Ruff, C M; Dzombak, D A and Hendrickson, C T (1996) Owner-contractor relationships on contaminated site remediation projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 122(4), pp. 348-353. ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Contaminated site remediation projects have characteristics that distinguish them from conventional construction projects, including substantial regulatory oversight and significant uncertainty about subsurface conditions and the effectiveness of the remedial technology chosen. The unusual features of remediation projects suggests that nontraditional or innovative contracting mechanisms may be beneficial. Sixty completed remediation projects were studied to identify and document the effects of different project management structures and contracting strategies on project outcomes. Survey results indicated that changes in scope, budget overruns, delays, disputes, and change orders are common on remediation projects. Flexible project management strategies, such as turnkey and partnering arrangements, and flexible contracting schemes, such as cost plus fee, were found to be better suited to accommodate such changes. Turnkey and design/construct project structures had the best performance overall of the management structures reported. Mechanisms to promote partnering and team building contributed significantly to project success as defined by budget and schedule.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Index terms: | project success, construction project, dispute, partnering, effectiveness, team building, owner, cost-plus, project outcome, project management, survey, change order, budget overrun, strategy |
| Subjects: | contractual arrangements, management, performance management, financial and cost management, production management, partnership management, project completion, project management theory and practice, sociology, dispute resolution, contractual condition, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Research Practice, Stakeholder Management, Legal Issues, Cost Management, Procurement, Quality Management, Contract Administration, Business Strategy, Project Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
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