European Contractors Research Articles

Silos and warehouses complexes in five locations in Tanzania – case studies

In the end of 2016 National Food Reserve Agency of Tanzania (NFRA) ordered from Polish company FEERUM S.A. implementation of grain silo projects, production of designed silos, ensuring their transport to Tanzania, assembly and commissioning. Structure design of silo complexes was ordered from the design office, the subcontractor – TEK Projekt. The paper describes various aspects of data acquisition, design and execution of foundation works from the point of view of Central European contractor in Africa. In general it ends up with a kind of wake-up call to open designers eyes for situation of different countries and people, improving general knowledge about world problems.

European contractors land deals in the U.S.

European contractors land deals in the U.S.

Communicating the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of international contractors: Content analysis of CSR reporting

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is gaining importance for international construction contractors and corporate reports are an effective tool in communicating their CSR efforts. However, CSR communication is a rare topic of discussion within the construction research field. This study establishes a systematic content analysis approach to compare CSR communication among contractors in different regions. It selected a sample of 310 international contractors from the Engineering News-Record list from 2009 to 2014 and collected data from their CSR-related reports. Significant disparities were found in CSR communication among the contractors in the four regions. European contractors showed the highest levels of CSR communication in both dimension- and issue-levels, while Chinese contractors ranked the lowest in CSR communication. Another interesting finding is that all four regions gave the highest priority to one CSR dimension, i.e. community involvement and development. This study serves as a starting point for research on CSR communication by construction contractors, including comparisons with companies in other industries. In addition, this study provides a useful tool for companies or scientific researchers to assess the status of CSR communication.

An Investigation of Corporate Approaches to Sustainability in the Construction Industry

Corporate sustainability demands the integration of environmental performance, social justice and economic efficiency and, into company's operational practices. Construction companies are increasingly under pressure to commit to and report on the overall sustainability performances of operational initiatives. The aim of this paper is to investigate the sustainability performance of the top 50 construction contractors listed by Engineering News Record (ENR) against the triple bottom line. Under this aim, the specific objectives are: (i) examine the approaches adopted by construction firms to disclose their commitments to sustainability; (ii) review the firms’ annual and sustainability reports; and (iii) analyse the sustainability performance of construction firms against the GRI (Global Reporting Initiatives) guidelines. This study adopted survey design in which data were collected by reviewing publicly available organisational documents. Afterward, content analysis was conducted. The results indicate that financial performance is still the main target of most organisations. European contractors are considered best and Australasian contractors on the other side are considered as worst in reporting sustainability initiatives.

Performance and Risks in the Defense Procurement Sector

AbstractRisks that emerge during the implementation and enforcement stages of defense procurement help explain procurement outcomes. Adverse events have impacts on the timing, cost and quality of goods supplied. The procurement process is analyzed on the basis of an original dataset covering 48 defense procurement contracts signed by the French Ministry of Defense with 18 European contractors. Contractual problems create the most adverse events in this sector, while technological risk is the second most significant risk. Although opportunism takes various forms, it is found only rarely in these defense contracts.

LHC Superconducting Dipole Production Follow-up: Results of Audit on QA Aspects in Industry

The manufacturing of the 1232 Superconducting Main Dipoles for LHC is under way at three European Contractors: Alstom-Jeumont (Consortium), Ansaldo Superconduttori Genova and Babcock Noell Nuclear. The manufacturing is proceeding in a very satisfactory way and in March 2005 the mid production was achieved. To intercept eventually weak points of the production process still present and in order to make a check of the Quality Assurance and Control in place for the series production, an Audit action was launched by CERN during summer-fall 2004. Aspects like: completion of Production and Quality Assurance documentation, structure of QC Teams, traceability, calibration and maintenance for tooling, incoming components inspections, were checked during a total of seven visits at the five different production sites. The results of the Audit in terms of analysis of systematic and random problems encountered as well as corrective actions requested are presented

A theoretical model for optimum project (time) performance based on European best practice

The authors have over recent years performed extensive empirical research into European (UK, French and German) construction contractor performance. This paper represents the culmination of that research, by presenting a model for achieving optimum project time performance based on European best practice. By removing or neutralizing the impact of external factors (e.g. procurement method), the research concentrated on contractor practices and their direct impact on construction time performance. A variety of European contractor performance data were analysed to identify optimum solutions (i.e. contractors, construction practices) for achieving fastest project completion. The principal theme of the paper is graphical presentation and description of a theoretical model for optimum project (time) performance based on European best practice. Further, characteristics of UK, French and German variants of the model are presented. The application of multiple regression analysis to the data suggests that there are other factors, not embraced by the model, that may also impact significantly upon construction time performance. European contractors and clients may wish to consider the characteristics of these model(s) in striving to achieve earliest project completion.

Reducing construction costs: European best practice supply chain implications

Contractors, being located at the vanguard of the construction supply chain, potentially offer the most effective means of improving construction industry cost performance. As a generalisation, cost remains the most important criterion for construction clients; so its reduction (most often than not) represents improved client satisfaction. The construction process remains highly labour intensive, therefore, any savings in this regard could reduce construction costs significantly. This paper presents a model for minimising construction labour costs based on European best practice, and discusses the implications of such on supply chains. A variety of European contractor performance data were analysed, to identify optimum construction solutions for achieving minimal cost on a particular build-type (insitu concrete construction). The generic concepts of the cost minimisation model emanate from the construction practices employed by contractors. It is subsequently argued that supply chains downstream from the principal contractor, i.e. forming part of these key construction practices (material suppliers, subcontractors, plant and equipment providers, etc.), should be targeted as a means of effectively reducing overall construction costs. The use of `downstream strategic alliances’ (DSAs) is advocated in this respect.

Protecting Investments Under State Contracts: Some Legal And Ethical Issues

During the course of this century sovereign states became active in areas of trade and commerce that were once the province of entrepreneurs and privately owned corporations. That trend has been reversed somewhat in recent years, through increased privatization of companies, resulting in a lower representation of state parties in arbitrations, especially since the dismanding of the Soviet bloc. Nevertheless, states have continued to feature (either on their own account or through state corporations and other agencies) as owners and operators of airlines, merchant shipping fleets, industrial plants and power stations, as well as active participants in the world of banking, investment and international trade. And nowhere has such state involvement been more prominent than in the exploration and exploitation of natural resources such as oil, gas and mineral deposits. A typical example of such activity, albeit with a newer geographical slant, might be where an oil-producing state in the former Soviet Union enters into a production contract with an American or European contractor. The state ‘owns’ the crude oil located in its own territory, but requires the expertise – and finance – of other parties in exploiting the product and earning much needed foreign currency. The expression of a state's right to control such activities is firmly rooted in the notion of its permanent sovereignty over natural resources located within its territorial boundaries. But the particular form of a state's involvement will vary. A wide diversity of pressures, cultural and political as well as economic, come into play. The circumstances in which the contract is performed can vary dramatically, dictated, for example, by a change of government or ruler. Private parties contracting with state enterprises, especially in long-term projects, must be constantly vigilant about the political backdrop against which the contract is negotiated and will be performed. Such considerations …

The Design for the Remedial Works to the Port of Kuantan in Malaysia

The Port of Kuantan had been completed in 1978 by European contractor, immediately after which the steel sheet pile cofferdam type of quaywall began to suffer the excessive sliding and settlement. Furthermore, during monsoon season, the wave height in basin sometimes became more than 1.0m, causing difficulty and danger the berthing and loading/unloading of the ships.In this paper the remedial method of quaywall and layout plan of the breakwater by calmness analysis are presented, and the result of our examination for earth anchor test and wave observation during the construction are reported.

Star Wars fizzles for European contractors

West European politicians are not saying much about the cooperative SDI arrangements they signed three years ago: to date, their contractors have been awarded about as much as the state of Colorado.

The Influence of Film in an Isolated Traditionally Oriented Aboriginal Community

The influence that television exerts on audiences, especially children, is a matter for much debate. Films have been given less consideration as a matter for concern, no doubt because they are less ubiquitous and less accessible than television. However, in an isolated traditionally oriented Aboriginal community, films, in both the large screen and the newer video format, provide the single major source of entertainment and information on the larger European society. It is possible, in the absence of other forms of sustained contact with European society, that its influence can provide children with inappropriate and culturally dysfunctional models for behaviour.From observations at a particular isolated community, films appear to influence people’s ideas about the outside world and their attitudes and behaviours in certain situations. This influence is particularly noticeable in the attitudes, language and behaviours evidenced by children. It is often possible to tell what film has lately been shown in camp simply by observing the children at play. The greater the impact a film has made in terms of ‘action’ and excitement, the greater the length of time will aspects of that film be incorporated into play situations. Children are excellent imitators and it is common for specific phrases from films to be used in children’s games long after the film has been shown.The imitation of language, situations and attitudes portrayed in films is, however, not confined to play situations. For example, in the isolated community with which I am most familiar, a month ago two young men ‘bailed up’ a visiting European contractor and stole his motor vehicle. The circumstances of the theft, bag over the head to disguise identity, flashlight directed into the eyes to dazzle – as well as the language and attitude of the two men, paralleled an episode witnessed in a film three nights previously. The relation between film and incident was so well recognised at camp that the incident itself became a popular piay-scene for children : “Give me the keys or I’ll blow your head off.”