Barriers to sustainable construction project management: the case of Iran

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Fathalizadeh ◽  
M. Reza Hosseini ◽  
Seyyed Saeed Vaezzadeh ◽  
David J. Edwards ◽  
Igor Martek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Construction Project Management ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Priority List ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Importance Index ◽  
Data Collection Instrument

PurposeThe barriers to integrating sustainable practices into construction project management require extensive resource allocations to resolve. Within developing countries such as Iran (where resources are scarce), remedial strategies adopted must prioritise tackling those barriers that can be expected to yield maximum return on investment. The candidate barriers are many, and this paper aims to identify a hierarchy of barriers, providing a priority list of remedial targets.Design/methodology/approachA mixed philosophical stance of interpretivism and post-positivism is adopted within a deductive approach and survey strategy. A list of 30 known barriers are identified from extant literature and used to formulate a questionnaire data collection instrument administered within the Iranian construction industry. Data collected from 176 practitioners are analysed using the relative importance index and Mann–Whitney U test to compare groups based on the participants' demographic variables.FindingsThe findings challenge the common assumption that items related to market and workforce experience are major inhibitors of change. That is, economics and regulatory dependent barriers have a higher impact on the failure of a shift to sustainable practices in Iran. The most influential barriers to incorporating sustainability in construction projects are: (1) lack of understanding of the potential benefits; (2) insufficient cooperation among practitioners, research institutions and environmental organisations; and (3) a lack of a systematic approach to pursuing sustainability goals. No significant associations are detected between the affiliation of the respondents and their attitude towards the issue. Thus, a generalised approach can be applied to a broader range of organisations and construction projects in Iran.Originality/valueWhile studies on sustainability impediments at the firm or project level are ubiquitous within literature, this research identifies that the most significant barriers to sustainable project management in Iran, as an underexplored context, are those experienced at the economic and institutional level. Moreover, this novel research presents important insights into the potential effects of participants' demographic profiles on their view of the importance of identified barriers.

scholarly journals Integrating sustainability into construction project management: Barriers in developing countries

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Fathalizadeh ◽  
Parviz Ghoddousi ◽  
Ali Akbar Shirzadi Javid ◽  
M. Reza Hosseini ◽  
Arka Ghosh
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Construction Project Management ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Importance Index ◽  
Development Goals

This paper is an attempt to explore the barriers to integrating sustainability into construction project management in developing countries. To this end, a comprehensive review of the literature is conducted, as a result of which a list of 30 barriers is culled from existing studies. The list of barriers is subsequently assessed in terms of relative importance index (RII) through a survey questionnaire administered to Iranian construction industry experts, resulting in a dataset of 176 completed questionnaires. Findings bring to light the most influential barriers to incorporating sustainability in construction projects for a developing country. These were: (1) lack of understanding of the potential selfbenefits of proactivity and high economic risks that unsustainable practices may carry, (2) inadequate assessment of risks and a silo-based approach, namely, insufficient cooperation among practitioners, research institutions and environmental organisations and (3) the lack of a systematic approach to planning and acting for the fulfilment of sustainability goals. As one of the first studies in its kind, the paper offers invaluable insight for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers, in supporting the transition of construction project management practices towards fulfilling sustainable development goals.

Effects of cultural assimilation on the performance of a construction project – evidence from UAE

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 430-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asad Ullah Khan
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Management Teams ◽  
Construction Project Management ◽  
Cultural Assimilation ◽  
Cultural Perspective ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of the national culture on the performance of a construction project in the UAE. This study benchmarks reason for the success or failure of construction projects from the cultural perspective. Design/methodology/approach – This study takes a case study approach, using the qualitative research method. Data were collected through participant observation and project records as part of the lessons learned and the data were analysed using the coding procedure of grounded theory. Re-confirmation and cross-checking interviews were also conducted to confirm the correctness of the coding. The qualitative data were expressed in quantitative terms to signify statistically the effect of the national culture on the construction project. In this way, the research methodology employed triangulation in its data analysis. Findings – This study found differences in the national culture of the Chinese construction project management teams in overseas construction projects in the UAE. The level of uncertainty and long-term orientation contributed to the success of one of the construction projects under scrutiny and the failure of the other. Research limitations/implications – The study was limited to two construction projects in the UAE. Further research into construction projects is required to validate whether the national culture is generally an element to consider in overseas construction projects. Practical implications – The research study provides reasons for the success and failure of the two projects from the perspective of differences in national culture. Understanding the cultural differences in international construction projects should help to resolve project issues before these need to be terminated. The termination of a project has economic and social implications for all the stakeholders. Originality/value – No research study was found to have identified the national culture dimensions of overseas construction project management teams in the UAE. The longitudinal study helped to understand cultural assimilation during the execution of construction projects in the UAE.

Enabling construction project managers through a management game

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arash Fahmi Hassan ◽  
Farzad Haghighi-Rad ◽  
Amir-Reza Abtahi
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Quality Analysis ◽  
Simulation Game ◽  
Quality Level ◽  
Construction Project Management ◽  
Management Game ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Knowledge

Purpose This paper aims to design and develop a management game in the field of construction project management so that by playing the game, the required level of knowledge, skills, capabilities and overall project management competencies in individuals will be promoted. Also, player’s competencies can be measured. Design/methodology/approach This study, in terms of application, is applied research. The construction project management simulation game (CPMSG) was played by 18 university students. To evaluate the level of the players’ project management knowledge and quality of the game, questionnaires were used. Findings The game improves the players’ project management knowledge by 158%, and the educational program that was formulated in the game has also achieved the first three levels of bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. In the field of game quality, analysis of players’ results of responses and scores show that the game has a good quality level. Originality/value The CPMS game provides a useful tool for project management training, especially in the field of construction projects. It helps in addition to improving the quality of teaching theoretical topics, making students acquainted with the risks and uncertainties of such projects, and provides a simulated experience. In the field of common behavior analysis and player’s selection, the results indicated that the majority of groups used high-quality materials during the games to perform activities related to the appearance of the building (such as finishing and building facade activities) and used medium quality materials in implementing infrastructural activities such as brickwork and floor construction that are not visible in the appearance of work.

Underlying factors for successful project management to construct sustainable built assets

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marios Stanitsas ◽  
Konstantinos Kirytopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Sustainability Indicators ◽  
The Body ◽  
Senior Management ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Theoretical Contribution ◽  
Sustainable Economic Growth

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the underlying factors that give rise to the set of sustainability indicators which are used for the implementation of sustainable construction projects and eventually the production of sustainable built assets.Design/methodology/approachTo accomplish the purpose of this research, an online questionnaire survey was administered to a sample of 200 experts. By employing the statistical method of exploratory factor analysis (EFA), five distinct dimensions (factors) of stakeholders' attitudes were revealed.FindingsThe findings indicate that the sustainability indicators are based on five underlying factors, namely (1) sustainable competitiveness; (2) stakeholder engagement; (3) sustainable economic growth; (4) social sustainability; and (5) resource conservation and environmental policy.Research limitations/implicationsMore studies would be welcome to verify the underlying factors revealed in this paper.Practical implicationsThe knowledge of the underlying factors enables senior management to maintain a balance of choices during the project management (PM) phase in order to implement and deliver sustainable construction projects. Furthermore, the findings deepen the understanding toward sustainable PM practices by providing insights on its core attributes.Originality/valueAs a theoretical contribution to knowledge, this study enhances the body of knowledge by revealing the underlying factors that give rise to the predefined set of the 82 sustainability indicators which are used to enable sustainable construction projects. In practice, the findings aid senior management in adopting strategies that enhance the delivery of sustainable construction projects.

Categorising on-site problems

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Micael Thunberg ◽  
Martin Rudberg ◽  
Tina Karrbom Gustavsson
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Internal Validity ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
The Body ◽  
Construction Project Management ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Body Of Knowledge

Purpose This study aims to identify and categorise common on-site problems from a supply chain management (SCM) perspective and to trace the origin of these problems in the construction project process, the supply chain or in the intersection between these processes. This allows for identification of how on-site problems affect SCM in construction projects and how they can be mitigated. Design/methodology/approach A literature review in combination with semi-structured interviews was used to identify on-site problems. This enabled triangulation and strengthened both construct validity and internal validity. Findings On-site problems can be categorised in one of the four following categories: material flows, internal communication, external communication or complexity. The first category has its origin in the supply chain, the second in the construction project process, the third in the supply chain-construction process intersection on site and the fourth in the construction project as a whole. The findings conclude that on-site problems often originate from construction companies’ lack of supply chain orientation. Research limitations/implications It is suggested that supply chain planning (SCP) can facilitate on-site problem mitigation in construction project management. This extends the body of knowledge of SCP in construction project management and supports the development of effective on-site construction project management. Practical implications The results show that SCP can aid construction project management in handling on-site problems earlier in the project process. Originality/value The main value lies in extending the body of knowledge in construction project management research by applying an SCM perspective and by introducing SCP to support more effective construction project management.

scholarly journals Pythagorean 2-Tuple Linguistic VIKOR Method for Evaluating Human Factors in Construction Project Management

Mathematics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 1149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tingting He ◽  
Guiwu Wei ◽  
Jianping Lu ◽  
Cun Wei ◽  
Rui Lin
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Human Factors ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Safety Management ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Construction Project Management ◽  
Vikor Method ◽  
Multiple Attribute ◽  
Todim Method ◽  
Reform And Opening Up

Since the reform and opening up, Chinese economic and social development has undergone great changes, and the people’s living standards have improved markedly. For the national economy, the engineering construction is not only a carrier for specific economic tasks, but also a driving force for rapid and sustained economic development. With the continuous expansion of the scale of construction projects, safety management problems of construction projects are constantly exposed. How to effectively avoid accidents has become an important issue to be solved urgently in the construction industry. This paper mainly evaluates human factors in the process of construction project management, such as workers’ proficiency, workers’ safety awareness, technical workers’ quality, and workers’ emergency capacity, with the purpose of helping China’s construction projects proceed smoothly. In this research, we provide a multiple attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) technique based on Pythagorean 2-tuple linguistic numbers (P2TLNs) and the VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I KOmpromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method for evaluating the human factors of construction projects. P2TLNs are used to represent the performance assessments of decision makers. Relying on a P2TLWA operator, P2TLWG operator, and the essential VIKOR method, a general framework is established. An application is presented to test the validity of the new method, and a comparative analysis with two algorithms and the P2TL-TODIM method is illustrated with detail.

Determining Contingencies in the Management of Construction Projects

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
José I. Ortiz ◽  
Eugenio Pellicer ◽  
Keith R. Molenaar
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
External Validity ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Construction Project Management ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Different Types ◽  
General Contractors ◽  
Project Objectives

This research describes the managerial approaches that contractors follow to determine different types of contingencies in construction project management. Two large Spanish general contractors were selected for an in-depth analysis. Interviews and surveys were conducted with six additional companies to explore the external validity of the findings. Managers constrain time and cost buffers through project objectives, applying heuristics to determine inventory buffers. The management of capacity buffers is entrusted to subcontractors. The contractors take advantage of scope and quality buffers to meet project objectives but rarely share these buffers with the owner, unless the owner is an internal client.

Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy in Project Risk Management - New Stadium Construction Project in Weifang City

2011 ◽  
Vol 243-249 ◽  
pp. 6362-6368
Author(s):  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Chang Jiang Liu
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Construction Project Management ◽  
Analytic Hierarchy ◽  
Project Risk ◽  
Management Case Study

In the field of engineering and construction, unqualified construction quality, time delays, cost more than expected phenomena to occur. Because of these characteristics such as its large-scale construction projects, long cycle, the production of single and complex, there is greater risk than the production of general products, the risk increases the difficulty of construction project management, operating costs and the possibility of potential losses, therefore, risk management emerged and become an increasingly important integral part of project management. In this paper, fuzzy analytic hierarchy be used to construction project risk assessment, and to order the sort of each risk in order to prevent significant risks. On an actual project - the new stadium construction in Weifang City risk management case study, the reduction of risk of project failure is expected, but also the project is hoped for other industries to provide some reference for risk management.

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