Cyclical construction workforce shortage : an evaluation of the current shortage in Western North Carolina

The inadequate supply of skilled construction craft workers is an issue that currently affects the performance of the construction industry. The performance of the construction industry has a significant influence on the growth of the national economy as well as citizens’ wellbeing. The challenges associated with the construction industry’s skilled worker shortage are cyclical. The cyclical nature is a result of the fact that the demand for construction in the U.S. depends on the performance of the overall U.S. economy. The current study evaluates the nature of the current shortage in the western region of North Carolina. Accordingly, the study examines the data collected by the Mountain Area Workforce Development Board, employing a survey that targeted construction firms. The authors have analyzed 46 completed surveys that were collected during the fall of 2018. Among other findings, the study reveals that the demand for laborers and licensed journeymen is higher than other construction positions such as supervisors and estimators. Also, the study shows that entry-level positions such as laborers have higher employee turnover rates compared to more experienced positions. The research could help develop a certified career pathway that provides short-term training and work-based learning opportunities for the raw construction workforce

Cost overruns – helping to define what they really mean

Civil engineers are often in the firing line for alleged cost overruns, particularly on major publicly funded infrastructure projects. This usually occurs when the final cost of a project is simply compared with the original estimate, even though this was published a long time ago, in different circumstances and for a quite different project to the one carried out. This paper proposes a systematic approach to ensure that cost overruns, should they occur, are more accurately defined in terms of when the initial and end costs are assessed, from which point of view, at which project stage, and including scope changes and financial assumptions. The paper refers to the UK’s £163 billion nuclear decommissioning programme

Enhancing off-site manufacturing through early contractor involvement (ECI) in New Zealand

Procurement strategies that enable early contractor involvement (ECI) in design may enhance off-site manufacturing (OSM) by overcoming previously identified barriers to its uptake. Involving constructors during the design stage can reduce the risk of design buildability issues, and standardising traditionally bespoke ECI processes may help overcome cultural resistance to unfamiliar OSM technology. Following literature review and using case studies, document analysis and legal doctrine, a two-stage ECI conceptual process model for New Zealand is proposed. This was tested and refined following feedback at a conference. The model comprises a first-stage pre-construction contract and a second-stage standard-form construction contract. Key process variables are considered with solutions to provide collaboration and transparency while maintaining competitive fixed pricing across the supply chain. Legal doctrine analysis is used to distinguish between design buildability obligations and design codes compliance. The model contributes towards the development of a standard form for pre-construction contracts

Success evaluation factors in construction project management : some evidence from medium and large portuguese companies

The construction industry plays a very important role in the Portuguese economy. In 2009, it was among the top five economic sectors, representing 13% of total employment. Nevertheless, project failures are still frequent mainly due to inadequate management practices and to the intrinsic characteristics of projects of the construction industry. Even though Portuguese construction has improved in recent years, cost and schedule overruns, low productivity and final product quality problems are still common. In this context, project management is a crucial tool for improving construction operations and for the overall success of projects. The aim of this article is to contribute to the discussion on success evaluation factors in a field where little has been written – the construction industry. Through a survey of 40 medium and large Portuguese companies several factors were identified which are currently considered in the evaluation of project success, as found in the literature review. The results show that the traditional factors, often referred to as the “Atkinson elements triangle” (cost, time and quality), are still the most relevant for evaluating the success of a project, but others, such as customer involvement and acceptance, have gained importance in recent years

Penetration of Leading Safety Indicators in the Construction Industry: The Case of Tennessee

Leading safety indicators assess construction behaviors and processes prior to the occurrence of safety breaches. These have emerged as a more effective alternative to traditional safety measurements in the construction industry. While exiting research has extensively defined these indicators and their correlation to safety performance, there is still insufficient understanding of their penetration on local and regional levels. This research aims to explore, define, evaluate, and provide guidance in relation to utilizing leading safety indicators in Tennessee. The interdependent research methodology incorporates (1) developing an industry questionnaire based on a comprehensive literature review, (2) disseminating the questionnaire to construction professionals in Tennessee, (3) analysing the results through a combination of descriptive and bivariate statistical analysis techniques, and finally (4) interpreting the results and drawing conclusions and recommendations. The survey results showed that over two thirds of the firms investigated used instituted systems of leading indicators. Yet, firms that had no knowledge of the concept or did not use it, still applied a wide range of practices similar to leading indicators. The most popular indicators amongst the studied firms were related to simple safety tasks and routine practices such as housekeeping, use of personal protective equipment (PPEs), and substance abuse programs. Conversely, more complex indicators related to strategic and policymaking programs, such as contractual safety obligations and evaluation of safety meetings and reporting systems, were less popular. Such complex practices were more likely to be used by larger companies over smaller ones. Following these findings of this research, and by repeating similar studies on other local and regional areas, more effective use of leading indicators can be achieved with greater understanding of current safety systems, contributing eventually to reaching a zero-accident construction industry