Mecca, S (1999) A model of construction planning procedure according to contingency theory. In: Hughes, W (ed.) Proceedings of 15th Annual ARCOM Conference, 15-17 September 1999, Liverpool, UK.
Abstract
In construction operations uncertainty conditions interact strongly with the risk of non-conformance to the performance (quality, time and cost) required. In designing organizational structure and management strategies most construction systems do not take enough account of environmental influences and choose a management and control system fit for a certain, deterministic process. Ironically, we may observe the way that environmental turbulence and technical uncertainty, which should require a flexible, dynamic and responsive organizational structure, most of the time actually cause all construction process operators to provide the opposite, a mechanical organization according to traditional. The paper aims to define a basic planning procedure for designing efficient organizational structures in a turbulent environment like building constructions, appropriate for quality management according to ISO 9000 and TQM management principles. The Contingency Theory by Lawrence and Lorsch is particularly suitable as the basis for designing reliable and efficient organizations structured in relation to the environment in which they operate. A planning procedure model is proposed placing the planning at the centre, not only because of its technical performance, but above all for its capacity to integrate and structure human and social relationships, as well as technical and temporal ones: the same planning procedure constitutes the first integration device. The proposed model can be also useful for understanding and implementing innovative construction management processes like concurrent engineering and partnering.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | contingency; planning procedure; uncertainty |
| Index terms: | building construction, construction operation, partnering, management strategy, ISO, organizational structure, quality management, construction system, construction planning, concurrent engineering, contingency theory, turbulence, placing, construction process, integration, control system |
| Subjects: | fluid mechanics, construction planning, construction operations, standards development, quality assurance, building construction, sociology, organizational analysis, partnership management, monitoring and control, engineering methods, management, concrete and cementitious materials |
| Topics: | Quality Management, Organizational Design, Site Management, Construction Materials, Engineering Principles, Business Strategy, Construction Technology, Stakeholder Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here