Comparing contributors to time and cost performance in building projects

Identifying the relative strengths of the linkages between procurement sub-systems and project performance was initially hypothesized to be useful for developing guidelines for the formulation of a performance-oriented construction procurement system. A comprehensive model was developed to incorporate all significant procurement sub-systems variables, together with 'non-procurement' related (or 'intervening') variables to explore and evaluate such linkages. The multiple regression technique was applied to analyze the data from 32 Hong Kong-based building projects and the results were compared with reality. The results suggest that procurement sub-systems variables are less significant than the non-procurement related variables in predicting time and cost performance levels on Hong Kong building projects.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Developing a decision support system for building project procurement

The growing need for improved construction procurement and managerial systems, point to the usefulness of a knowledge-based advisory system to help optimise such decisions, amidst the multiplicity of project variables. This new system would harness lessons learnt from past and present research and practice. A Hong Kong based study on a sample of different building projects and professionals, has yielded 'knowledge' that has been analysed and structured into pilot/sample core modules of a proposed knowledge-based decision support system. Results from statistical analysis of the data and an Artificial Neural Network model confirmed the value of the proposed system. An extended study to gather more data/knowledge is recommended to further develop the proposed system, using the methodology presented in this paper. © 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.link_to_subscribed_fulltex