influencing the choice of CPMTT in developing countries, particularly, Tanzania. The objective of the study was to analyze the factors influencing the choice of CPMTT in Tanzanian public infrastructure projects, with the aim to fill the knowledge gap. The study was descriptive in nature and employed a mixed method approach. Using purposive and snowball sampling techniques, data was collected from 60 out of 70 Project management practitioners including Consultants and project Coordinators within Dar-es-salaam Metropolitan Development Projects (DMDP) and similar infrastructure projects. Fifty valid responses were received equivalent to 83% response rate and interviews were done. Quantitative data from respondents was analyzed using IBM SPSS v25. The directed content analysis method was employed for qualitative data from 10 Resident Engineers to supplement the quantitative results. Using factor analysis, four groups of organization support, ease of access and usefulness of tools, fulfilment of project objectives, and project environment and idea generation were determined to influence the choice of CPMTT. Project managers frequently choose tools that are easily accessible without considering the organization's project objectives or resource commitment. The findings could be used as a guide for project practitioners to critically assess the areas of weakness and select CPMTT that can help address those weaknesses and hence improve project delivery in Tanzania, an unexplored context. Project managers are called to re-imagine project needs based on priority and select the CPMTT that satisfies the needs based on experience, skills and project objectives as crucial factors in the selection of CPMTT rather than using their discretion. This would improve the delivery of infrastructure projects and, hence, performance outcomes in the construction sector in Tanzania and other emerging countries. This study was limited to DMDP public infrastructure projects in Tanzania. Keywords: Construction Project Management Tools and Techniques (CPMTT), Decision analysis, mixed-methods, Tanzania

Innovative strategic multicriteria decision-making selection model of infrastructures projects delivery systems using multiobjective optimization, case of Egypt

Purpose To help decision-makers choose appropriate infrastructure project delivery systems (IPDS) and keep up with the construction industry’s rapid growth, this study aims to develop a goal optimization technique.This looks into team integration, large production and optimum sustainability. The suggested approach for meeting several infrastructure project objectives is flexible and expandable. This research overcomes the significant discrepancy between the construction industry’s progress and the rate at which project delivery methods evolve. Design/methodology/approach This study examined pertinent literature to choose an appropriate project delivery method and gave information on several elements that affect that decision. After optimization using a genetic algorithm (GA), a Pareto front of solutions has been found. The three construction goals of sustainability, mass production and team integration are all met by the chosen best solution. The four most popular possibilities for studying the suggested approach are five primary categories, each of which has 22 variables, and the weight of each variable was established using Simo’s procedure. This is optimized, demonstrating the accuracy of the optimization model. Findings Sustainability, mass production and team integration are the major goals of selecting the finest IPDS. The Pareto-optimal solutions discovered through analysis demonstrated that the created GA is reliable and generates solid outcomes. In fact, it enables decisions that were based on a single criterion to be overturned. The process has therefore demonstrated its efficacy in identifying the ideal answer. First integrated project delivery (IPD), second design-build (DB), third design-bid-build (DBB) and last construction manager at risk (CMR) are the best options. The weight of the aims function has found these rankings to be satisfactory. Practical implications The findings demonstrate that the suggested strategy can lead to optimization, providing the government with a wide range of options for attaining certain project objectives. The ability of this study to evaluate the combined effects of three objectives in choosing the best IPDS, the production of optimal selection solutions (IPDS), which can help with better decision-making when many objectives are present, and the flexibility and extendibility of the suggested approach for achieving priorities in infrastructure projects are what make it unique. This approach was able to select IPDS to meet developments in the construction project. Originality/value To confirm the validity of the GA, the factor of error was calculated, which is equal to 1.7599e-08.

SEM Analysis of Contractor Performance in Accelerating Electrical Construction Project: Insights from Herzberg's Dual Factor Theory

In the rapidly developing electrical construction industry, the success of organizations is directly linked to the performance of their business partners. This study focuses on Indonesia's state-owned electrical enterprises, where a notable decline in Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) has raised concerns, hypothesizing that deficiencies in contractor performance are a major barrier to the timely completion of electrical construction projects. At the core of this issue is the role of human resources, identified as a pivotal factor in contractor performance that directly impacts project completion. The aim of the research is to elucidate the complex dynamics between motivator and hygiene factors, which are fundamental to Herzberg's dual factor theory, and their impact on the performance of the contractor's employees. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the study analyzes data from questionnaires distributed to 250 industry professionals. The analysis provides key insights into how these factors significantly influence job satisfaction and, ultimately, employee performance. These insights play a critical role in strategically planning contractor management practices. By emphasizing the need to understand the key factors driving employee satisfaction and performance, the study lays a solid foundation for designing effective employment contracts and management strategies. The practical implications of this research are significant, offering a pathway for contractors to enhance employee satisfaction and performance. This ultimately leads to the delivery of high-quality electrical infrastructure projects efficiently and promptly, underlining the study's relevance and importance in the contemporary industrial landscape.

Enhancing infrastructure project delivery through lean construction: opportunities, challenges and implementation strategies

PurposeOver the past two decades, the construction sector has experienced a surge in projects fueled by substantial government investment in infrastructure. However, amid this growth, the industry grapples with persistent challenges. Meeting project deadlines and budgets remains a struggle, impacting the industry’s credibility. Therefore, this research intends to investigate the idea of lean construction in the construction sector and look at the obstacles facing the construction industry in implementing lean construction strategies.Design/methodology/approachThe insights presented here result from content analysis performed on 206 articles, while the metadata analysis is based on 891 publications.FindingsThis study highlights numerous important characteristics that influence an organization’s capacity to accomplish lean construction using a systematic literature review approach.Research limitations/implicationsFor forthcoming research seeking validation, utilizing a mixed-method approach could prove advantageous. Yet, it is crucial to recognize the constraints of the present study, primarily centered on the scope of the literature review.Practical implicationsThis assessment will enhance comprehension of the lean construction concept, potentially encouraging the adopting of lean construction practices. Moreover, it could provide insights into effectively applying these methods in practice.Originality/valueThe literature review highlights the necessity for organizations to identify and address potential challenges they might encounter in implementing lean construction. An essential step in overcoming these obstacles involves exploring the concept of lean construction within the sector and assessing the hurdles constraining the implementation of lean construction strategies in the construction industry.

Hybrid Evaluation Model to assess the overall barriers of public-private partnership contracts

Public-private partnerships are increasingly being used in many countries as a common management technique to enhance the delivery of public services and major public infrastructure projects. Understanding the project characteristics and obstacles to a public-private partnership is key for those involved to improve implementation. This study focuses on barriers that arise from public-private partnership contact in field wastewater treatment plants and offers a methodology for evaluating the overall barrier for public-private partnership projects by analyzing the relationships between the barrier elements. A primary list of barrier factors and their eight latent project characteristics were collected through literature reviews, then using the Delphi technique to filter the barrier insights concerning project characteristics and develop the final list using field interviews. 207 valid questionnaires were obtained. The data was deconvoluted into crisp numbers using fuzzy set theory, and a second-order structural equation model was used to validate the conceptual model. The results of the study indicate that the availability payment capability group has the highest score of all the groups in this study. This study proposed a model that enables the private sector to measure and evaluate aggregate barriers in projects so that it is easier for decision-makers to determine whether they can choose the project or not.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP PROCUREMENT TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY: ASSESSING THE MANAGERIAL CAPABILITIES OF PUBLIC-SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS IN AFRICA

The lingering imbalance between infrastructural services demand and supply poses serious threats to the fiscal budget balance from contingent liabilities of African countries. Despite the increasing private investment commitments and adoption of public-private partnership procurement (PPP) options to address the widening infrastructure gaps in Africa, the failure in the delivery of public infrastructure projects is yet a common phenomenon. This study therefore examined the managerial capabilities of public-sector organizations (PSOs), who steer the provisions of public infrastructure, to investigate their readiness to achieve the value for money from private funding and the benefits of PPP options. The study conducted a self-study structured questionnaire survey on professionals in PSOs in Africa, particularly Nigeria, who have been directly involved in the delivery of public infrastructure projects via PPP. The professionals were purposively sampled and the primary data obtained was subjected to descriptive and inferential analysis. The study revealed that the PSOs have internalized about 41 PPP-capabilities for the delivery of public infrastructure projects. Up to 40 PPP-capabilities were exhibited on an average score (41-60%) level, with mean score (MS) value range of 3.13 ≤ MS ≤ 3.70, for the public projects procured. The study established the existence of significant interdependence of p < 0.001, which indicated sufficient correlation between 31 PPP-capabilities and explained the 10 main components of managerial capabilities possessed by the PSOs. Some of the components clustered around public infrastructure planning and adaptability to PPP programme, project delivery parameters and control, suitable public infrastructure procurement knowledge, public policy awareness and innovation, and governance. The study provides information crucial for public infrastructure delivery success towards sustainable national economic recovery and development.

Sustainability principles in infrastructure project delivery: establishing the broader implementation strategies for decision-making

Purpose The purpose of this study is to get a clearer knowledge of the reasons for, approaches to and challenges associated with integrating sustainable development concerns into pipeline construction projects in New Zealand. To achieve this, this study delves deeply into sustainable construction to understand the reasons behind and incorporate sustainable development trials into their newly established product management and development procedure. As a result, this study looks at identifying key elements of sustainable construction practices and various interpretations of sustainability in the construction industry; offering a strategy for incorporating sustainable construction practices into the pipeline construction project in New Zealand; and benefits and difficulties that the construction industry encounters when implementing sustainable construction. Finally, a framework is developed to help in understanding the issues and potential solutions for integrating sustainable building methods into the pipeline construction project in New Zealand. Design/methodology/approach This study followed a four-step method (Figure 1), beginning with the identification of the data, continuing with the first screening of the data, determining eligibility and, finally, including the data. This data collection is being done to provide knowledge and direction for further research. Data were collected from various websites on the Web of Science and from Scopus databases. Additionally, data were gathered with the assistance of aggregator databases such as Scopus (scopus.com) and publishing databases such as Elsevier (sciencedirect.com), Inderscience, Taylor and Francis (tandfonline.com), Emerald Insight (emeraldinsight.com) and Google Scholar. These databases have been considered by a number of scholars to be reputable databases. Findings This research provided a thorough description of the key justifications for sustainable construction. This study demonstrated how the idea worked in practice by reviewing the literature on the relevance and analysis of sustainability in construction. This body of research identified crucial components of sustainable construction techniques and varied interpretations of sustainability in the construction industry. To better grasp the current application considerations in the construction sector, it also offered literature on sustainable construction methods. To determine the most effective strategy to make certain adjustments to the current construction processes, the literature also includes a wide range of sustainability-related topics in both developed and developing country contexts. This study also demonstrated the many perspectives and strategies for sustainable behaviors. Because the purpose of this study was to develop a strategy for implementing sustainable construction in New Zealand, it was of the utmost importance to shed light on the most well-known and prominent sustainable construction applications from across the world. The output of this aim provided the literature on construction practices to acquire insight into the ongoing conversations on sustainable practices and systems in the construction industry. This was done to obtain insight into the existing talks. Originality/value This research's contribution to the body of knowledge is demonstrated by the fact that this study has led to a better understanding of sustainable construction practices in the construction industry as well as the identification of the most significant challenges that businesses, organizations, educators and policymakers must face to improve their ability to put these strategies into practice. This research has provided a solid foundation for future research that aims to advance knowledge in this field by providing options for future research to evaluate the influence that the approach has had on enhancing the implementation of sustainable construction. Additionally, this study presents options for future research to evaluate the influence the approach has had on improving the implementation of sustainable construction. The successful completion of the research aim in the more traditional forms of higher education in the built environment can contribute to a better representation of new trends in the practice area associated with expanding and improving the construction industry sustainably.

Transformasi Komuniti melalui Perancangan Infrastruktur Komuniti: Kajian Kes di Daerah Song, Sarawak

The development of community infrastructure is fundamental to the socio-economic growth of a region and its community. Nevertheless, the development of rural community infrastructure still remains a challenge in some rural areas which affects the standard of living in the communities. In Malaysia, community infrastructure planning remains a key component of Malaysia’s rural development policies and strategies that needs to be amplified in ensuring the sustainable development of rural areas. This paper examines the role of community infrastructure planning in transforming rural communities’ quality of life which includes the impacts of community infrastructure planning to community’s livelihood transformation and challenges that comes with it. This study adopts the qualitative approach involving semi-structured in-depth interviews with relevant government agencies involved in the rural community infrastructure planning process. Based on a study carried out in Song District, Sarawak, the findings finds that while the respondents agreed that development of community infrastructure in the district have created transformational effects to the communities’ livelihoods, there were various challenges to the delivery of community infrastructure projects to certain areas within the district in addition to satisfying the needs to the community. The discussion suggests that in terms of governance, integration of institutional roles of stakeholders, involving government agencies and community needs to be emphasize in the rural community infrastructure planning process to deal with the many challenges in order to fulfill the rural communities’ needs

Factors inhibiting energy access in the delivery of construction projects in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria

Energy plays a vital role in all human endeavours. However, access to energy globally is limited, and concerted efforts are being made to bridge this gap. Little empirical works exist on the energy situation in the delivery of construction and infrastructure projects in Nigeria. The specific objectives of this study assessed the level of access to energy sources, factors inhibiting energy access, and benefits of energy access for the delivery of construction projects. Data reported in this paper were collected through a quantitative research approach whereby copies of the questionnaire were administered to small, medium, and large-sized construction firms in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. This study’s findings revealed that the most accessible energy source for construction activities in Lagos Metropolis is automotive gas oil (diesel). Furthermore, the study established that factors inhibiting access to energy for the delivery of construction projects are efficient supply and distribution, government regulation, and inadequate infrastructure. The paper concludes that access to energy for construction works in Nigeria is inadequate due to poor implementation of government policies on energy provision. The paper recommends creating new strategies to implement policies to improve access to energy in Nigeria.

Dynamic approach for investigating delivery system effects on infrastructure project performance

PurposeInnovative design and execution approaches are employed in infrastructure sectors and planning to enhance the integrated project delivery system, assure the sustainability of infrastructure projects, and meet the demands of the dynamic, changing environment. Delivery methods must incorporate new technologies. By combining digital technology, teamwork, and mass manufacturing, a greater degree of exceptional quality, sustainability, and resilience in the environment will be generated. As a result, a new approach does not rely on the reaction policy, but instead considers alternative scenarios and employs a simulation model to determine the best course of action.Design/methodology/approachIn the paper, the system dynamics approach to construction management is validated in light of pertinent research. Additionally, it describes the difficulties facing the infrastructure projects' delivery system. Additionally, the strategy for system dynamics creation is described. This strategy includes a causal loop diagram, generates a stock-flow diagram, and simulates forecasts of model behavior over time. Next, the optimization model's validation process is used to create a system dynamics model for choosing the best infrastructure project delivery system project and controlling it to maximize sustainability, mass production, digital integration, and team integration. The dynamic complexity of project management is growing.FindingsThe primary goal is to present a system dynamics (SD) simulation to look at how well infrastructure projects perform in terms of choosing the best method for delivering infrastructure projects. One of the most ideal methods for delivering projects is integrated project delivery. An effective methodology for making strategic decisions on the choice of the best project delivery method. In order to enhance certain infrastructure project delivery system metrics for sustainability, mass production, digital integration, and team integration, the model included building strategy and sophisticated system dynamics simulation. According to the construction strategy, the outcomes have been satisfactory.Originality/valueSystem dynamics research has been done to replicate the idea of contemporary construction in order to determine the best approach for delivering infrastructure. The government and decision-makers would benefit from understanding this research as they decide on the best delivery method for boosting the sustainability and productivity of infrastructure projects in Egypt.

Quantitative Risk Assessment Model and Optimization in Infrastructure Fast-Track Construction Projects

The construction industry has extensively applied the fast-tracking approach to the demanding need for the fast delivery of infrastructure projects. However, the fast-track strategy might be threatened by distinctive risks or changes in risk characteristics that emerge when activities are overlapped (overlapping risks). This article proposes a risk assessment simulation model to quantify the economic impact of overlapping risks on fast-track infrastructure projects. The model uses Monte Carlo simulation and a proprietary engine solution for the optimization procedure. It quantifies the overlapping risk impacts in the project duration and cost that could originate in three different overlapping degrees and evaluates the optimal overlapping degree to reduce the impact of the overlapping risks. The model demonstration used a commercial renovation project. The results suggest that overlapping risks have a high potential impact on the total cost, although with a high probability of attaining the target duration. Eight top risks affected the total duration, cost, or both. The optimum overlapping to reduce the economic impact and achieve the target project duration combines different overlapping degrees. This study contribution is a model for fast-track projects considering overlapping risks, their impact characteristic as a distribution, and the potential relationship between these risks.

Critical Issues Affecting Compliance with Professional Codes of Conduct: A Case of Professional Construction Project Managers in South Africa

Empirical evidence has revealed the prevalence of unethical practises in the construction industry. These malpractices result in project failures. On the contrary, successful delivery of construction and infrastructure projects brings physical development, which promotes economic growth. For that reason, professional codes of conduct are established as a deterrent to unethical behaviour. This study sought to identify and examine the challenges faced by construction project managers in complying with the South African Council for Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP). Adopting a mixed research approach, the study, using the snowball sampling technique, selected a sample of 72 respondents. The results of the study showed that SACPCMP has 39 obligations that are imposed on professional construction project managers. There were varying degrees of compliance identified, i.e., full compliance, partial compliance, and no compliance. Construction project managers face various challenges such as obedience to authority, peer pressure, conflict of interest, time constraints, socio-economic and political pressure, breach of confidence, other challenges, acts of kindness, and external pressure. The study`s major recommendation is the need for SACPCMP and the professional project managers to bridge the gap between managers' behaviour at membership registration and actual conduct of professional work.

Exploring Unit Cost Performance for Water Infrastructure Delivery

Various delivery methods are used in the water industry for delivering treatment plant projects, which include the traditional design-bid-build (DBB) method as well as alternative project delivery methods (APDM), such as construction manager at risk (CMAR) and design-build (DB). Research has shown that APDM may improve water infrastructure project delivery performance when compared to DBB. However, utilizing an APDM does not guarantee a project’s successful delivery; other project variables also influence project delivery performance. The objective of this study is to develop exploratory mathematical models to investigate the impact of project-specific delivery factors and attributes on a water project’s success. The authors assess unit cost performance, which is a measure of a water treatment plant’s capacity in million gallons per day, over a project’s total cost. This study consisted of holding an industry expert workshop to review and develop a data collection questionnaire. Information on a total of 15 water treatment plant projects delivered in the US was collected and used to develop multiple linear regression models that explored project-specific key factors and attributes that impact unit cost performance. Results of the regression models revealed four critical variables: (1) use of GMP; (2) project team experience; (3) level of design completed before constructor engagement; and (4) project complexity, to have a statistically significant impact on the unit cost performance of water projects. The findings and contributions of this study can aid water stakeholders in understanding the unit cost performance impact of key project variables on their projects and support them in their project delivery method decisions.

Ontology-Based Approach to Risk-Factor Identification to Support the Management of Provisions in Bridge Design

Requirement management is crucial in the design stage of infrastructure project delivery to ensure the designed facility satisfies the owner expectations and avoids any costly redesign, rework, and disputes. The requirements are primarily described in design codes and standards. The relevant requirements from codes are transformed into a set of in computer-readable rules required for computer-aided design and compliance verification. Prior to the construction of rules, the requirements in codes must be converted into an organized, structured format in terms of risks to support easy retrieval of the relevant applicable requirements. However, the unavailability of risk information in the requirement text makes it challenging for a designer to extract the relevant requirements of specific risks to support design tasks, including compliance checking. The manual process of requirement classification according to risk factors is time-consuming, laborious, and error-prone because the codes are mostly voluminous, including thousands of specifications. Much less attention has been paid to develop an automated framework to organize the requirements in terms of risks addressed in them. To address this need, this study has attempted to develop an ontology-based framework to identify relevant risk factors addressed in bridge design requirements to support requirement management. The nine risk factors of bridge engineering used in this study included flood, earthquake, fire, snowfall, wind, temperature, overloading, vessel collision, and blast loading. A risk ontology was developed to represent the conceptualized semantic knowledge associated with each of the nine risk factors. The algorithm was validated on a human-annotated requirement dataset based on the AASHTO bridge design specifications and state design manuals. The developed model yielded a Spearman, Kendall tau, and Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.7223, 0.6021, and 0.7222, respectively. The proposed model is expected to improve specifications retrieval for rules construction, thereby enabling ease of requirement classification for the design process.

Integration of Circular Economy Approaches into a Major Infrastructure Project Case Study - National Highways’ A303 Circular Economy Pathfinder Project

Whilst the concept of the circular economy is not new, experience of and guidance for, its practical application continues to evolve. There are currently few case studies for the application of circular economy approaches to the design and delivery of major infrastructure projects. This paper summarises experience, key activities and achievements in the implementation of circular economy approaches through the Development Phase of the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down (Stonehenge) road scheme, a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. The A303 Stonehenge scheme is the one of the first complex infrastructure projects in the UK to focus on the integration of circular economy approaches from the Preliminary Design stage. This paper summarises activities undertaken as a National Highways ‘Circular Economy Pathfinder Project’ between 2017 and 2021, during the Preliminary Design through to Construction Preparation stages of the scheme. The Pathfinder Project sought to identify stakeholders and establish mechanisms to integrate consideration and application of circular economy approaches into the scheme’s current Development and future Construction Phases. The work described is not specific to the A303 Stonehenge scheme, the general approach developed, and opportunities identified will influence this scheme and also inform other National Highways’ road schemes. The paper summarises experience and achievements to date, the approach is expected to continue to be developed through future road schemes. The paper describes the application of circular economy approaches by reference to National Highways’ Major Project Cycle and applicable planning requirements, however, the general approach and outcomes achieved are broadly similar to, and therefore transferrable to other major infrastructure projects. This paper is expected to be of interest to those interested in the practicalities of the transition to the circular economy.

Edição especial: provisão de infraestrutura e gerenciamento de projetos em economias de baixa e média renda

Abstract This presentation introduces the special issue of Cadernos EBAPE.BR, focusing on the theme of infrastructure delivery and project management in low-and-middle income economies. This work highlights the rationale for the special issue and summarizes the articles published. Infrastructure projects operate in a complex environment and must handle multi-level management governance. These challenges are even more pronounced in low-and-middle income economies. Therefore, an infrastructure project management system must not only consider its internal structure but also the changes and impacts the project has on both internal and external environments. The thematic section of this special issue features four articles. The first article, presented by Carneiro (2023), takes a critical perspective on project studies with a focus on the World Bank’s role and influence. The World Bank is one of the primary funding sources for infrastructure projects and has committed to increasing investments in infrastructure from billions to trillions of US dollars. Pereira, Gomide, Machado, and Ibiapino (2023) as well as Pinto and Teixeira (2023) concentrate on Brazilian Amazon infrastructure megaprojects. Finally, Barros, Carvalho, and Brasil (2023) discuss inland waterway transportation in Brazil. This special issue aims to delve into project management studies related to the delivery of large-scale infrastructure projects, encompassing public-private governance issues, project execution, and stakeholder engagement. The four articles provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges Brazil faces in executing such projects. They all address the often-high socio-political complexity that characterizes the context surrounding infrastructure projects in low-and middle-income countries, whose ultimate objective is to create and distribute value to their citizens.

Reforming procurement standards in order to effectively deliver public infrastructure: Rethinking the regulatory environment in post-pandemic South Africa

This research study identifies a specific layer of regulation within the governance regime which is a key factor impeding the procurement and delivery of public infrastructure in South Africa. We first identify current weaknesses of conflict and confusion at the level of soft law in the procurement and delivery of public infrastructure projects. Then we present a detailed case study of a successful South African megaproject (the procurement and delivery of the public infrastructure for two new universities, the New Universities Project) to demonstrate that these weaknesses can be avoided. The research note’s regulatory account focuses on the key element of quality in the South African public procurement regime, distinguishing that concept from the often conflated notion of value-for-money. We discuss how the problems identified could be addressed by means of changes to soft law prior to the finalisation of the current and ongoing public procurement legislative reform process.Contribution: Through a case study of the on-time and with-budget public procurement and delivery of two new universities for South Africa, the article demonstrated that national policy on public infrastructure can be successfully implemented, with attention to the key soft law layer of regulation.

ICE report confirms that systems thinking is improving the delivery of major projects

ICE has published a follow-up to its well-received 2020 report proposing greater use of systems thinking to improve delivery of major infrastructure projects. Project lead Andrew McNaughton introduces the second report, which confirms that the approach is working in practice.

Guest editorial: Working smarter by applying advanced technologies in construction: enhancing capacity and capability in construction sector for infrastructure project delivery

Guest editorial: Working smarter by applying advanced technologies in construction: enhancing capacity and capability in construction sector for infrastructure project delivery

Improved reliability in planning large-scale infrastructure project delivery through Alliancing

PurposePrice reliability for complex and highly complicated infrastructure projects is problematic. Traditional project delivery approaches generally fail in achieving targeted end cost reliability. However, integrated project delivery (and particularly Alliancing), develop a far more reliable and robust project delivery plan and outturn time-cost targets. This paper aims to explore why this may be the case.Design/methodology/approachThis case study investigated the project design, planning, cost/time estimation approach and how risk/uncertainty was dealt with. Five senior project delivery experts from an organisation that delivers multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects in Australia were interviewed. These five experts collectively had 100+ cross-disciplinary experience years delivering complex infrastructure projects.FindingsAlliancing adopts a radically different approach to project design, time/cost planning and risk assessment and management to traditional project delivery approaches. Key findings explain how the project alliance agreement designs-in processes that maximises team integration and collaboration. Analysis concludes that design thinking is used to craft and shape collaborative behaviours and project governance. Additionally, including project owner and facilities operator representatives in the project team adds valuable insights, expertise and knowledge contributing to planning reliability.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is exploratory and focussed on complex infrastructure projects so findings cannot be generalised.Practical implicationsWe unpack Alliancing processes that develop the target outturn cost plan, comprising a holistic and realistic plan to design a project to meet expected project outcomes. This case study may serve as an exemplar for complex project delivery.Social implicationsThis paper illustrates how Alliancing more effectively delivers best value than traditional procurement approaches through its TOC-TAE processes.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the scant existing academic literature analysing these processes. Its novel contribution is explaining how Alliancing treats unexpected events that in traditional delivery forms trigger expensive and time-energy-wasting disputation. This case study may serve as an exemplar for complex project delivery.