Explicating mechanical and electrical knowledge for design phase of green building projects

Construction projects usually encompass numerous disciplines, requiring the integration of knowledge from civil, mechanical, electrical and other engineering domains. Some researchers contend that the integration of construction knowledge and experience at the early design phase would improve the overall project performance. Domination of tacit knowledge during design phase of building projects is the major source of knowledge flow problems between involved professionals. Therefore, this study intends to explicate the required mechanical and electrical knowledge which has to be considered during the conceptual design phase of a green building project. To fulfil this goal, a case study has been conducted to specify the entity of the required mechanical and electrical knowledge. The primary method for the data collection here is observation. Furthermore, this study employs the triangulation method in order to validate the collected data. The results contain the required mechanical and electrical knowledge which has to be considered during the conceptual design phase of a green building project

Understanding Knowledge Flow Dynamics during the Pre-implementation Phase of an Enterprise Resource Planning Project

Knowledge flows unevenly throughout an organization and the problem is that the fundamental dynamics of these flows are still not well characterized in theoretical and computational models. This study built on existing work-”knowledge-flow theory, need knowledge generation, and the critical success factors for enterprise resource planning implementation-”to examine the multidimensional knowledge-flow phenomenon in context, using the case study methodology to collect three sources of evidence-”project-related documentation, internal archival records, and open-ended interviews-”to address the research question: How can need knowledge and its flow across different stakeholders in an organization be explained using a multidimensional knowledge-flow model

Classifying Complexity in Oil and Gas Brownfield Projects

It is widely recognized that research regarding complexity in projects has been inspired by Baccarini through his publication in 1996. Since then, research on this topic has been developing to other areas such as healthcare, IT, military, manufacturing, engineering, construction, and more. From theory point of view, the topic has also been researched in relation to various theories such as organization theory, PMI (Project Management Institute) view, system theory, complexity theory, among others. Interestingly, there is currently still no agreement among the researchers regarding the definition of complexity itself. Despite of this fact, studying complexity is important and will potentially improve project management practices, including in brownfield projects, where research has not much been pursued. Brownfield projects are important in securing sustained energy supply, as well as in realizing the transformation within the energy industry. This master’s thesis explores complexity in large oil and gas modification projects and aims to classify the complexity encountered by the individuals participating in such projects. A new framework for classifying project complexity is proposed by implementing grounded theory methodology over the data gathered through interviews and observations

Multidimensional Knowledge Flow Dynamics in Context

Knowledge is a sustainable advantage and knowledge assets can increase value with use. A snowball effect of knowledge advantage advocates effective knowledge management and fosters its continual growth as it flows. Knowledge, however, flows unevenly throughout an organization and the problem is that the fundamental dynamics of these flows are still not well characterized in theoretical and computational models. This study built on existing work—knowledge-flow theory, need knowledge generation, and the critical success factors for enterprise resource planning implementation—to examine the multidimensional knowledge-flow phenomenon in context, and used the case study methodology for knowledge-flow theory building. The research question was two-pronged: how can need knowledge and its flow across stakeholders within an organization be explained using a multidimensional knowledge-flow model and how can Nissen’s five-dimensional knowledge-flow model be validated using a real-life immersion case? The researcher relied on three sources of evidence for this case study: project-related documentation, archival records, and interviews. Data triangulation yielded three results components: (a) a chronology of key events that obstructed knowledge flow, (b) a logic model depicting themes that contributed to knowledge-flow obstruction, and (c) explanations of the knowledge-flow patterns. This case study suggested enabling need knowledge determinants and obstructing conditions are in play that determine the path of need knowledge flow. These two research artifacts should be considered together to provide a fresh research avenue towards better understanding of knowledge flow dynamics

International joint venture between Asean and gulf: bidding and delivering Bahrain international Formula-1 circuit

A foreign contractor can resort to a partnering or joint-venture strategy with a host contracting firm to bid for a major international construction project. This paper presents a case study in the Bahrain FORMULA-1 Circuit (BFC) project focusing mainly on its tendering and construction stages, which is lacking in literatures. Findings illustrate that the success in such an international pact include: advanced technical and engineering expertise; selection of a committed partner; management expertise; creating and sustaining good working environment; appropriate risk management; maintaining a reliable interna­tional materials supply chain; and efficient project planning and tracking system. Manage­ment expertise is the most important factor because of the peculiarities and problems of international projects. This case study is able to assist practitioners to devise their own approach in overcoming the challenges and dynamic influences in the international construction market

Integrated Design, Design Management and the Delivery of Major Hospitals

There is a failure to fully achieve client expectations and to deliver integrated hospital building solutions that function to all spatial and equipment requirements. Often this is because the construction of hospitals is based on designs established several years before the start on site. A retrospective abductive, auto-ethnographic case study approach has been taken in the examination of four major hospital projects over a period of 30 years. The level of design integration and effect of design management and coordination issues relating to stakeholder engagement, roles and responsibilities, static and dynamic briefing and the integration of major medical equipment has been explored at a project level, then contextualised within a wider delivery model to understand the impacts of these on integrated delivery and systems integration. Five temporal periods were observed, four of them relating to the retrospective case studies these were: (1) prescriptive integration – where traditional procurement with Design, Bid, Build delivery was combined with standards and guidance; (2) dysfunctional integration – where the adoption of Private Finance Initiative (PFI) with Design and Build delivery transferred traditional roles and reduced standardisation; (3 and 4) adaptive integration 1 and 2 – which saw both a gradual deregulation of standards; and, an understanding for standards, and (5) the fifth temporal disintegration period – where guidance from the wider delivery model ceased to be updated due to top down policy reorganisation and lack of centralised control and includes a current case study. Throughout these temporal periods, it was found that the national delivery models have had a significant influence on hospital project delivery and particularly systems of systems integration. A new model based on layering principles that shows the impact of wider delivery models on systems integration is proposed to improve the provision of ‘state of the art’ facilities at project completio

Managing change in BIM-Level 2 projects: benefits, challenges, and opportunities

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to validate perceived benefits and challenges of BIM-Level 2 in managing change in projects and identify opportunities for enhancing these benefits and reducing the challenges. This research is timely because, these benefits and challenges remain largely unvalidated following the passing of the BIM-Level 2 mandate in the UK, and the opportunities for enhancing the benefits and reducing challenges remain relatively unexplored. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the aim, questionnaires were sent to BIM-Level 2 practitioners in the UK; in all, 41 responses were received. Following that, interviews with 10 BIM practitioners were carried out to identify opportunities for reducing challenges and increasing benefits. Findings: From the findings, the benefits from the literature were all validated. Beyond these, some emergent benefits were identified, such as cost saving and risk reduction. Most challenges from the literature were validated with emergent challenges identified, largely to do with the social dimension in the BIM-Level 2 process. Opportunities identified to enhance benefits and reduce challenges were mainly socially driven. These opportunities were classified as either reactive or proactive. Research limitations/implications: Opportunities for reducing challenges and increasing benefits identified from this research can inform the change management processes in BIM-Level 2. Practical implications: Findings show the processes and requirements for managing change in BIM-level 2. Social implications: The identification of behaviours reveals the social requirements for BIM-level 2. Originality/value: This research identifies opportunities required to reconstruct the change management process in BIM-Level 2. This forms a basis for future work to explore the antecedents of these social requirements

Realizing dynamic capabilities and organizational knowledge in effective innovations: the capabilities typological map

Purpose – This paper aims to shed light on the mechanisms that connect dynamic capabilities and organizational knowledge in the innovative process to offer a new theoretical and practical solution considering the microfoundations of knowledge management strategies. Design/methodology/approach – This research has emerged from an in-depth case study of an effective innovation (from just ethanol and sugar-production to an effective biomass plant). The study represents an “inductive inquiry,” useful to understand specific “organizational mechanisms” of innovation, where the main data came from in-depth interviews with 18 key actors. It proved to help search the development of a specific biomass plant, designed and implemented between 2000 and 2007 in a Brazilian ethanol and sugar-production large company, referred to here as “Energyplant.” Findings – This solution provides a new perspective based on the idea that dynamic capabilities are context-dependent and presents an original typological map that shows and materializes dynamic capabilities as teams of human-based resources. Managerial implications can be drawn from the capabilities typological map highlighting that, although identical dynamic capabilities are not required to change different firms, idiosyncratic dynamic capabilities perform universal knowledge functions that can be mapped, contributing to the planning of a specific innovation. Originality/value – While the dynamic capabilities research has been seen as one of the most vibrant topics in strategic management, scholars have recently stressed that dynamic capabilities continue to be underrated because the knowledge mechanisms that lead to effective innovations have not been adequately explored. The visual mapping is then applied to solve the reviewed theoretical problems, being also suggested to firms interested in change and adapting their capabilities to the requirements of the business environment