Best practices for implementing industrialized construction projects: lessons from nine case studies

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Yahaya Wuni ◽  
Geoffrey Qiping Shen ◽  
Amos Darko
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Research Cycle ◽  
Collection Data ◽  
Global Construction ◽  
Project Lifecycle

Purpose Industrialized construction (IC) leverages manufacturing principles and innovative processes to improve the performance of construction projects. Though IC is gaining popularity in the global construction industry, studies that establish the best practices for implementing IC projects are scarce. This study aims to benchmark practical lifecycle-based best practices for implementing IC projects. Design/methodology/approach The study used a qualitative research design where nine IC cases from Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong were analysed to identify best practices. The methodological framework of the study followed well-established case study research cycle and guidelines, including planning, data collection, data analysis and reflection on findings. Findings The study identified and allocated key considerations, relevant stakeholders, best practices, typical deliverables and best indicators to the different construction lifecycle phases of IC projects. It also developed a lifecycle-based framework of the best practices for IC projects. Practical implications The study provides practitioners with practical insight into how best to effectively implement, manage and evaluate the performance of the IC project lifecycle phases. The proposed framework can serve as a practical diagnostic tool that enables project partners to evaluate the performance upfront progressively and objectively in each project lifecycle phase, which may inform timely corrective actions. Originality/value The study’s novelty lies in developing a framework that identifies and demonstrates the dynamic linkages among different sets of best practices, typical outputs and best practice indicators across the IC project lifecycle phases.

scholarly journals Spanning the multilevel boundaries of construction organisations

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 273-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enoch Sackey ◽  
Julius Akotia
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Boundary Spanning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Execution Plan ◽  
Contractual Agreements ◽  
Project Level

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the interdependent boundary-spanning activities that characterise the level of permeability of knowledge, information flow and learning among construction supply chains involved in the delivery of building information modelling (BIM)-compliant construction projects. Construction projects are mobilised through a number of interdependent processes and multi-functional activities by different practitioners with myriad specialised skills. Many of the difficulties that manifest in construction projects can be attributed to the fragmented work activities and inter-disciplinary nature of project teams. This is nevertheless becoming ever more pertinent with the rise of technology deployment in construction organisations. Design/methodology/approach The study combined experts’ sampling interviews and a case study research method to help offer better insights into the kind of emerging multilevel boundary practices as influenced by the rapidly evolving construction technological solutions. The experts’ sampling helped inform better understanding by unravelling the key changes in contemporary boundary configurations and related boundary-spanning practices within technology-mediated construction project settings. The case study also helped to establish the manifestation of best practices for managing multilevel boundaries in BIM-enabled construction project organisations. Findings The study has revealed that different generic organisational BIM strategies as developed in specialised boundaries are reconfigured as appropriate at the project level to produce project-specific BIM execution plan (BXP). The outcome of project BXP is dependent on the project organisational teams that cooperate in creating new solutions and on conceding space for negotiations and compromises which conflicting interests at the project level can find to be both desirable and feasible. The implementation effort is therefore contingent on mutual translation in which different actors with different insights instigate their practice through negotiation and persuasion which eventually are reinforced by contractual agreements and obligations. Originality/value The paper has presented a novel and well-timed empirical insight into BIM-enabled project delivery and best practices that span multilevel boundaries of construction organisations.

A best practice framework for public-private partnership implementation for construction projects in developing countries

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 2806-2827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Osei-Kyei ◽  
Albert P.C. Chan
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Construction Management ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Future Research ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practice Framework

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a best practice framework for PPP implementation for construction projects in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a multi-stage critical review and analysis of past studies on the attributes of PPP implementation (i.e. critical success factors/success criteria for PPP, reasons/drivers for adopting PPP, obstacles/implementation constraints in PPP and risks in PPP) with much focus in Ghana. Furthermore, other governments’ and international PPP guidelines were reviewed for cross validation purposes. In addition, questionnaire survey with PPP experts in Ghana was conducted to validate the proposed best practice framework. Findings From the search, 16 publications in leading construction management journals were identified. A thorough content analysis of the identified papers produced 151 best practices for construction PPPs in Ghana. The best practices were then incorporated into the PPP process in Ghana to develop the best practice framework. Research limitations/implications The major limitation lies in the fact that few publications were targeted for analysis; however, the findings are still useful for future reference because the PPP concept is still developing in Ghana, therefore few publications are found in leading construction management journals. Another limitation is that the best practice framework was not validated using real-life cases, thus it is suggested that future research will adopt the framework and test it on real projects to measure its effectiveness. Originality/value The outputs of this study considerably inform local practitioners in developing countries particularly Ghana and other African countries of the strategic measures that need to be carefully considered within the PPP process so as to implement successful construction PPP projects. The best practice framework also helps to standardize the practice of PPP in Ghana.

Conceptual framework of value management adoption in the Nigerian construction industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lekan Damilola Ojo ◽  
Deji Rufus Ogunsemi ◽  
Olusola Ogunsina
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Value Management ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Market ◽  
Innovative Management ◽  
Coefficient Of Concordance ◽  
Global Construction

Purpose The Nigerian construction industry is bedeviled with poor project performance and outcomes which value management (VM) could address if applied. The application of VM on Nigerian construction projects is very minimal due to certain obstacles, namely, lack of VM experts, paucity of knowledge on the techniques, etc., which inhibits the adoption into the construction industry. Therefore, this study aims to develop a conceptual framework of the adoption of VM on construction projects in a typical developing economy. Design/methodology/approach This study engaged 15 selected VM experts in two rounds of Delphi survey to develop a conceptual framework of VM adoption. The method of data analysis includes mean score, standard deviation, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance, chi-square (χ2) test, interrater agreement analysis and significant level analysis. The developed conceptual framework was sent to a team of local and international VM experts for validation. Findings This study reveals that the adoption of VM requires the collective effort of relevant stakeholders in the construction industry. The framework developed presents individual and collective activities to be undertaken by the stakeholders. The activities include training, legislation, government-funded research, etc. Thus, the adoption of innovative management methodology like VM requires the collaboration of academics, construction professional bodies and government parastatals. This will assist in the judicious use of limited construction resources and boost the relevance of the Nigerian construction industry among developing nations and in the global construction market. Originality/value This study used the opinions of few construction professionals that can be regarded as VM experts in Nigeria, as against engaging a pool of construction professionals who may not be knowledgeable in VM process. Engaging the few VM experts in the Nigerian construction industry is important to have a valid basis for drawing conclusion, as large questionnaire survey could be possibly filled by inexperienced or unqualified respondents if stringent criteria are not considered at the outset of this study.

Value co-creation in asset integrity and improvement portfolio: evidence from the Australian mining industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenton Lawson ◽  
Larissa Statsenko ◽  
Morteza Shokri-Ghasabeh
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Mining Industry ◽  
Mining Company ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Project Portfolios ◽  
Project Lifecycle

Purpose Adopting a qualitative research design and following a single case study research methodology 21 semi-structured interviews with asset integrity project managers (PM), project sponsors (PS) and members of the project management office (PMO) were conducted. These were complemented with company’s project management framework documents and tools and direct observation by the researcher’s observation. Design/methodology/approach The data on the value creation in the mining asset integrity and improvement project portfolio was collected through 21 interviews with PM, PS and members of the PMO and complemented by observational data and the analysis of the Australian mining company process documentation. Findings The study finds that establishing a culture of delivering value supported by functional governance is critical for effective value creation practice in asset integrity and improvement project portfolios. In addition, early engagement of the key stakeholders with clearly defined roles and utilisation of project value management artifacts, enables effective value delivery throughout the project lifecycle. Originality/value The research offers an empirically grounded framework to facilitate value creation throughout the project lifecycle in asset integrity and improvement project portfolios drawing on a benchmarking case of an Australian mining company.

scholarly journals A three-step process for reporting progress in detail engineering using BIM, based on experiences from oil and gas projects

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 648-667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Øystein Mejlænder-Larsen
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Information Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Step Process ◽  
Information Models ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Building Information Models

Purpose Traditionally, progress in detail engineering in construction projects is reported based on estimates and manual input from the disciplines in the engineering team. Reporting progress on activities in an engineering schedule manually, based on subjective evaluations, is time consuming and can reduce accuracy, especially in larger and multi-disciplinary projects. How can progress in detail engineering be reported using BIM and connected to activities in an engineering schedule? The purpose of this paper is to introduce a three-step process for reporting progress in detail engineering using building information modeling (BIM) to minimize manual reporting and increase quality and accuracy. Design/methodology/approach The findings of this paper are based on the studies of experiences from the execution of projects in the oil and gas industry. Data are collected from an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor and two engineering contractors using case study research. Findings In the first step, control objects in building information models are introduced. Statuses are added to control objects to fulfill defined quality levels related to milestones. In the second step, the control objects with statuses are used to report visual progress and aggregated in an overall progress report. In the third step, overall progress from building information models are connected to activities in an engineering schedule. Originality/value Existing research works related to monitoring and reporting progress using a BIM focus on construction and not on detail engineering. The research demonstrates that actual progress in detail engineering can be visualized and reported through the use of BIM and extracted to activities in an engineering schedule through a three-step process.

Library graphic design best practices and approval processes

2016 ◽  
Vol 117 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 63-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana K Wakimoto
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Graphic Design ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Library Science ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Design Processes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative Survey ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore graphic design best practices and approval processes used by librarians. Design/methodology/approach – This paper used an online, qualitative survey to collect data on librarians’ design processes and best practices. The responses were reviewed to determine categories and themes of librarians’ design processes and best practices to gain an understanding of the state of graphic design in libraries. Findings – The majority of the respondents reported that there were no formal guidelines, design committees or approval processes at their libraries. While some librarians were aware of and used graphic design best practices, many respondents were unsure of what constituted a best practice in graphic design. Research limitations/implications – The paper was exploratory and the respondents cannot be said to be representative of all librarians and, therefore, generalizations to all librarians are not possible. Practical implications – Findings may help librarians who assume design duties in their libraries in exploring best practices and discussing design approval processes. Originality/value – This paper is one of the few papers in the library science literature on graphic design as applied specifically to librarians. It increases our understanding of graphic design in libraries.

Secrets to success: human capital management strategy

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 170-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elissa Tucker
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Capital Management ◽  
Human Capital Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Retention ◽  
Business Results ◽  
Hr Function ◽  
Workforce Performance

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to detail four elements that drive human capital management (HCM) strategies that get business results. Design/methodology/approach Analysis of APQC’s Open Standards Benchmarking® data and human capital management best practices case studies reveals how to establish the groundwork and successfully execute an HCM strategy. Findings A successful HCM strategy requires specific groundwork and execution to support workforce performance. In terms of groundwork, HR must display strategic competence and business insight. Then, HR must establish a solid implementation infrastructure and follow-up with a comprehensive results assessment. Originality/value Many HR professionals understand what needs to go into an HCM plan for compensation and benefits, long-term workforce strategy, succession, diversity, learning, retention and HR technology updates and upgrades. This paper details how best-practice organizations successfully build and implement such plans and what tangible results an HR function can expect from adopting the four detailed best practices.

scholarly journals Critical strategic issues for the integration of facilities management into the development process

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 380-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Paul Tucker ◽  
Mohd Rayme Anang Masuri ◽  
Alison Cotgrave
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Facilities Management ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Property Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Issues ◽  
The Uk

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the critical strategic issues for the integration of facilities management (FM) into the development process (DP). It explains the factors that limit the integration and recognises the best practices applied in the property development industry in the UK. Design/methodology/approach The study employs a qualitative research approach through semi-structured interviews from the FM and property development industry in the UK. Findings The study discovered that the recognition of FM in the property development industry is encouraging. However, FM has been given a low priority in the property development industry, resulting in facilities managers being inadequately integrated into the DP. Originality/value The paper suggests that it is imperative to understand these strategic issues to promote best practice in the industry that improve the position of FM in the property development industry.

Rapid benchmarking: the case of a multinational dairy company

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rubab Malik ◽  
Robin Mann ◽  
Rebecca Knapman
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Rapid Improvement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Internal Benchmarking ◽  
The Right

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to investigate and document a new approach to best practice benchmarking called rapid benchmarking. Rapid benchmarking is defined by the authors as an approach to dramatically shorten the typical length of time to conduct a successful best practice benchmarking project.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology involved a case study exploration of a multinational dairy company's best practice benchmarking approach using structured interviews and data collection to examine the speed and results achieved through its benchmarking approach and whether it was justified in naming it as rapid benchmarking. A comparison of the speed of the dairy company's approach was undertaken against 24 other organisations that had utilised the same benchmarking methodology (TRADE Best Practice Benchmarking). In addition, a literature review was undertaken to search for other cases of rapid benchmarking and compare rapid benchmarking with other rapid improvement approaches.FindingsThe findings revealed that the approach used by the dairy company was unique, with best practices being identified and action plans signed off for deployment within a five-day period (far quicker than the average time of 211 days reported by other organisations). Key success factors for rapid benchmarking were found to be allocating five dedicated days for the benchmarking team to spend on the project, identifying the right team members for the project, obtaining sponsorship support for the project and providing intensive facilitation support through a benchmarking facilitator.Research limitations/implicationsOnly one company was found to use a rapid benchmarking approach; therefore, the findings are from one case study. The depth of analysis presented was restricted due to commercial sensitivity.Practical implicationsThe rapid benchmarking approach is likely to be of great interest to practitioners, providing them with a new way of finding solutions and best practices to address challenges that need to be solved quickly or with minimal expense. For organisations that have been using benchmarking for many years, the research will enable them to re-evaluate their own benchmarking approach and consider if rapid benchmarking could be used for some projects, particularly for internal benchmarking where it is easier to apply.Originality/valueThis research is the first to identify and document a rapid benchmarking approach and the first to provide a detailed analysis of the length of time it takes to undertake best practice benchmarking projects (and each stage of a benchmarking project).

scholarly journals Best supply chain management practices and high-performance firms

2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (9) ◽  
pp. 1482-1509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moh’d Anwer AL-Shboul ◽  
Jose Arturo Garza-Reyes ◽  
Vikas Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supplier Collaboration

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the best supply chain management (SCM) practices that are implemented in medium- and large-sized Gulf manufacturing firms (MFs).Design/methodology/approachThis study has explored seven SCM practices, i.e. supplier collaboration, flexibility with partners, usage of internet, customer focus (CF), lean production (LP), internal integration (II) and quality management (QM). It assumes that the best-performing firms must be the ones implementing the best practices.t-test and multiple linear regression analyses were used to establish the best practices, implemented by medium and large-sized Gulf MFs.FindingsThe results showed that QM, CF and supplier collaboration are considered as best SCM practices in Gulf MFs. Usage of internet may have been the best practice previously, but not anymore. LP cannot yet be qualified as, but may develop into the best SCM practice.Practical implicationsThe study provides a useful contribution to the field of best SCM practices as it provides better decision-making insights and a benchmarking base to top managers, policy makers and academics. It is likely to result in increased overall performance of their firms.Originality/valueThe study provides an understanding of the distinctive characteristics of the best SCM practices, implemented by Gulf MFs. It has broader implications for all MFs, particularly in developing economies where the growth of manufacturing and effective management of their supply chains is a key element for the economic development.

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