Post-contract material management and waste minimization: An analysis of the roles of quantity surveyors

Saka, A B; Olaore, F O and Olawumi, T O (2019) Post-contract material management and waste minimization: An analysis of the roles of quantity surveyors. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 17(4), pp. 793-807. ISSN 1726-0531

Abstract

Purpose: This paper aims to assess the level of awareness of quantity surveyors in material management and their key roles in waste minimization during the post-contract stage of the project with a view of achieving value for money in their roles. Design/methodology/approach: This involves administering a questionnaire survey to registered members of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, the only recognized professional body of quantity surveyors in Nigeria, within Lagos state. The empirical questionnaire survey succeeds a literature review that isolates the key strategies used by quantity surveyors in material management and waste minimization at the post-contract stage. The validity of the questionnaire was carried out by two experienced construction industry researchers and three experienced professional quantity surveyors to ensure that the questionnaire was not ambiguous and that it consists of the right questions in tandem with the research. The respondents were grouped into consultant’s QS and contractor’s QS. Findings: Key roles of quantity surveyors during the material management process are proper material storage, and material inventory and accounting are the most important material management and waste minimization practices during the institute stage. It revealed that there is a lack of material waste documentation practices during the construction stage. In addition, there is no statistically significant difference in the responses of the two groups. This may be because there is no clear compartmentalization between the practices of the two groups. In addition, these two groups had the same education training, as there is no difference between the educational training of the consultant’s QS and contractor’s QS. Originality/value: This study assessed the quantity surveyors’ roles with regard to material management and waste minimization. It would add to the scanty research work in this area. The study has also successfully revealed the strategies that are to be adopted by the quantity surveyors to achieve value for money during the post-contract stage.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: construction project management; material management; post-contract; quantity surveyors; waste minimization
Index terms: accounting, value-for-money, methodology, questionnaire, strategy, literature review, documentation, survey, minimization, construction industry, Lagos State, construction project management, Nigeria, validity, inventory, quantity surveying
Subjects: data collection methods, evaluation and assessment methods, profession, data analysis and analytics, economic analysis, management, research methods, algorithms, inventory management, Geography, professional development, evaluation, project management theory and practice, industry analysis
Topics: Digital Applications, Value Management, Supply Chain Management, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Project Management, Geographical Context, Information Management, Roles and Professions
Descriptive scope: 5 PCTEA

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