John A. Kuprenas

Implementation and performance of a matrix organization structure

Abstract This paper presents a case study in the implementation and use of a matrix organization. This paper describes the matrix organization installed at the City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Engineering. The work explains how the need for a matrix structure was identified, reviews the creation of the matrix, describes the problems associated with the implementation of the new structure, and evaluates the effectiveness of the project management process within the matrix organization. The study finds that although implementation problems have occurred, the performance of the organization while operating under a matrix structure has improved with respect to project delivery.

Project Manager Workload—Assessment of Values and Influences

This work presents the results of a data-gathering survey of civil engineering design and construction firms to determine the number of projects that are assigned to project managers and to identify the factors that are used to determine a managers workload. Analysis shows that most often a project manager is responsible for between 1–9 projects with the experience of the manager being the single most important influence in a firms determination of workload. The management approach to the project, the complexity of the work, and the timing of the project are also found to be key influences. Recommendations summarize the survey findings and outline possible future research on the topic.

Interface Considerations on Multiple Prime Contractor Construction Projects

Most building construction programs involve a single prime construction contractor who subcontracts the specialty construction work. Sometimes for financial, schedule, or jobsite control reasons, an owner will choose not to use a single prime contractor and instead enter into multiple construction contracts directly with traditional trade subcontractors. Unless carefully pre-planned and executed, construction delivery using multiple prime contractors can result in project budget and schedule overruns because of questions of responsibilities for contractors and disagreements as to included scopes of work. This paper outlines by type of work, specific items that should be considered by an owner, construction manager, and/or designer when establishing the scopes for the various trade contracts on a multiple prime contractor project. INTRODUCTION Most building construction projects involve a single prime construction contractor who subcontracts the specialty construction work for the owner. Sometimes an owner will choose not to use a single prime contractor and instead will enter into multiple contracts directly with subcontractors, for works such as concrete, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC), and electrical . Hence, this multiple prime contractor system is also referred to as trade contracting Under a multiple prime contractor system, the responsibility for defining and coordinating the scope of each prime contract falls upon the owner. The owner may save money without a 1 Senior Project Manager, Vanir Construction Management, 3435 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90014; (213) 485-2443, Research Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engrg., Univ. of Southern Calif., Los Angeles, CA 90089-2531, kuprenas@mizar.use.edu 2 Construction Manager, Vanir Construction Management, 980 Ninth St., Suite 900, Sacramento, CA 95814-4503

SSPE: A Tool for Scraper Selection and Production

This work introduces a knowledge based expert system (KBES) for Scraper Selection and Production Estimation called SSPE. The new SSPE expert system assists estimators and construction field personnel in the construction jobsite planning effort by identifying the type of scraper and expected production given an estimated quantity of excavation to be completed (SSPE is written to define excavation as top soil removal). This new KBES will assist users in identifying critical project factors which influence production and selection of equipment, will standardize the calculation process from one project to another, will save money in creating a best initial plan for a project, and save in direct estimating and planning calculation time. The work reviews current equipment selection and/or production knowledge based systems, describes the SSPE structure, explains the SSPE rules, and critiques the program and provides suggested areas for future enhancement efforts.

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT COST PERFORMANCE PREDICTION BASED ON PROJECT BID CHARACTERISTICS

This paper presents the results of a series of regression analyses of a data set of two dozen completed public sector projects procured using the traditional public contracting code low bid process. All projects are from the same multi-billion dollar school construction program and have been completed in the last two years. The work correlates construction cost performance measured through change orders (as a percentage of bid value) against the bid characteristics of the same project, measured as: (1) Bid (as a % of Bid Budget), (2) Number of bidders, (3) Bid Date, (4) Date since last bid, (5) Bid Cost per Square Foot, (6) Bid Amount (

COST ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY FOR ADVANCED TREATMENT OF STORMWATER: THE LOS ANGELES CASE

). Based on the results of these analyses, conclusions to the paper suggest project success factors / guidelines for future bids within this program in order to improve bid / construction cost performance. The paper also includes suggestions for future research, particularly in the areas of follow up work as additional data becomes available and expansion of this research to include construction schedule and quality performance measures.

Personalities of Construction Project Managers: A Link to High Performance Teams

Cities in the United States can expect to be affected by proposed stringent stormwater treatment plans and standards set to be triggered by existing Federal policy-making requirements. In Los Angeles, these standards require three levels of treatment of all stormwater before it is discharged into a public body of water. This work presents a methodology for conceptual cost budgeting for these new required treatments, and describes methodologies and cost modeling tools needed for assessment of city and regional economic impacts associated with construction and operation of these plants. The research is case-study-based, and presents nine different cost analysis scenarios based on different strategies for determination of rainfall, locations of plants, and size of plants. The cost and size of the new collection and treatment facilities increases substantially if they are designed to accommodate a larger share of expected annual rain events. It will cost about six times more to build a system that can treat storm flows from 97% of the regions annual average storm days than it would to build to a 70% standard. This additional cost achieves about nine additional days of storm flow coverage. In addition, if stormwater treatment facilities are financed locally and constructed over a twenty-year period, most communities in the greater Los Angeles area would experience very significant employment and net economic losses.

The Costs of Stormwater Protection

This work presents a comparison of the results of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality tests between public sector and private sector, older (age 40 and older) and younger (less than 40), and civil engineer and project manager respondents. The MBTI test identifies prominent personality types with respect to interaction preference (extraversion or introversion), information-gathering preference (sensing or intuition), decision making preference (thinking or feeling), and structure preference (judging or perceiving). The four scales can also be combined to create a personality type categorization. The paper explains the MBTI testing process used and examines the three groups preferences across all four measures and the combined indicator and attempts to identify reasons for similarities and differences. The MBTI personality test results are then examined with respect to creating high performance teams. The idea that a variety of personality preferences are needed within a single team in order to fully develop, synthesize, implement, and advance project ideas is proposed. Personality type combinations of high performance teams are suggested and discussed. Conclusions summarize the MBTI findings and suggest further research to validate the studys findings.

A System to Control Civil Engineering Design

This study is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the potential costs required to meet new and emerging stormwater regulations in the Los Angeles area. It confirms that advanced treatment of storm flows will likely be required to meet current and anticipated federal and state water quality standards. Such treatment will be extremely costly and will generate significantly negative economic consequences for our region. The principal case study, which contemplates 65 treatment plants to accommodate regional stormwater requirements, shows that:

A Quality Management Case Study: Defects in Spacecraft Electronics Components

This paper introduces the City of Los Angeles new microcomputer based tool (called Project Management Control System - PMCS), which is currently used to integrate the planning, scheduling, and costing of the design of over one hundred civil and architectural design projects annually. The paper explains the reasons for the development of the new tool, details the establishment of baseline budget and schedule values for individual project elements, explains how actual costs and completion percentages for each element are assessed, demonstrates how budget and schedule performance are calculated by the system, and provides example reports supplied to managers at all levels of the Bureau.