Control influence on trust and relational governance in the client-contractor dyad

The construction industry has in recent years witnessed a paradigm shift towards the use of more collaborative contracting relationships and integrated processes in an attempt to improve construction project delivery. Trust is central to the success of these contracting approaches and although efforts are usually aimed at improving trust relations in client-contractor relationships, there has so far been mixed findings on how trust is influenced by formal control mechanisms discharged via formal contracts. In construction contracting, there is therefore the need to investigate how different governance modes and control mechanisms deployed on construction projects are perceived by those being controlled and how this in turn influences trust. Through a critique of the extant literature on trust and control in construction, this study reveals that the trust-control relationship which can be both complimentary and supplementary has far reaching implications on the measurement/assessment of trust in the construction project context. The orientation of governance and control mechanisms selected by clients and the behavioural consequences of these from contractors can thus be used as a measure of the degree of trust that exists in the dyad

Competency-based evaluation of project managers’ performance in mass house building projects in Ghana – the fuzzy set theory approach

A fuzzy-based method for assessing the performance level of a Project Manager (PM) at the construction phase of Mass House Building Projects (MHBPs) is presented. Based on seven key competencies previously developed for the Ghanaian housing industry, structured interviews involving a leading Ghanaian property developer was undertaken to explore the Measured Indicators (MIs) of the Key Competency Factors (KCFs) in evaluating the performance of PMs at the construction phase of MHBPs. Using a set of linguistic expressions and the Fuzzy Competency Rating approach, the performance levels of practicing PMs were assessed based on the empirical results extracted from the interview transcripts. The study provides insight into the sub-themes to the seven key competencies that engender superior performance in MHBPs, and provides evidence to suggest that the performance of PMs in Ghana is in need of improvement to bring it to acceptable levels of excellence.Keywords: Project Manager, Performance, Mass House Building Projects, Fuzzy, Competenc

Overcoming the challenges facing lean construction practice in the UK contracting organizations

Despite the benefits realized from Lean construction practice over the past two decades, the uptake of the Lean concept in the UK seems to be sparse. The UK contracting organizations engaged in Lean construction practice are faced with challenges that need to be addressed to facilitate wider application of Lean concepts so as to gain its benefits. The purpose of the study is to investigate the challenges facing the application of Lean principles in the UK construction industry with a view to proposing solutions that could be used to address the challenges. A qualitative research approach was adopted and semi-structured interviews were conducted with Lean construction practitioners working with 10 contracting organizations in the UK. The study identified 10 different challenges across the organizations that participated in the research and discovered 13 strategies that could be used to overcome the challenges. Findings from this study will lead to a better understanding of the challenges facing Lean construction practice in the UK so that further research could be done on how each challenge could be addressed. The findings could also help practitioners in addressing the different challenges they face in their Lean construction endless journey and facilitate Lean construction practice in the UK

Competency-based evaluation of project managers’ performance in mass house building projects in Ghana – the fuzzy set theory approach

A fuzzy-based method for assessing the performance level of a Project Manager (PM) at the construction phase of Mass House Building Projects (MHBPs) is presented. Based on seven key competencies previously developed for the Ghanaian housing industry, structured interviews involving a leading Ghanaian property developer was undertaken to explore the Measured Indicators (MIs) of the Key Competency Factors (KCFs) in evaluating the performance of PMs at the construction phase of MHBPs. Using a set of linguistic expressions and the Fuzzy Competency Rating approach, the performance levels of practicing PMs were assessed based on the empirical results extracted from the interview transcripts. The study provides insight into the sub-themes to the seven key competencies that engender superior performance in MHBPs, and provides evidence to suggest that the performance of PMs in Ghana is in need of improvement to bring it to acceptable levels of excellence.Keywords: Project Manager, Performance, Mass House Building Projects, Fuzzy, Competenc

Extreme weather events and construction SMEs : vulnerability, impacts and responses

Purpose: the UK experienced a number of Extreme Weather Events (EWEs) during recent years and a significant number of businesses were affected as a result. With the intensity and frequency of weather extremes predicted in the future, enhancing the resilience of businesses, especially of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), who are considered as highly vulnerable, has become a necessity. However, little research has been undertaken on how construction SMEs respond to the risk of EWEs. In seeking to help address this dearth of research, this investigation sought to identify how construction SMEs were being affected by EWEs and the coping strategies being used. Design/methodology/approach: a mixed methods research design was adopted to elicit information from construction SMEs, involving a questionnaire survey and case study approach. Findings: results indicate a lack of coping strategies among the construction SMEs studied. Where the coping strategies have been implemented, these were found to be extensions of their existing risk management strategies rather than radical measures specifically addressing EWEs. Research limitations/implications: the exploratory survey focused on the Greater London area and was limited to a relatively small sample size. This limitation is overcome by conducting detailed case studies utilising two SMEs whose projects were located in EWE prone localities. The mixed method research design adopted benefits the research by presenting more robust findings. Practical implications: a better way of integrating the potential of EWEs into the initial project planning stage is required by the SMEs. This could possibly be achieved through a better risk assessment model supported by better EWE prediction data. Originality/value: the paper provides an original contribution towards the overarching agenda of resilience of SMEs and policy making in the area of EWE risk management. It informs both policy makers and practitioners on issues of planning and preparedness against EWEs