Measuring the level of supply chain robustness during construction mega-projects

Trop souvent, les mégaprojets sont complétés en retard et dépassent les budgets prévus. Néanmoins, il n’existe toujours pas de modèle unique, ni de cadre opératoire, ni de théorie holistique pouvant mesurer les performances et les productivités des divers activités lors de mégaprojets de construction. Une solution proposée par l’auteur de cette thèse est la formulation d'un artefact ou d'un design, appelé modèle de performance et de productivité de la construction (CPPM), qui intègre un cadre opératoire à partir des processus de la chaîne d'approvisionnement. Le modèle de performance et de productivité de la construction fait face à la problématique managériale avec la vision de développer une conception d’attributs et de facteurs clés qui rendrait l'industrie de la construction canadienne plus compétitive. Le cadre du modèle repose sur une approche de chaîne d’approvisionnement, et fournit des facteurs clés de succès en temps réel avec des attributs de performance et des mesures couvrant toutes les phases des mégaprojets. La recherche aux fils des ans a su évoluer grâce à la liberté d’adopter diverses méthodologies et d’étudier plusieurs théories. L’approche de la recherche en design-sciences a donc été choisie parce qu'elle englobe cette liberté académique dans le design managérial, l’approche théorique et l'environnement réel des mégaprojets. Le modèle “CPPM” a révélé que les attributs de performance et les facteurs clés de succès prédominant à l’artefact, étaient ceux reliés aux “EPCM Agility”, suivis des contrôles de coûts et ceux de la fiabilité des achats. L’auteur de cette thèse estime que la recherche entreprit lors de son doctorat a permis à la science de progresser. Cette thèse s'appuie sur ses sept constats liés à la gestion de mégaprojets, renforcée par quatre ans d’observations avec des experts de l’industrie, des entrevues semi-structurées et sondage, de même que la conception d’un modèle “CPPM” qui couvre toutes les phases et activités dans la gestion de mégaprojets. L’auteur a aussi établi un modèle qui est validé par une série de principes, de processus, d’évaluation, de contribution et de justification des connaissances, ainsi que l’originalité et l’inventivité d’un modèle qui est unique et novateur dans la littérature de la gestion de construction. Enfin, l’auteur conclut que l’artefact a atteint un niveau de cohérence que pour le chantier de construction sur lequel il a seulement été testé. Comprenant les limites du modèle, cette recherche offre à d’autres chercheurs l’occasion de renforcer ultérieurement la validité du modèle en le testant sur différents sites de construction.Abstract: Too often mega-projects are completed late and over budget. Nevertheless, there is no holistic model, nor any solid-proof framework, nor theories which measures performance and productivity pertaining to the construction activities. One solution proposed by the researcher, is the formulation of an artifact or design, known as the Construction Performance & Productivity Model (CPPM), which integrates a supply chain framework. The Construction Performance & Productivity Model seeks to attenuate the managerial problematic in the industry with the vision to develop a design that would make the Canadian construction industry more competitive. The framework of the model has a supply chain approach, provides real-time measurement with performance attributes and metrics that are pertinent to the construction industry. It is also friendly to users and covers all phases of construction mega-projects. The research over the years evolved from the freedom of adopting various methodologies and theories. The paradigm of Design-Science Research (DSR) was selected because it espouses this academic freedom in design, science and real-life environment. Through a Participant Observation (engineering phases) and Action Research (construction activities), using the SCOR Model as its base, enriched and minimised through a series of semi-structures interviews and one survey, the research found the most important performance attributes and metrics that performed best in the model (CPPM) were the ones belonging to the categories of EPCM Agility, followed by Project Controls and Procurement Reliability. The researcher believes this doctoral thesis has permitted the science to progress because its model (CPPM) relates its seven (7) constructs to megaprojects, reinforced by four (4) years of observations, is validated through a series of principles, processes, evaluation, contribution and justification knowledge. Moreover, the model’s originality and inventiveness are different from the ones found in construction literature. Finally, the researcher concludes the CPPM has achieved a level of consistency for the construction site it was only tested to it. Understanding the model’s limitations, this research offer opportunities to other scientists to further the model validity by testing it in different construction sites

Influences of power on suppliers' adaptation for sustainability - a dyadic perspective

In this study, the adaptive behaviour towards sustainability initiatives is investigated in interorganizational exchange relations. To do so, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in a supplier role that experienced a situation where a buyer asked them to adapt to a certain sustainability initiative are asked about their power relation with their buyer. During this process, suppliers perceived dependence and buyers perceived power are compared, and the outcome of these measures on the adaptive behaviour towards sustainability is modelled. In order to explain the power relation in the dyad in more detail, the framework of the bases of power as initially introduced by French Jr. and Raven (1959) is integrated in the analysis. Sustainability in the current globalised business environment needs to be tackled on a systems level rather than by focusing on a site. The purpose of this research is to shed some light on the permeation of sustainability initiatives through the upward supply chain. The current academic literature about the drivers of Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) point towards the buyers as a powerful driver. Therefore, this driver is scrutinized in detail with the aims to: a) deliver practical advice on how to improve sustainability permeation from a buyer s perspective; and b) contribute to academic knowledge by dismantling and analysing the mechanism behind buyer power driven sustainability permeation. An online questionnaire was deployed to collect data from SMEs in a supplier role. The participants were contacted and reminded via email. The questionnaire is based on established instruments to measure suppliers dependence (Bode et al., 2011) and the bases of power (Raven et al., 1998). The quantitative analysis of the responses to the questionnaires is built around a mediation model with suppliers dependence as Independent Variable (IV), the binary outcome of sustainability adaptation as Dependent Variable (DV) and two mediators representing the magnitude of hard and soft power bases in the dyadic exchange relation. The established framework of the bases of power is a suitable instrument to explain the relationship between a supplier s adaptive behaviour towards sustainability and its dependence on its buyer. Measurements solely of how a supplier perceives its dependence on the buyer do not explain the adaptive behaviour of a supplier towards a buyer-requested sustainability initiative. Introducing the bases of power framework and distinguishing between soft and hard bases of power explains why suppliers experiencing hard power bases are more likely to reject a buyer-requested sustainability initiative, whereas suppliers experiencing soft power bases show a significantly higher acceptance of buyer-requested sustainability initiatives. Without dismantling the black box power, the observation that the two effects neutralize each other if not distinguished cannot be made. The original contribution to knowledge is the mechanism behind power in dyadic exchange relations and how this mechanism conduces to the permeation of sustainability through the supply chain. Knowing about the different pathways hard and soft, and their opposite effect on sustainability adaptation, advances knowledge in the SSCM literature and provides guidance for practitioners