scholarly journals CAUSAL MAPPING TO EXPLORE EMERGENCE OF CONSTRUCTION DISPUTES

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 288-302
Author(s):  
Cenk Tanriverdi ◽  
Guzide Atasoy ◽  
Irem Dikmen ◽  
M. Talat Birgonul
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Causal Mapping ◽  
Construction Disputes ◽  
Emergence Patterns ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Underlying Causes ◽  
A Chain ◽  
Map Analysis ◽  
Expert Workshop

Disputes, frequently encountered in construction projects, can substantially affect project success, necessitating a clear understanding of how and why disputes occur. Previous studies on disputes mostly yielded exhaustive lists or hierarchies of possible causes of disputes, which can hardly be used to understand how these causes come together to form a dispute. To address this gap, this study provides an alternative approach to understand the underlying causes of disputes, and their relationship within a specific context, using causal map analysis. This study is conducted using causal mapping approach to understand dispute emergence patterns in practice. Initially, a causal map of construction disputes is developed based on literature. The map is altered and verified through an expert workshop, considering projects contracted through FIDIC Yellow Book. The causal representation of the dispute emergence patterns highlights the importance of pre-construction studies, people factor, and contract terms. It is revealed that significant causes are either result of a chain of preceding factors or are triggers for further ones. This finding reinforces that the occurrence of disputes does not only depend on individual causes; rather, these causes combine with a series of other factors for a dispute to occur.

Cognitive Bias in Intelligence Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha Whitesmith
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Cognitive Bias ◽  
Cognitive Biases ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Intelligence Analysis ◽  
Experimental Setting ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
The Social ◽  
Underlying Causes

Belief, Bias and Intelligence outlines an approach for reducing the risk of cognitive biases impacting intelligence analysis that draws from experimental research in the social sciences. It critiques the reliance of Western intelligence agencies on the use of a method for intelligence analysis developed by the CIA in the 1990’s, the Analysis of Competing Hypotheses (ACH). The book shows that the theoretical basis of the ACH method is significantly flawed, and that there is no empirical basis for the use of ACH in mitigating cognitive biases. It puts ACH to the test in an experimental setting against two key cognitive biases with unique empirical research facilitated by UK’s Professional Heads of Intelligence Analysis unit at the Cabinet Office, includes meta-analysis into which analytical factors increase and reduce the risk of cognitive bias and recommends an alternative approach to risk mitigation for intelligence communities. Finally, it proposes alternative models for explaining the underlying causes of cognitive biases, challenging current leading theories in the social sciences.

Factor-based target cost modelling for construction projects

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 393-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aladdin Alwisy ◽  
Ahmed Bouferguene ◽  
Mohamed Al-Hussein
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Value Analysis ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Target Cost ◽  
Cost Modelling ◽  
Building Components ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Efficient Exploration ◽  
Design Estimate

Target value design (TVD) principles set the main guidelines for the design-estimate process that allow the efficient exploration of available construction alternatives, thereby helping construction companies to reduce cost-to-design, cost-to-build, and improve the quality of construction projects. The successful application of TVD requires a clear understanding of the interactions among construction components. The proposed target cost modelling approach introduces an algorithmic factor-based framework to advance TVD that supports the design-estimate process by examining the relationships among building components, their direct and indirect impact on project overall cost and value. Construction factors control compatibility and performance analysis among available construction alternatives. Costing factors contribute to the development of mathematical costing models capable of automatically calculating the cost of compatible alternatives. Finally, rule-based analysis, developed under an appropriate programming environment, executes alternative value analysis to develop a detailed estimate with an improved overall value for construction projects.

FACTORS CAUSING PROBLEMS IN MANAGING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN A COUNTRY UNDER MILITARY OCCUPATION: Contractors’ Perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 05 (07) ◽  
pp. 01-07
Author(s):  
Akram Subhe Suleiman ◽  
Jafar Subhi Hardan Abahre
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Project Manager ◽  
Military Occupation ◽  
The Political ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Political Situation ◽  
The Impact

An exhaustive literature search revealed that not much research has been done on factors causing problems in managing a construction project in a country under military occupation like Palestine. So, it is the main goal of this research is to identify these factors which could be used by the decision makers to select the appropriate project manager who bosses the suitable skills and competencies to deal with these problems. The study is a step toward determining means to improve the effectiveness of projects through identifying project manager competencies. It is important for Palestinian construction industry to progress in terms of project success; the problems that face the project managers must be determined and identified, in order to achieve the best results with less risk. A clear understanding of such problems helps the Palestinian construction industry of finding the suitable solutions to overcome these problems. A questionnaire survey was carried out to achieve the main aim of this research. The respondents were engineers have more than 3 years in the position of project manager in the Palestinian construction industry. The survey was based on factors drawn from findings of another researches in different countries, together with special factors identified as potentially affecting Palestine. The results identified many factors created problems; they were clustered in eight groups. These groups were arranged according to respondents in descending order as follows: the political situation of Palestine, lack of consultants` technical competencies, lack of resources, insufficient planning, team members uncommitted, conflicts between departments, breakdowns in communications, and changes in goals. As a result of this study one could conclude that managing a project in Palestine is as difficult as the complication of the political situation of the country. The project manager should have a complicated mixture of skills and competencies from dealing with Israeli occupation to dealing with stakeholders to lack of resources and unclear goals. The study has recommended to the Palestinian government to improve the regulations and laws to meet the impact of closure and segmentation of the Palestine.

INFLUENCE OF COLLABORATIVE BEHAVIOR ON CLAIM NEGOTIATION

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Awwad ◽  
Stephanie Atallah ◽  
Carol Menassa
Keyword(s):  
Dispute Resolution ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Opinion Dynamics ◽  
Negotiation Process ◽  
Project Delivery ◽  
Integrated Project Delivery ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Construction Disputes ◽  
Collaborative Behavior ◽  
Integrated Project

The high cost incurred by the resolution of conflicts is largely affected by the existing adversarial nature of the construction industry along with the use of non-efficient dispute resolution methods in construction projects. This paper studies opinion dynamics in the negotiation of construction disputes while trying to understand the behavior and extremism of each contractual party. The developed model uses an agent-based approach to show how each agent’s attitude can influence the negotiation process when solving a dispute. It can also be used to highlight the importance of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods and the use of a mediator in helping parties initiate negotiation and decrease the number of negotiation cycles needed to converge. The results showed that negotiation is not only affected by the attitude and character of the agents involved but it is also influenced by the delivery method of the project and the level of intensity of each agent. It was found that when the project is delivered through an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) method, parties are more flexible and cooperative and will reach agreement within few negotiation cycles.

Underlying causes and mitigation measures of delays in construction projects

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amílcar Arantes ◽  
Luís Miguel D.F. Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Project Management ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Importance Index ◽  
Underlying Causes ◽  
Causes Of Delays

Purpose The purpose of this study is to contribute to the theory and practice of project management in the construction industry by identifying the primary causes and extracting the underlying causes of construction delays and providing recommendations on delay mitigation measures. Design/methodology/approach AA survey was used to identify the importance of 47 causes of delays. The relative importance index was used to rank them, factor analysis was applied to extract the underlying causes and focus group interviews were used for discussion and development of mitigation measures. Findings Six of the ten most important causes are in the top ten universal delays in construction projects. Factor analysis revealed six underlying causes: improper planning, poor consultant performance, inefficient site management, owner influence, bureaucracy and sub-standard contracts. Practical implications The owner/sponsor/client must have adequate engineering and project management skills to be able to evaluate proposals and contractors more accurately, economically and technically. The bidding and contract award process should focus on the most economically advantageous proposal and contracts should provide for mechanisms for managing risks while executing projects. Contractors should select reliable, high-quality subcontractors and suppliers and should have competent site managers. Originality/value This work expands and improves the understanding of the causes of delays in construction projects by providing an empirical study of the causes of delays and respective mitigation measures in Portugal.

scholarly journals Religion as memory: How has the continuity of tradition produced collective meanings? – Part one

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakub Urbaniak
Keyword(s):  
Collective Memory ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Christian Tradition ◽  
Religious Groups ◽  
Cultural Meanings ◽  
Information Market ◽  
Original Proposal ◽  
Christian Perspective ◽  
A Chain ◽  
Definition Of

Danièle Hervieu-Léger gives an account of religion as a chain of memory, that is, a form of collective memory and imagination based on the sanctity of tradition. According to her theory, in the postmodern world the continuity of religious memory has been broken and all that remains are isolated fragments guarded by religious groups. This twofold study aims at showing, firstly, in what sense religion can be conceived of as memory which produces collective meanings (Part One) and, secondly, what may happen when individualised and absolutised memories alienate themselves from a continuity of tradition, thus beginning to function as a sort of private religion (Part Two). Being the first part of the study in question, this article is dedicated to a historical-theological analysis of religious memory as a source of collective meanings, as seen from a Christian perspective. Firstly, it situates Hervieu-Léger’s definition of religion against the background of the most topical religious contexts in which the notion of memory appears today. Secondly, the dialectics of individual and collective memory is discussed, notably through the lens of Ricoeur’s original proposal. This is followed by an overview of the traditional functions of memory in Christianity. Lastly, the interpretation of the way in which Christian tradition, in its premodern continuity, served as a source of collective cultural meanings, is recapitulated. What underlies this analysis is the conviction that to comprehend, and even more so to challenge mechanisms based on which the dominant purveyors of meaning (such as economic and information market) function in our day, one should have a clear understanding of what they attempt to substitute for. In brief, before exploring how memories become religion, one ought to be able to conceive of religion as memory.

scholarly journals Quantitative Risk Assessment in Construction Disputes Based on Machine Learning Tools

Symmetry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 744
Author(s):  
Hubert Anysz ◽  
Magdalena Apollo ◽  
Beata Grzyl
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Quantitative Risk Assessment ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Learning Tools ◽  
Single Product ◽  
Cost Overruns ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Construction Disputes ◽  
The Cost

A high monetary value of the construction projects is one of the reasons of frequent disputes between a general contractor (GC) and a client. A construction site is a unique, one-time, and single-product factory with many parties involved and dependent on each other. The organizational dependencies and their complexity make any fault or mistake propagate and influence the final result (delays, cost overruns). The constant will of the parties involved results in completing a construction object. The cost increase, over the expected level, may cause settlements between parties difficult and lead to disputes that often finish in a court. Such decision of taking a client to a court may influence the future relations with a client, the trademark of the GC, as well as, its finance. To ascertain the correctness of the decision of this kind, the machine learning tools as decision trees (DT) and artificial neural networks (ANN) are applied to predict the result of a dispute. The dataset of about 10 projects completed by an undisclosed contractor is analyzed. Based on that, a much bigger database is simulated for automated classifications onto the following two classes: a dispute won or lost. The accuracy of over 93% is achieved, and the reasoning based on results from DT and ANN is presented and analyzed. The novelty of the article is the usage of in-company data as the independent variables what makes the model tailored for a specific GC. Secondly, the calculation of the risk of wrong decisions based on machine learning tools predictions is introduced and discussed.

Towards supply chain maturity in construction

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafaella Dana Broft ◽  
Sulafa Badi ◽  
Stephen Pryke
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Maturity Model ◽  
Seven Principles ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Direct Inter ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Several studies have underlined the potential of Supply Chain Management (SCM) in meeting the formidable challenges associated with fragmentation, adversarial relationships and insufficient customer focus in the delivery of construction projects. However, properly documented examples of successfully implemented SCM initiatives, particularly at the lower tiers of the supply chain, are scarce. This paper aims to extend the existing debates by adopting an alternative approach focusing specifically on the internal SCM organisation of both main contractor and subcontractor organisations, and their direct inter-relationships. Design/methodology/approach This study sets out to explore the enablers and barriers to the implementation of SCM at the lower tiers of the construction supply chain, particularly the problematic collaboration between main contractors and subcontractors. SC Maturity levels are formulated according to relevant SCM concepts and based on Holti et al.’s (2000) seven principles of SCM organisation, and transformed into a conceptual model. An explorative study is conducted based on interviews from eight large main contractor and subcontractor organisations in the Dutch construction industry. Findings Discouragingly, across the organisations, more barriers than enablers to SCM are identified. Organisations are found to be particularly struggling to compete through superior value, manage costs collaboratively, and develop continuous improvement within their supply chains. The findings also underline the low SC Maturity of main contractors and their inability to play the essential role of supply chain managers. Practical implications The study underlines the need for a greater degree of contractor leadership and improved internal organisation of both types of firms in order to achieve greater collaboration at the lower tiers of the construction supply chain. Originality/value The study contributes to the subject of SCM in construction in two respects. First, the findings should prove valuable to both policymakers and industry practitioners interested in the delivery of performance improvement in construction. Second, the developed SC Maturity Model can form the conceptual basis for the development of an applicable improvement framework towards successful SCM implementation.

The risk based alternative to the prescriptive EDRC approach to oil spill preparedness and response.

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 1784-1794
Author(s):  
Paul Foley
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Case Histories ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Oil Spill Response ◽  
A Chain ◽  
The One ◽  
Local Regulator ◽  
Responsible Party

ABSTRACT Every spill is different. This is the one globally accepted truth of oil spill response, and never more so than when responding on a global scale. The number of potential variables that combine to shape the event and the ensuing response are almost incalculable. Each incident produces a chain of events that must be analysed, assessed and acted on to build the most appropriate response with the effective application of the resources available. The amount, type and availability of such resources depend largely on the rigor and level of preparedness that the responsible party has put in place or that is required by the local regulator based on prescriptive criteria. This paper explores the risk based approach to the development of oil spill preparedness, allowing mitigating measures to be tailored to the specific risks faced and offering an alternative approach to that offered by the more prescriptive and generic volume based approaches. Advantages and disadvantages of the risk based method are discussed and then anchored to the tiered approach to preparedness. The author draws on first-hand experience of how both approaches translate from the ‘page of preparedness’ to the ‘field of response’. Using international case histories as a reference the author draws conclusions as to whether the inherent variation experienced in spill response should translate to a more flexible, bespoke and risk based approach to the development of a robust and resilient level of preparedness.

scholarly journals Underlying causal factors associated with construction worker fatalities involving stepladders

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aneurin Thomas James Grant ◽  
Jimmie Wayne Hinze
Keyword(s):  
Risk Behaviors ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Electrical Equipment ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Causal Factors ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Underlying Causes ◽  
Extreme Care

Stepladders are frequently utilized on construction projects as a means of access to elevation. Stepladder heights commonly range from 4 feet (1.2 m) to 14 feet (4.3 m). Since these heights are not extreme, there is a common misperception that stepladder use presents a low risk. On the contrary, extreme care must be exercised to ensure that work on stepladders is performed safely, as described in the conspicuously located recommendations and brightly-colored warnings that adorn virtually all newly-purchased equipment. Despite this, accidents involving stepladders occur on a regular basis.  This study was conducted to better understand the underlying causes of these accidents. The narrative descriptions of 180 stepladder-related fatalities were obtained from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and were analyzed to identify the at-risk behaviors that preceded the fatality incidents. The results showed that most of the incidents should have been anticipated and could have been avoided. Unsafe practices such as improper lockout-tagout of electrical equipment, loss of balance, working on a folded stepladder, over-reaching, straddling the ladder, “walking” the ladder, poor footing, and unstable/shifting ladders, among others were identified. Virtually all of these fatalities could have been avoided by adhering to the guidelines posted on the stepladders and by complying with basic safe construction practices. 

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