Classifying and clustering construction projects by customer satisfaction

Facilities ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 387-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sami Kärnä ◽  
Veli‐Matti Sorvala ◽  
Juha‐Matti Junnonen
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Service Management ◽  
Service Industry ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stage Of Development

PurposeConstruction is often a long‐term project described as a dynamic and complex entity. This is one of the factors making the assessment of construction quality so difficult. The actors in the field of construction need versatile and systematic data about the quality of the construction process and the building in order to be able to operate in a customer‐oriented manner and develop their own operations. The purpose of this paper is to examine the typical factors in a construction project as regards customer satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThe cluster analysis differentiating between projects in this paper is conducted with a total of 831 construction projects.FindingsThe paper reveals seven similar but nevertheless different clusters. What the best clusters as regards customer satisfaction has in common is that the management's professional skills and the cooperation methods are successful when compared to other areas of the cluster. Additionally, good cooperation methods predict good level of customer satisfaction. In all clusters, handover inspections has the lowest level of success. When examining various, good and poor projects, it may be stated that the same factors were successful in all of the projects.Originality/valueImproving the quality of construction projects from the customer's perspective has gained growing interest also in construction industry. Indeed, information about the project's success factors from the customer's perspective is needed in the construction business. Owing to the complex nature of construction and the special characteristics of project production, construction has had several problems in producing quality in a customer‐oriented manner. This paper describes, the success factors from the viewpoint of customer satisfaction. Construction has become a service industry adopting methods from the field of service management but the use of “soft” measurement tools, such as customer satisfaction, is still at an early stage of development.

Impact of familiar collaboration on construction project quality: perceptions from clients and contractors in Singapore's construction industry

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shang Gao ◽  
Sui Pheng Low ◽  
Sarah Xin Xuan Lee
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Value For Money ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quality Perceptions ◽  
Adverse Impacts ◽  
Long Duration

PurposeDue to the fragmented and complex nature of the construction industry, many countries, including Singapore, have progressively encouraged greater collaboration amongst major stakeholders in the industry. It is hoped that doing so will result in an increase in the quality of construction projects. Given the long duration of typical construction projects, it is plausible for collaborating parties to develop close and personal relationships. In recent years, corruption cases arising from familiar collaboration have caught the public's attention. This study seeks to better understand familiar collaboration and its adverse impacts on the quality of construction projects.Design/methodology/approachA mixed research method was adopted, with a questionnaire survey distributed to 32 respondents representing client and contractors. This was followed by interviews to validate the survey findings.FindingsThe findings suggest that, when there is a lack of surveillance, familiar collaboration is likely to lead to favouritism and dishonesty, which can have an adverse impact on the quality of construction projects. The findings additionally suggest that value for money, conformance to specifications and fitness for purpose are the main aspects of quality that are likely to be adversely affected by corrupt practices bought about by familiar collaboration.Originality/valueIn this paper, these relationships are described using the term familiar collaboration. Strong and intimate relationships of this type may lead to a danger of parties committing corrupt practices. This study is one of the very attempts seek to better understand familiar collaboration and its adverse impacts on the quality of construction projects.

Quality of life in breast cancer sufferers

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 721-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Essmat Shouman ◽  
Nahla Fawzy Abou El Ezz ◽  
Nivine Gado ◽  
Amal Mahmoud Ibrahim Goda
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Functional Domain ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Specific Patient ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to measure health-related quality of life (QOL) among patients with early stage cancer breast under curative treatment at department of oncology and nuclear medicine at Ain Shams University Hospitals. Identify factors affecting QOL among these patients. Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional study measured QOL among early stage female breast cancer (BC) patients and determined the main factors affecting their QOL. Three interviewer administered questionnaires were used. Findings – The physical domain mostly affected in BC patients and the functional domain least. Socio-demographic factors that significantly affected BC patients QOL scores were patient age, education, having children and family income. Specific patient characteristics include caregiver presence – a factor that affected different QOL scores. Age at diagnosis, affection in the side of the predominant hand, post-operative chemotherapy and difficulty in obtaining the medication were the disease-related factors that affected QOL scores. Originality/value – The final model predicting QOL for early stage female BC patients included age, education and difficulty in obtaining the medication as determinants for total QOL score. Carer presence was the specific patient characteristic that affected different QOL scores.

Innovation of SME service industry in Indonesia in improving customer satisfaction

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lim Sanny ◽  
Verencia Angelina ◽  
Bernando Budi Christian
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Quality Function Deployment ◽  
Service Industry ◽  
Air Conditioner ◽  
Sound System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Option ◽  
Technical Requirements ◽  
Research Company

Purpose Small-medium enterprise (SME) service industry is an industry that continues to experience growth in developed and developing countries, including Indonesia. SME service industry that engaged in the service industry, namely, rental for generator set, air conditioner and sound system. In recent years, this SME has been experienced in declining in sales and getting some complaints from their customers. Many studies suggest that service quality and customer satisfaction are the key factors in the service industry. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the quality of service based on the customer’s perspective. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected using a combination of literature review, interview, brainstorming and questionnaires and analyzed by using importance-performance analysis (IPA) and quality function deployment (QFD) model. Findings This research resulted in nine technical requirements that allow the company to focus on these attributes to help the company enhance its customer satisfaction. Practical implications Based on the theory, applying service quality, IPA and also QFD will result in customer satisfaction. Practically the enhancement in customer satisfaction is not as easy as expected. Nowadays, customers always expect more and more and it is impossible to fully captured customers’ needs and always satisfy customers. Nevertheless, for this research company can understand their customers better, companies can evaluate their performances based on the customers’ perspective and know their customers’ needs. The company also know their strengths and weaknesses to allocate the resources and maximize their potential. Last but not least, the company is able to know their strategic priority that needs to be done for their better performance in the future to fulfill their customers’ needs and hope to enhance their customer satisfaction Originality/value A lot of research about customer satisfaction but still limited especially in the service industry in Indonesia using a combination of IPA and QFD model. So this research will give benefit for SMEs in Indonesia to allocate their resources more effectively by looking at the results of the four quadrants of IPA and house of quality (HOQ) framework can be used for a company as the references for their priority strategic option. Yet, to keep improving, the company recommended reviewing HOQ periodically.

scholarly journals Toward a public service management: past, present, and future directions

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 998-1023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian R. Hodgkinson ◽  
Claire Hannibal ◽  
Byron W. Keating ◽  
Rosamund Chester Buxton ◽  
Nicola Bateman
Keyword(s):  
Public Service ◽  
Service Management ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Management Research ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public

Purpose In providing a fine-grained analysis of public service management, the purpose of this paper is to make an important contribution to furthering research in service management, a body of literature that has tended to regard public services as homogenous or to neglect the context altogether. Design/methodology/approach Integrating public management and service management literatures, the past and present of public service management are discussed. Future directions for the field are outlined drawing on a service-dominant approach that has the potential to transform public services. Invited commentaries augment the review. Findings The review presents the Public Service Network Framework to capture the public value network in its abstraction and conceptualizes how value is created in public services. The study identifies current shortcomings in the field and offers a series of directions for future research where service management theory can contribute greatly. Research limitations/implications The review encourages service management research to examine the dynamic, diverse, and complex nature of public services and to recognize the importance of this context. The review calls for an interdisciplinary public service management community to develop, and to assist public managers in leveraging service logic. Originality/value The review positions service research in the public sector, makes explicit the role of complex networks in value creation, argues for wider engagement with public service management, and offers future research directions to advance public service management research.

An Automated Progress Tracking System for Industrial Facility Construction Projects

2013 ◽  
Vol 671-674 ◽  
pp. 2973-2977
Author(s):  
Jaeh Yun Choi ◽  
Kyu Sung Lee
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Tracking System ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Industrial Plant ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Facility Construction

As amount of information in construction industry is growing, the role of information system in project management is becoming increasingly important. With the emerging IT application to the advancing construction industry, construction project management system with advanced technology has been progressed vigorously to improve construction productivity and management efficiency. Recently, a web-based Project Management Information System (PMIS) is developed to support decision-making process by efficiently managing project related information generated from various discipline. Many firms are in the process of developing the PMIS system or already have been applied the system to various projects. However, PMIS is still in its early stage of development to be applied at industrial plant construction projects. With the complexity of the industrial plant projects, the industry practitioners need to be able to visualize the construction schedule information to manage the project efficiently. This study suggests methodologies for improving PMIS specialized for industrial plant piping construction projects to estimate the baseline schedule and performance measurement more accurately by developing a framework for the piping construction projects. By using this developed system, the researchers expect that piping construction projects will be more efficiently managed on a real-time basis through measuring progress of piping at each and every state of progress milestone and provide management with opportunities to forecast the level of efforts required to execute the remaining work scope in a timely manner.

scholarly journals The Effects of Networked Professional Learning Communities

2018 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 441-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rilana Prenger ◽  
Cindy L. Poortman ◽  
Adam Handelzalts
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Collaboration ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Perceived Satisfaction ◽  
Teacher Professional

Teacher professional learning is considered crucial for improving the quality of education. Teacher collaboration in professional learning communities can contribute to the effectiveness of professional development efforts. In the past decade, there has been a shift from within-school to between-school professional learning communities. However, results regarding their effectiveness have been inconsistent. In this study, we examine the effects of 23 networked professional learning communities in the Dutch context, using a mixed-methods approach. Results showed moderately positive effects on teachers’ perceived satisfaction; the knowledge, skills, and attitude developed; and their application to practice. Considering the early stage of development of these professional learning communities, teachers’ participation in networked professional learning communities seems promising for enhancing their professional learning.

Design of experiments in the service industry: results from a global survey and directions for further research

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiju Antony ◽  
Elisabeth Viles ◽  
Alexandre Fonseca Torres ◽  
Marcelo Machado Fernandes ◽  
Elizabeth A. Cudney
Keyword(s):  
Design Of Experiments ◽  
Continuous Improvement ◽  
Process Improvement ◽  
Six Sigma ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Service Industry ◽  
Quality Characteristics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Success

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to critically evaluate the current status of Design of experiments (DoE) in the service industry or non-manufacturing processes in the manufacturing sector. This involves the identification of critical success factors and challenges in the use of DoE in the context of the service industry as well as the key skills needed for its successful applications.Design/methodology/approachIn order to identify the critical success factors and challenges, an online survey instrument was developed and distributed across Six Sigma Black Belts (SSBB), Six Sigma Master Black Belts (SSMBB), process improvement champions, continuous improvement professionals, DoE experts and specialists as well as academics who are involved in DoE research and applications.FindingsA total of 109 participants from over 20 countries responded to the study. One of the first findings of the study is that over 40% of the process improvement professionals in the service sector do not have any hands-on experience with the application of DoE. Further, this study highlights the following critical factors for successful DoE applications: dedicating adequate resources in terms of time, budget and people for the experiment; getting a clear understanding of the problem at hand; securing a reliable and validated measurement system for measuring the response or quality characteristics of interest; and identifying input independent variables, which influence the quality characteristics during the brainstorming stage. Some respondents also mention the importance of having training or education in DoE as a critical success factor. At the same time, the lack of adequate planning to experimentation, mathematical knowledge and statistical reasoning remains as challenge to be solved.Research limitations/implicationsAs data were collected at an individual level, inter-reliability, which measures the consistency of judgements on a particular survey item, could not be gauged. Moreover, due to low sample size across some continents, an intercontinental comparative study on the extent of the application of DoE across various continents could not be performed.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first global survey carried out to understand the status of DoE in the service industry. The results of the global study can be used to encourage quality, continuous improvement and process improvement professionals in the service sector to drive wider acceptance of one of the most powerful tools in the Six Sigma toolkit for problem-solving scenarios. Moreover, senior managers in the service industry can take away some of the key benefits, challenges and success factors in the implementation of DoE.

scholarly journals Barriers to implementing the International Integrated Reporting Framework

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Dumay ◽  
Cristiana Bernardi ◽  
James Guthrie ◽  
Matteo La Torre
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
General Concept ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Reporting Framework

Purpose This paper is motivated by the call for feedback by the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) from all stakeholders with knowledge of the International Integrated Reporting Framework (<IRF>) and specifically of the enablers, incentives and barriers to its implementation. The paper synthesises insights from contemporary accounting research into integrated reporting (IR) as a general concept and <IR> as espoused by the IIRC in the <IRF> (IIRC, 2013). The authors specifically focus on possible barriers and emphasise the specific issues the authors feel could be rectified to advance the <IRF>, along with the areas that may potentially hinder its wider adoption and implementation. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws upon and synthesises academic analysis and insights provided in the IR and <IR> academic literature as well as various directives, policy and framework pronouncements. Findings The flexibility and lack of prescription concerning actual disclosures and metrics in the <IRF> could allow it to be used for compliance, regardless of the other benefits lauded by the IIRC. Thus the authors see forces, both external and internal, driving <IR> adoption, with one prominent example being the European Union Directive on non-financial reporting. Because of the different ways in which IR is understood and enacted, there are numerous theoretical and empirical challenges for academics. The authors paper highlights potential areas for further robust academic research and the need to contribute to <IR> policy and practice. Research limitations/implications The paper provides the IIRC, academics, regulators and reporting organisations with insights into current practice and the <IRF>. The authors highlight the need for further development and evidence to help inform improvements both from a policy and a practice perspective. A key limitation of the authors’ work is that the authors draw upon a synthesis of the existing literature which is still in an early stage of development. Originality/value The paper provides the IIRC with several insights into the current <IRF> and specifically with the enablers, incentives and barriers to its implementation. Also, it provides academic researchers with a number of important observations and an agenda upon which the authors can build their future research.

Shaping the event portfolio management field: premises and integration

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (11) ◽  
pp. 3523-3544
Author(s):  
Vassilios Ziakas ◽  
Donald Getz
Keyword(s):  
Portfolio Management ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Multiple Stakeholders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Scoping Literature Review ◽  
New Ideas

Purpose This paper aims to examine how various academic disciplines shape the field of event portfolio management. Given the complex nature of portfolios comprising different genres that are studied separately from their respective disciplinary realms, the academic event portfolio landscape remains fragmented. This is against the nature of portfolios, which requires inter-disciplinarity and novel integration of genres, stakeholders and perspectives. Design/methodology/approach Based on a scoping literature review, this conceptual paper sets up a common ground for the academic study and industrial development of event portfolio management. Findings A comprehensive view of event portfolio literature across disciplines reveals its hypostasis as a compound transdisciplinary field. The authors suggest a set of foundational premises whereby they identify 22 principal thematic areas that comprise this emerging field. Practical implications The establishment of event portfolio management as a distinct field will help in the osmosis and diffusion of new ideas, models and best practices to run and leverage portfolios. The portfolio perspective highlights the need for cohesive learning to design comprehensive systems of events, implement joint strategies, solidify social networks, coordinate multiple stakeholders and develop methods of holistic evaluation. Originality/value By examining comprehensively event portfolio management as a transdisciplinary field, the authors have been able to identify principal research directions and priorities. This comprehensive analysis provides a synergistic ground, which at this embryonic stage of development, can be used to set out joint trajectories and reciprocal foci across the whole span of scholarship studying planned series of events.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document