Hemanta Doloi

Relational partnerships: the importance of communication, trust and confidence and joint risk management in achieving project success

The advantages of relational partnerships as an alternative project delivery mechanism to the traditional methods have yet to be realized by the wider construction industry. In relational partnerships, all parties work together as a cohesive team to achieve an agreed outcome. However, an accurate estimation of the underlying factors associated with the relationships of these parties and assessment of their impacts on partnering success are difficult to achieve. By identifying three major factors, communication, trust and confidence and joint risk management, this research unfolded the relational links between these factors and analysed the impacts in the context of the relational partnering success. Based on a questionnaire survey and the structural equation modelling technique, results identified communication as the single most influencing factor impacting on relational partnering success. While trust and confidence were found to be mutually inclusive for effective communication, it was found to have direct influence on developing capability for joint risk management within the partnering organizations. This finding diverges from the widely accepted view across the Australian construction industry that partnering is built on trust and confidence only and any risks associated in projects are best dealt with by means of joint responsibility without any problems.

Analysis of pre‐qualification criteria in contractor selection and their impacts on project success

While construction industry practices are reasonably well developed, construction projects still witness widespread failures of many contractors due to varied reasons such as financial problems, poor management, over‐commitment and or conflicts and disputes associated with construction activities. Pre‐qualification of contractors is a common practice across projects, yet the investigation on the ability of the selected contractors in successful delivery of projects is not widespread. In an attempt to understand these pre‐emptive qualification criteria and their links in contractors’ performance in projects, a total of 43 influencing technical attributes were identified through a systematic research approach. The relative significance and impacts of the attributes have been determined based on a structured questionnaire survey in selected construction projects. By performing the factor analysis, a total of seven factors significant to contractors’ performance were extracted, namely (1) soundness of business and workforce; (2) planning and control; (3) quality management; (4) past performance; (5) risk management; (6) organizational capability; and (7) commitment and dedication. Multiple linear regression models reveal that technical expertise, past success, time in business, work methods and working capital significantly impact on contractors’ performance across time, cost and quality success. With a clear understanding of a contractor’s performance, these findings could potentially contribute to development of a company’s procedures or enhance existing knowledge in relation to the pre‐qualification practices in contractor selection in projects.

Relationship-based determinants of building project performance in China

The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship‐based factors that affect performance of general building projects in China. Eight performance metrics that may be used to measure the success level of construction projects are defined and categorized into two groups namely ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ performance. Eight indicators of risks inherent in relationships and seven indicators of tools expected to facilitate relationship building that may affect project success are identified. Data of different projects were collected in China via a self‐administered postal survey. By using structural equation modelling techniques, a structural model is developed to help explain the relationship among different variables. It has been found that relational risk has negative influence on project performance. It is recommended that firms in the Chinese construction industry manage the relationship‐based factors that are significant in the model so as to achieve project success.

Structural equation model for investigating factors affecting delay in Indian construction projects

The rapid growth of the Indian construction sector over the last few decades and recurring failure in on-time delivery highlight the need for a systematic analysis of the factors influencing delay. A theoretical structural equation model representing the influence of four key latent variables on project delays in the Indian construction industry has been developed. Data collected from a questionnaire survey and personal interviews, with 77 valid responses from clients, contractors and designers or architects, were used to further formulate and analyse the model. The results of the structural equation model suggest that client’s influence is one of the most significant factors affecting time performance on Indian projects. Client’s influence is also found to be one of the key contributing factors resulting in lack of commitment and contractor’s inefficiency in the project. Lack of efficient construction planning plays the second key role in adverse time performance. While the effect of lack of commitment on contractor’s inefficiency is highly significant, neither of these two factors has any direct impact on time delay in projects. Contrary to the notion that the contractor is the only party responsible for delay in construction projects, the results clearly highlight the importance of the role of clients and technical expertise in planning in achieving satisfactory time performance on Indian projects. It is hoped that these research findings will contribute significantly to the Indian construction industry’s efforts in addressing the root causes of delay and enhancing the time performance on projects.

Empirical Analysis of Traditional Contracting and Relationship Agreements for Procuring Partners in Construction Projects

AbstractAlthough traditional contracting is a primary method of procuring partners in delivering major construction projects, the relative benefits of relational agreements and its link to successful project delivery remain unclear among the construction professionals. Focusing on the Australian construction industry, the research aims to investigate the underlying attributes and factors critical to the success of relationship agreements in relation to traditional practices. On the basis of the results of a pilot study, a questionnaire was distributed to more than 150 participants from 43 selected projects managed by relationship agreements and traditional procurement practices. The rationales of selecting relationship agreements over traditional contracting methods were highlighted by standard statistical analysis. The findings revealed cost efficiency, trust, and communication as the key common drivers for successful outcomes in both relationship agreements and traditional contracting methods. However, ...

Toward a Dynamic Simulation Model for Strategic Decision-Making in Life-Cycle Project Management

This paper argues that process simulation technology is an added facility in the quest for optimizing project decisions based on market and external uncertainties associated with the projects environment. The authors put forward a dynamic simulation modeling system (DSMS) as a tool for proactive and optimal decision-making in the project life cycle. DSMS is geared toward representing generic processes with a hierarchical and modular model structure. DSMS facilitates the optimization of technical and operational functionality during development and operation phases of projects. Project life-cycle objective functions are the basis for decision-making throughout the projects life. The paper reviews the limitations of the current systems’ ranges and capabilities. A review of the existing simulation techniques leads to a discussion on the need for setting up an integrated model to encompass the entire project life cycle. Details of the system are described, and a case study is used to demonstrate its capabilities.

Analysing the novated design and construct contract from the client's, design team's and contractor's perspectives

The novated design and construct (ND&C) contract is one of the increasingly preferred options among developers of large commercial and residential projects across Australia. As a consequence of novation, the design teams obligation to the client gets transferred to the contractor who becomes responsible for carrying out the detailed design work at a later stage of project life cycle. Subsequently, there are some inherent factors that can depict the effectiveness of how all parties in the process interact leading to a successful delivery of project through ND&C contracts. A common set of 31 influencing attributes have been identified through a systematic research approach and their relative significance and impacts have been determined based on a structured questionnaire survey in selected construction projects. By performing the factor analysis, a total of eight factors significant to ND&C contracts were extracted, namely (1) impact of initial design; (2) clients involvements in post novation design; (3) selection of design team; (4) contractors obligation; (5) morale in post novation; (6) experience of design team; (7) relationship between contractor and design team; and (8) expertise of DT in ND&C projects. With a clear understanding of the roles of clients, design team and the contractors, these findings could potentially contribute to develop a companys procedures or enhance existing knowledge in relation to the ND&C procurement approach.

Understanding impacts of time and cost related construction risks on operational performance of PPP projects

The risk attributes in construction project is one of the widely published topics, yet there is no or little investigation whether or not risks associated with construction phase propagate over operational phase. As operation phase of the PPP projects is significantly long compared to the construction phase, understanding the impact of time and cost related construction risks over operation phase is quite important. In this research, risk attributes associated with the PPP procurement method have been identified across three dimensions, time , cost and operational performance. A questionnaire survey was used for collecting data in seven major PPP projects in Australia. Based on standard statistical methods and factor analysis, a number of key risk factors influencing time, cost and operational performance have been extracted. The research revealed that site conditions and design complexity is one of the most critical risk attribute influencing time performance in projects. Similarly, market dynamics is the most critical attribute influencing both construction cost and operational performance in PPP projects. Based on regression modeling, partners dispute was found to be a good determinant of time and cost performance. Technical obsolescence has significant impacts on the operational performance of PPP projects. It was revealed that the design complexity, financial structure and government policy are the three main common factors affecting risks across time, cost and operational performance in PPP projects. It is anticipated that the findings will impact the construction firms for improving the front-end risk management capability for efficient positioning within the competitive business environment.

Twinning Motivation, Productivity and Management Strategy in Construction Projects

Abstract: This article presents the findings of a questionnaire survey conducted on the motivational factors affecting workers productivity in Australian construction industries. A framework has been developed by establishing a benchmark of the critical motivational attributes found in current management practices. The framework facilitates devising appropriate schemes by incorporating socio-economic motivational factors in overall decision-making processes. A total of 25 influencing parameters have been identified to study the relationships and impacts of worker motivation in selected construction projects. Based on the users preferences and knowledge base from past projects, a ranking of these attributes has been established in the order of relative importance in motivating workers to optimum productivity. Statistical analysis such as factor analysis has been performed on these motivational project attributes and four major factors have been extracted. Further analysis indicates that the most critical motivational factor associated with worker productivity is the basic work environment and employment contract, which comprises 12 major subfactors.

Assessment of social sustainability in construction projects using social network analysis

Purpose – This paper aims to propose a framework that puts the stakeholders at the forefront of achieving sustainability in the social context. This research, thus, argues that the social sustainability outcomes in construction are best achieved by taking into account the satisfactions of the stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach – Based on sustainability and equity theories, a dynamic assessment model has been developed to evaluate the contributions of projects in a social context. Multiple stakeholders and their differing interests associated with the construction projects have been integrated using social network analysis. The mapping of the relationships between the project stakeholders, with respect to their relative stakes and seven social core functions, have been integrated in the assessment model. Findings – The findings of this research suggest that the degree of satisfying the needs of diverse stakeholders is highly significant in achieving social sustainability performance of projects. Usi...