PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODS, GUIDES AND STANDARDS: A CRITICAL OVERVIEW

The project management discipline has been developed worldwide through the practice and theories implemented in various types of projects. Prominent organizational bodies have outlined ways to practice project management. This study aims to highlight the differences between standards, guides and methods developed by these bodies and to evaluate their contribution to the project management profession. The differences were discussed through four aspects: approach, life cycle, procurement and stakeholders. Interpretation of the goals and objectives, transparency, accountability and ethics require further deliberation.

CONTRACTORS SELECTION CRITERIA FRAMEWORK FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN KLANG VALLEY

Malaysia's construction industry is going from strength to strength, with a whole host of newly-announced projects promising to increase activity. Moreover, the construction industry is a very important part of Malaysian economy. The country already has a lot of projects ongoing and under the pipelines, with an ever-changing urban landscape offering plenty of opportunities. The evaluation of project success and the level of success criticality in the development of construction projects in Malaysia are according to the specific requirements and priorities of different project stakeholders and varies from project to project. However, the issues related to maintenance and project functionality are of main concerned to most Government Agencies in Malaysia at the project completion stage apart from client satisfaction on the good services and excellent product deliverables. In the contractor selection stage is commonly used procedure for identifying a pool of competitive, competent and capable contractors from which tenders may be sought. It can aid public and private owners in achieving success by ensuring that only qualified contractor is selected to execute the work. The findings results indicate that several of the criteria highlighted as the most influential criteria of contractor selection for construction project. Another important understanding from the research is that the developing the framework to show the most appropriate ways to select the best contractor for the project. The weightage of each criterion are effective for assessing the technical and commercial tender submission during the tender process. Analysis indicated the top 3 of most influential criteria for contractor selection for construction project in Klang Valley are participation in stakeholders bid process, good tender proposal and method of statement.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF SKILLED LABOUR SHORTAGES AND PROJECT PERFORMANCE IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The construction industry is recognised as one of the major economic sectors that significantly contribute to socio-economic development. However, the skilled labour shortage is one factor that affects the success of projects in the construction industry. Therefore, this paper aims to study the effects of skilled labour shortages on construction project performance. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 42 construction practitioners. The hypotheses were tested by using a Partial Least Square (PLS) method. The results indicate that project-related factors and human capital factors affecting skilled labour shortages in construction projects and skilled labour shortages have affected construction projects’ performance. This finding’s implication is useful for construction industry players by better understanding successfully managing construction projects.

A GLOBAL ANALYSIS OF BIM STANDARDS ACROSS THE GLOBE: A CRITICAL REVIEW

Building Information Modelling (BIM) represents a paradigm shift in the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry as companies reposition themselves from a people, technology and process perspective to improve efficiency and quality. The aim of this paper is to identify and compare BIM standards, guidelines and templates from around the globe in order to provide an indicative central resource for BIM documentation and gaps in BIM standards. To achieve this aim, a qualitative research methodological approach was utilised, underpinned by document analysis of BIM standards developed in different countries across six continents. These findings are presented in tabular format along with illustrations to highlight documentation gaps, which form the basis of discussion. This research evaluates 13 countries’ BIM standards, guidelines and templates; the correlation of which presents relationships and synergy, including recommendations for the development of standards based on the gaps presented. Research findings provide a pivotal appreciation of the different levels of maturity – the discourse of which can act as a signpost for each countries reflection, viz: government, industry bodies or academic institution to help develop BIM standards to fill the gaps in contract, Employers Information Requirement (EIR), BIM Execution Plan (BEP) and design documentation.