Aki Pekuri

The characteristics of and cornerstones for creating integrated teams

Purpose – Defective stakeholder management has frequently resulted in conflicts and partial failures. Integrated project delivery (IPD) and team integration provides opportunities for organizations to achieve more than they could on their own. The purpose of this study is to analyze the level and challenges of team integration. In addition, study tries to recognize the cornerstones for creating integrated teams in construction projects.Design/methodology/approach – This paper discusses the characteristics and level of team integration in a construction project, but the main purpose is to derive the cornerstones for creating integrated teams. Results are derived from the analysis of current literature and an empirical case study.Findings – This paper describes the 12 characteristics of an integrated project team. In addition, the cornerstones for creating integrated teams were recognized as the early involvement and assessment of stakeholders, continuous communication and interaction, cultural change, and ...

Managing value creation: the business model approach in construction

In tendering competitions, construction companies are forced to offer equal value. Low costs and operational flexibility are thus more important factors in competition than the ability to satisfy customer needs - a basis for value-based competition. The aim of this research is to illustrate how the business model approach can be used in analysing and managing value creation of a construction company. A business model framework is presented and its use is illustrated with three cases from the Finnish construction industry. Cases highlight the importance of analysing and aligning the different elements of business models relative to each other. The framework provides a systematic way to analyse organisations value creation logic and a tool to communicate that logic to anyone. Thus, it supplements the other prevailing approaches that aim to improve the value-creation capability of construction companies.

Business models and project selection in construction companies

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate project selection in the context of business management with the specific aim of understanding the role of business models in project selection. The logic followed for making decisions and selecting projects significantly influences construction companies’ success. Design/methodology/approach – The research objective is pursued by conducting a multiple-case study. Managers acting in key decision-making roles from eight construction companies are interviewed. A conceptual framework is developed for analysing the interview data and the prevailing project selection practices in construction. Findings – The findings suggest that project selection is not guided by any specific business model, but that the decision-making process is dominated more by short-term factors such as need of work and profitability. Thus, estimation know-how largely determines the kind of projects companies are willing to consider, regardless of their competence to deliver them. Res...