STEPS: a knowledge management maturity roadmap for corporate sustainability

Purpose The paper focuses on the role of knowledge management in promoting corporate in the construction industry context. It proposes a maturity roadmap – STEPS to facilitate the implementation of a knowledge management strategy. Design/methodology/approach Two research methods were used. The first consisted of a postal questionnaire sent to the top 170 UK construction firms consisting of engineering design and construction contractor firms. The organisations were selected because they were considered the most influential organisations in the UK construction sector. The second research method involved 28 case study interviews with eight construction firms to investigate their approach to knowledge management and performance improvement. The results of the questionnaire survey and the case studies were used to develop the STEPS Maturity Roadmap. Findings The paper found that knowledge management is inextricably linked to corporate sustainability, but a methodical approach is required for successful knowledge management implementation. With this is mind, the STEPS Maturity Roadmap was developed to provide a structured approach to implementing and benchmarking knowledge management efforts. Practical implications This will allow companies to understand were they fall within the STEPS Maturity Roadmap and to devise a strategy to be developed to attain higher levels of knowledge management maturity. Originality/value This paper provides a mechanism for organisations to benchmark their knowledge management activities and to develo

Review and implementation of performance management models in construction engineering organizations

Performance management is a key issue in the construction industry as a result of complex internal and external factors. Large construction organisations are implementing performance management models to improve business processes, products and management of people to facilitate continuous improvement. This study investigates the implementation of performance management models in large construction engineering organisations. Firstly, a brief review of the drive for performance improvement and the strategic considerations for the adoption of performance management models is carried out with specific reference to the Balanced Scorecard and the EFQM Excellence Model. Secondly, using case studies of large construction engineering organisations, the findings from the implementation of performance management models are analysed and discussed. It is shown that whilst progress has been made in the implementation of performance management models in large construction organisations, significant challenges remained at the planning, deployment and assessment and review stages. This includes the motivation for performance management, leadership and resources, communication mechanisms, measurement and data collection techniques, and the role of knowledge management. Performance management models provide a basis to develop strategy for sustaining long-term business objectives, and more construction organisations will adopt such innovative tools to facilitate continuous improvement, as the business benefits become clear

Business performance measurement practices in construction engineering organisations

Performance improvement has been the subject of recent initiatives in the UK construction industry as a result of complex internal and external factors. These include demands from clients, investors and stakeholders for improvement and changes in market conditions. The need for performance improvement has led to the implementation of industry-specific key performance indicators (KPIs) and greater awareness of the benefits of measurement in construction engineering organisations. This paper presents and discusses findings based on the practical experiences of leading construction engineering organisations in the UK. A significant proportion of organisations are now using a range of financial and non-financial measures to assess business performance, and a growing number are adopting the Excellence Model and the Balanced Scorecard to facilitate a structured approach to implementing continuous improvement strategies. The paper concludes with some practical considerations for implementing performance measurement models

Knowledge management practices in large construction organisations

This paper investigates how large UK construction organisations manage their knowledge assets. It then proposes STEPS, a mechanism for benchmarking organisation’s knowledge management maturity