Chika Amadi, Patricia Carrillo and Martin Tuuli
This paper focusses on external stakeholders’ perspective of stakeholder management in public–private partnerships (PPP) projects within the context of developing countries where…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper focusses on external stakeholders’ perspective of stakeholder management in public–private partnerships (PPP) projects within the context of developing countries where public opposition to PPP projects is prevalent. The purpose of this paper is to identify the key enablers to PPP projects’ success from the perspective of external stakeholders.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from two case studies via semi-structured interviews in two PPP project locations in Nigeria. In total, 14 external stakeholders comprising community leaders, trade unionists and human right activist participated in the research.
Findings
Five key enablers of external stakeholder management were identified. These are as follows: the choice of project location; transparency of the internal stakeholders; timing of stakeholder engagement; knowledge of PPP; and relationship with internal stakeholders.
Originality/value
External stakeholders’ perspective of stakeholder management in PPP projects within the context of developing countries new to PPP has been established. The practical implications of the five enablers can be used by policy makers and industry professionals to ensure effective stakeholder management of PPP projects.
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PATRICIA CARRILLO and IAN HEAVEY
Large construction companies operate in geographically diverse locations, often in very competitive conditions and in a dynamic environment. A strategy for continuing growth in…
Abstract
Large construction companies operate in geographically diverse locations, often in very competitive conditions and in a dynamic environment. A strategy for continuing growth in earnings is necessary. Acquisitions are a way of achieving external growth. The aim of this paper is to investigate the acquisitions strategies of UK contractors towards the emerging markets of Central and Eastern Europe. Five UK contractors, which had the highest turnover in overseas business, were chosen as the subject group. The paper finds that, although these contractors acknowledge that there is a potential market, they are adopting a very cautious view by not setting up permanent offices and by hoping to win work through contacts with Western clients.
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Herbert S. Robinson, Patricia M. Carrillo, Chimay J. Anumba and Ahmed M. Al‐Ghassani
This paper aims to investigate how large UK construction organisations manage their knowledge assets. It then proposes STEPS, a mechanism for benchmarking organisation's knowledge…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate how large UK construction organisations manage their knowledge assets. It then proposes STEPS, a mechanism for benchmarking organisation's knowledge management maturity.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts a case study methodology using four large UK construction organisations.
Findings
The investigation shows that the UK‐based companies with international operations are ahead of their national counterparts in their KM implementation efforts. The paper concludes that construction organisations are likely to be successful in implementing KM if appropriate considerations are given to strategy formulation, implementation issues addressed and the link between KM and business strategy is strengthened.
Originality/value
The paper proposes a mechanism, entitled STEPS, for benchmarking the maturity of large construction organisations' knowledge management practices. It then uses case study organisations to demonstrate how the STEPS model should be used.
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Lee Bosher, Andrew Dainty, Patricia Carrillo and Jacqueline Glass
Professions involved with the construction industry need to become more aware of disaster risk management (DRM) activities if lessons are to be learned from the past and a…
Abstract
Purpose
Professions involved with the construction industry need to become more aware of disaster risk management (DRM) activities if lessons are to be learned from the past and a resilient built environment attained in the future. This study aims to focus on identifying which construction‐associated stakeholders should be involved with DRM initiatives in the UK, and when these stakeholders should be involved. This research is thereby unique and a key step in the longer‐term aim of identifying how stakeholders should be involved and what issues they need to address regarding the integration of DRM into construction decision making.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents the findings of a UK‐wide questionnaire survey, semi‐structured interviews and a validation exercise involving a range of professionals from construction, planning, insurance, emergency management and local/national government agencies.
Findings
This research identifies the key construction stakeholders that should be responsible for ensuring that resilience issues become integrated and ensuring the key stages of the design‐construction‐operation process where their inputs are required.
Originality/value
The finding presented are an important and logical step in the longer term aim of identifying how stakeholders should be better involved and what issues they need to address regarding the integration of DRM into construction decision making.
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Lee Bosher, Andrew Dainty, Patricia Carrillo, Jacqueline Glass and Andrew Price
There is a need to proactively address strategic weaknesses in protecting the built environment from a range of hazards. This paper seeks to focus on the mitigation for flood…
Abstract
Purpose
There is a need to proactively address strategic weaknesses in protecting the built environment from a range of hazards. This paper seeks to focus on the mitigation for flood hazards in the UK; particularly in understanding the extent of the problem, collating key guidance and legislation related to flood hazard mitigation, identifying who the key construction decision makers are and the most opportune stages of the Design‐Construction‐Operation Process when they need to make their key decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
A pluralistic research design was adopted for the study, which included a UK‐wide questionnaire survey and a set of semi‐structured interviews involving a range of professionals from construction, planning, insurance, emergency management and local/national government agencies was undertaken.
Findings
Despite the publication of a range of guidance on flood hazard mitigation in the UK there is still insufficient evidence that key construction stakeholders are playing an active role in mitigating flood risk. The pre‐construction phase of a building's life cycle is identified as is the most critical stage when key stakeholders need to adopt flood hazard mitigation strategies. The socio‐institutional constraints to the proactive attainment of built‐in resilience are highlighted as are recommendations as to how these constraints can be addressed.
Research limitations/implications
The paper reports on the provisional findings of an ongoing project but these findings nonetheless provide essential foundations for the latter development of the PRE‐EMPT toolkit and also raise some important considerations about flood resilience in the UK.
Originality/value
The findings presented reveal how stakeholders should be better involved, and what issues they need to address, regarding the integration of built‐in resilience into construction decision making.
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This paper aims to investigate how Canadian engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies address lessons learned (LL) on their construction projects.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate how Canadian engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies address lessons learned (LL) on their construction projects.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts a case study methodology.
Findings
The exploitation of LL to improve performance on future projects is highly desirable for many construction organisations. The vision of an organisation that can readily recall what went well on a project and attempt to recreate those successes, as well as avoiding the repetition of past mistakes offers commercial sense.
Originality/value
The paper provides a number of recommendations for UK companies regarding how the process may be improved in terms of encouraging LL to occur, the timing of LL sessions, identifying participants, the format for documenting LL and how these should be disseminated.
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Herbert S. Robinson, Chimay J. Anumba, Patricia M. Carrillo and Ahmed M. Al‐Ghassani
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…
Abstract
Purpose
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 aims to present and discuss the findings of a survey based on the practical experiences of leading UK construction engineering organisations.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on a questionnaire survey, the findings of which are discussed and analysed. The survey focused on establishing current industry practice and forms part of a larger study, which involved detailed case studies and led to the development of an innovative framework for links knowledge management initiatives with business performance measurement.
Findings
The survey shows that 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/or the balanced scorecard to facilitate a structured approach to implementing continuous improvement strategies. The paper identifies the barriers to the use of performance measurement models and discusses the differences between the practices in smaller and larger construction engineering firms.
Originality/value
The paper concludes with some practical considerations for implementing performance measurement models, which will be of value to business improvement managers and other senior managers in construction and other project‐based industries.
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H.S. Robinson, P.M. Carrillo, C.J. Anumba and A.M. A‐Ghassani
Performance management is a key issue in the construction industry as a result of complex internal and external factors. Large construction organizations are implementing…
Abstract
Performance management is a key issue in the construction industry as a result of complex internal and external factors. Large construction organizations 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 organizations. First, 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. Second, using case studies of large construction engineering organizations, 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 organizations, 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 longterm business objectives, and more construction organizations will adopt such innovative tools to facilitate continuous improvement, as the business benefits become clear.
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Udityasinh Gohil, Patricia Carrillo, Kirti Ruikar and Chimay Anumba
This paper seeks to propose a conceptual framework to promote value‐enhanced collaborative working (VECW) for a small management advisory firm.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to propose a conceptual framework to promote value‐enhanced collaborative working (VECW) for a small management advisory firm.
Design/methodology/approach
The research methodology was qualitative. It involved a comprehensive review of literature leading to a better understanding of collaborative working requirements in a small firm context and the barriers to derive value from collaborative working. Initially, exploratory observations helped to identify issues of collaborative working in the case study organisation. Following the exploratory observations, a detailed case study was undertaken. The emphasis was on semi‐structured interviews under a guiding questionnaire along with field observations to produce a conceptual framework for VECW.
Findings
The research enables an understanding of the apparent failure of a particular small and medium‐sized enterprise (SME) management advisory firm (case study organisation) to derive value from its collaborative working model. The study identifies major issues that affect the long‐term relationships of the organisation with their collaborating stakeholders and recognises the common understanding required by the stakeholders working in collaboration. Further, in order to solve these issues, the research develops a conceptual VECW framework within the current context. The major components of the conceptual VECW framework consist of process, people and tools factors to give a structured approach to agree common goals, share risks and rewards, provide faster and clearer communications and information transparency between collaborating stakeholders.
Research limitations/implications
Owing to the nature of the study (case study), current paper is based on the findings of a single SME management advisory firm. Hence, further research for organisations of similar size and providing similar services would be required to investigate the robustness of the approach.
Originality/value
Most studies on collaboration are concentrated on either larger organisations or product organisations. Here, the attempt is to understand the collaboration among small firms providing professional services. The research paper is an important milestone on an ongoing research to produce a detailed framework eventually to be presented to the industry for evaluation to ensure its contribution to the industry as well as increasing the knowledge on the subject.
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Hongmei Yang, Chimay J. Anumba, John M. Kamara and Patricia Carrillo
Describes a study that exploits the potential of fuzzy systems in construction through the development of a decision support system which is capable of handling fuzziness in the…
Abstract
Describes a study that exploits the potential of fuzzy systems in construction through the development of a decision support system which is capable of handling fuzziness in the collaborative decision‐making process. The proposed system is intended to provide an objective and rational framework within which collaborative decisions can be made by virtual construction project teams. Given the often linguistic nature of the weightings ascribed by individual disciplines to decision criteria, the proposed system will utilise fuzzy systems theory to rank criteria and recommend an optimal decision alternative. Presents an example to illustrate how the proposed tool works.