Adekunle Sabitu Oyegoke

Construction project procurement routes: an in‐depth critique

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine different categories of building project procurement routes based on organisational, contractual, financial and technical issues.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on review of literature and conditions of contracts. The UK construction industry serves as a general frame of reference. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors survey of Contracts in Use from 1985 to 2004 is used to probe the share and value of contracts along different procurement routes and across different conditions of contracts in the UK. The logic is that the value and the share of contracts will indicate the behaviour of different procurement routes in the UK construction market while the in‐depth analysis of conditions of contracts will show the gaps and relationships between the general definition/categorisation and contractual context (conditions of contracts) of each of the procurement routes.Findings – The preliminary result of the analysis shows that traditional...

The constructive research approach in project management research

Purpose – Project management (PM) is a diverse discipline which covers the study of management practices. Different research approaches have been used in the study of PM but not much emphasis has been given to the constructive approach which is implicitly applied in most cases through managerial constructions. The purpose of this paper is to support the application of the constructive research approach to the construction PM discipline. It is also aimed at showing the rigour of the constructive research approach that satisfies the requirements of applied studies research.Design/methodology/approach – The study is carried out via extensive literature review and a demonstrative example of the development of the Specialist Task Organisation procurement approach through the six stages of the constructive research approach.Findings – The paper shows the applicability of the constructive research approach to construction and PM. The paper also highlights some criticisms that the constructive approach has not be...

Development of a sustainable business model for a third sector organisation in achieving business excellence

With increase in environmental concerns during the past few years, green supply chain management (GSCM) has become a popular topic in modern business management. A situation-actors-process (SAP)-learning-action-performance (LAP) model has been applied to understand and analyse the concept of implementation of GSCM practices. The paper analyses a case study of ABC Ltd., a leading auto ancillary company in India, to throw light on the status of implementation of GSCM practices. Actors are the participants, influencing the situation to evolve different business processes. Based on SAP, various learning issues have been analysed which lead to suitable action followed by impact on the performance of the green supply chain of the organisation. A SAP-LAP model has been applied to understand and analyse the concept of implementation of GSCM. GSCM practices will help organisations to achieve economic and social performances in the supply chain. This paper may help GSCM practitioners or managers to focus their future efforts in implementation of GSCM.

The myth behind integration in the UK construction industry

The overall aim of this study is to ascertain the structure of the UK construction industry, especially the level and form of integration in the UK construction industry. This study utilises theoretical analysis of the concepts and measures of fragmentation, social and economic notions of integration, and trending analysis of the UK construction statistics data which is used to positively correlate the distribution of different sizes of firms, different type of trades and their value of work done between 1995 to 2005 to determine the structure of the industry. The result indicates that: the UK construction industry is not economically integrated because, a) the number and value of work done by the specialist trade firms is increasing in higher proportion than the main trade; b) the strong performance of the medium size firms (MSFs) category support the fact that the industry utilises social integrative devices, for example, collaborative arrangement, framework arrangement, partnering, etc. instead of actual integration (economic) process. The study can serve as learning opportunity for the construction stakeholders by placing stronger emphasise on management system rather than point of performance responsibility.

Development of a framework for the implementation of green public procurement in Nigeria

In many developed economies, green public procurement (GPP) often features as part of the procurement process, enabling public authorities to give considerations to environmental and related sustainable issues. In developing countries, green public procurement is emerging. This study which is focused on the development of a framework for the implementation of GPP in Nigeria aims to contribute to emerging knowledge discussions on GPP in developing countries. The study which is based on a comprehensive review of existing literature on green public procurement and semi-structured interviews with key informants, proposes a framework that highlights essential prerequisites for developing GPP in Nigeria. Using Nigeria as a platform, the study also seeks to provide practical guidance for policy makers in the developing world on the implementation of GPP and advances the debate on key factors necessary for GPP development and implementation in related jurisdictions.

Service planning and delivery outcomes of home adaptations for ageing in the UK

In response to the impact of demographic change on the healthcare system, ‘ageing in place’ was introduced as a national policy to support elderly people living independently in their homes. Housing adaptation is essential for successful independent living and has been given increased political priority. However, adaptation policies and practice vary regionally, reflecting statutory limits, policy choices and local planning. This study investigated the current status of adaptation provision in different regions in the UK and assessed the effectiveness of local service planning and management. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory research strategy was employed. In the first quantitative phase, a questionnaire survey was carried out involving all 378 local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales. This was followed by a second qualitative phase involving individual interviews with five professionals and two clients and a focus group meeting with six key stakeholders. The study found that the current number of adaptations was relatively small compared with potential demands in most local areas, as was funding for adaptations. On the operational side, the adaptation process was fragmented, involving different service groups in many local authorities. There were disconnections between these groups, which often caused inefficiencies and poor effectiveness. Moving forward, local authorities need to have a clear vision of the overall need for adaptations and allocate sufficient resources. Practical guidelines are also needed for better integrated working and performance management.

The significance of small contracts in construction business environment: a review of case laws

A construction project is a complex process that involves many stakeholders, long project durations and complex contractual relationships. The aim of this paper is to examine the principle of two-contract in construction projects in order to understand the significance of small contracts in achieving business excellence. The study is carried out via a literature review and utilises case law examples from different countries to illustrate what constitute small contracts in construction projects. The case law examples show that there is an implied contractual relationship between the client and tenderers in tendering stage which satisfied the contractual principles of offer and acceptance, consideration and falls within common law jurisdictions. The implied contract enables review process and gives rise to contractual obligations apart from the obligations associated with the construction contract. The paper will enable project stakeholders to be more transparent in construction business. Most importantly, enable supply chain members to know their legal and contractual rights in tendering stage.

Transformation in the organisation and management of traditional contracting system in the UK

This paper examines transformational changes in the UK traditional contracting systems based on its organisation and management. The paper is based on a literature review, two case studies of local authority projects, statistical analysis, and extensive interview of a contractors top management team. The findings indicate a shift in the traditional contractors contractual role from active participation in construction activities to a mere management role. This is due to the allocation of responsibilities as well as the transfer of financial and technical risks to subcontractors. Secondly, the findings show organisational similarities between traditional and management contracting systems which are an indicative explanation as to why management contracts are diminishing in UK practice. Thirdly, the structure of the industry supports these forms of transformation and the present economic climate will exacerbate the trend. The study can serve as a learning opportunity on the importance of management systems over point of responsibilities as well as promoting innovative systems of contracting.

Transparency in public procurement: a study of the European Union Directive for public works, supply and services contracts

Corruption in construction contracts is becoming widespread due to lack of transparency in procurement and project delivery process. The aim of this paper is to examine the level of transparency in the EU directives for public works contracts 2004/18/EC. The study is carried out through a literature review, a content analysis of the Directive 2004/18/EC and a few case laws from European Court of Justice (ECJ). The types of enforcements allowed for by the Directive and those used by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) are also examined. The paper concludes that there are a number of articles that encourage transparency and those that impede transparency through legal restrictions/exclusions. The directive addressed the procurement procedure superficially which leads to a raft of problems in implementation stage. The research is limited to Directive 2004/18/EC. The paper will increase client’s awareness on transparency and some problems associated with implementation stage through case laws.

Impact of innovative procurement on agility within the construction industry

The overall aim of the study is to examine the problems associated with the prevalent procurement routes, subsequent changes in supply chain management and introduction of alternative procurement routes which are innovative and agile in their nature. The trend in the UK seems to favour an integrated supply chain from the outset of a project, resulting into a transition from rigidity to agility within the development process. Clients role within the whole process is quite crucial and this paper shows the practical contribution of public sector clients in initiating as well as implementing innovative procurement routes that integrates the supply chain. The study is conducted via extensive literature review covering policy documents and a case study. The paper presents the techniques used by the public clients such as aggregation of demand to get aggregated supply result in agility and integration among supply chain participants and subcontractors along side the main contractors. The paper concludes that innovative procurement and supply chain integration have contributed towards agility of the involved participants within the construction industry in the detailed mentioned case study. The study can be beneficial to all the stakeholders especially the client in managing supply chain.