Competitive Aggressiveness of Contractors: A Study of Indonesia

AbstractHigh level of competition are consideredto be a major challenge for contractors. As such, ‘winning the competition’ is an important goal for contractors in running their businesses. Contractors need to be aggressive in competition to respond to their competitors’ actions and gain competitive advantage against their business rivals for survival and growth. This study aims to clarify the issue of competitive aggressiveness of contractors by identifyingits key factors. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 19 top managers of contracting companies in Indonesia, in order to explore the concept of contractors’ competitive aggressiveness. The qualitative data collected during the interviews were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis method. The analysis resulted in identifying five key factors of contractors’competitive aggressiveness: 1) acting as a problem solver for clients; 2) being different compared to competitors; 3) building and maintaining clients’ confidence in the company's trustworthiness and reliability; 4) maintaining good relationships with clients; and 5) positioning on markets that are concerned about quality. Based on these findings, contractors will be able to establish an appropriate strategy to allow them to be aggressive in competition

A dynamic framework for managing the complexities of risks in megaprojects

The future of mega infrastructure projects is certain - there will be more risks to manage. The challenge is being met through research and innovation combining current approaches with new. This research adopted a dynamic approach through the combination of Analytical Network Process (ANP) and system dynamics (SD) as an innovative methodology known as SDANP to model complexity in megaprojects design and construction. We communicate how the SDANP model could explore problems caused by Social, Technical, Economic, Environmental and Political (STEEP) risks to construction cost, time and performance and provide insights that lead to organizational learning. We proceed to exemplify by means of a real-life case project in the City of Edinburgh and offer suggestions on what front-ended stakeholders could do to improve the management of risks in megaprojects. The results of the application showed that, when compared to traditional risks assessment methods, this SD model with integrated ANP revealed improvements in managing risks according to STEEP risks criteria. The new framework appears to be a superior solution for solving the dynamic complexities of risks during megaproject design and construction. The findings of the study contribute to the project management theoretical development within the field of megaproject management

Linking Personal Competencies With Transformational Leadership Style Evidence From The Construction Industry In Thailand

This study explored the linkage between personal competencies and leadership behaviours as well as their influences on leadership outcomes and subordinates’ work performance. Personal competencies were measured using the Project Manager Competency Development (PMCD) tool. Leadership behaviours and outcomes were measured using Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). Data was collected from construction projects in Thailand. Findings revealed that leadership outcomes have significant positive relationship with all personal competencies specified in the PMCD framework, every factor in the transformational style and contingent reward factor in the transactional style. Transformational leaders tend to produce high work quality, work quantity, and problem solving creativity from subordinates. Findings further verified that all PMCD personal competencies have significant positive relationship with every factor in the transformational style. It implies that project managers who apply the transformational style and/or have high personal competencies indicated in PMCD framework are likely to generate greater leadership outcomes and work performance on construction project

An analytical network process model for risks prioritisation in megaprojects.

Megaprojects are complex and expensive projects that often involve social, technical, economic, environmental and political (STEEP) challenges to project management. Despite these challenges, project owners and financiers continue to invest large sums of money in megaprojects that run high risks of being over schedule and over budget. While some degree of cost and schedule risks are considered during project planning, the challenge of modelling risks interactions and impacts on project performance still remains. To tackle this technical problem, this research adopted the Analytical Network Process and combined it with a new Risk Priority Index as an innovative approach to model risks analytically based on data collected from the Edinburgh Tram Network project at the construction phase. The approach provides an interactive way for developers to prioritise risks across the project supply network and to initiate timely mitigation strategies against significant cost and time consequences of STEEP risks on megaproject performance

Megaproject risk analysis and simulation: a dynamic systems approach.

Providing new knowledge on risk analysis and simulation for megaprojects, this book is essential reading for both academics and practitioners. Its focus is on technical descriptions of a newly developed dynamic systems approach to megaproject risk analysis and simulation. This is backed up by a discussion of the methodology as applied in a comprehensive case study on the Edinburgh Tram Network (ETN) project. The book informs both academic researchers and megaproject stakeholders with the latest information on risk as applied to megaprojects. As well as the complete case study, the book includes a general risk analysis framework for megaprojects, an analytic network process (ANP) method for risk quantification, a system dynamics (SD) method for risk simulation, and practical guides for the application of the dynamic systems approach in megaproject research and practice. The file for this record represents only a sample chapter from the whole work, which is available for purchase from the publisher

Analysis of Project Failure Factors for Infrastructure Projects in Saudi Arabia: A Multivariate Approach

The rapidly changing face of the Saudi construction industry occasioned by the boost in oil revenue means that the best project management practices must be given priority to be able to confront the challenges associated with the management of infrastructure projects. The study develops a framework for identifying and classifying causes of project failures in the Saudi construction industry. A quantitative questionnaire survey was used to solicit responses from 67 respondents in the city of Jeddah, selected using an online questionnaire survey. Target respondents were mainly civil engineers, architects, quantity surveyors and building engineers who have years of experience in the management of infrastructure projects in Saudi Arabia. Findings reveal that poor risk management was rated the most critical failure factor for infrastructure projects, while budget overruns and poor communication by management followed closely at second and third, respectively. Additionally, eight components were extracted from the 24 items used for factor analysis. Among the extracted factors are project management deficiencies, risk challenges and government interference. Recommendations include, among others, that project risk management frameworks should be redesigned to guide clients and other stakeholders in an effort to reduce a project's unexpected exposure to risk

Analysis of Project Failure Factors for Infrastructure Projects in Saudi Arabia: A Multivariate Approach

The rapidly changing face of the Saudi construction industry occasioned by the boost in oil revenue means that the best project management practices must be given priority to be able to confront the challenges associated with the management of infrastructure projects. The study develops a framework for identifying and classifying causes of project failures in the Saudi construction industry. A quantitative questionnaire survey was used to solicit responses from 67 respondents in the city of Jeddah, selected using an online questionnaire survey. Target respondents were mainly civil engineers, architects, quantity surveyors and building engineers who have years of experience in the management of infrastructure projects in Saudi Arabia. Findings reveal that poor risk management was rated the most critical failure factor for infrastructure projects, while budget overruns and poor communication by management followed closely at second and third, respectively. Additionally, eight components were extracted from the 24 items used for factor analysis. Among the extracted factors are project management deficiencies, risk challenges and government interference. Recommendations include, among others, that project risk management frameworks should be redesigned to guide clients and other stakeholders in an effort to reduce a project's unexpected exposure to risk

The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities, yet little is known about the specific genetic loci that influence human cortical structure. To identify genetic variants that affect cortical structure, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 51,665 individuals. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 regions with known functional specializations. We identified 199 significant loci and found significant enrichment for loci influencing total surface area within regulatory elements that are active during prenatal cortical development, supporting the radial unit hypothesis. Loci that affect regional surface area cluster near genes in Wnt signaling pathways, which influence progenitor expansion and areal identity. Variation in cortical structure is genetically correlated with cognitive function, Parkinson's disease, insomnia, depression, neuroticism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder