Ballesteros-Pérez, P; Phua, F T T and Mora-Melià, D (2019) Human resource allocation to multiple projects based on members' expertise, group heterogeneity, and social cohesion. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 145(2): 04018134, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Project managers regularly allocate human resources to construction projects. This critical task is usually executed by fulfilling the minimum project staffing requirements, normally based around the quantity and competence of project members. However, research has shown that team performance can increase by up to 10% and 18%, respectively, as a consequence of the group members' heterogeneity and social cohesion. There is currently no practical quantitative tool that incorporates these aspects, allowing project managers to achieve this task efficiently and objectively. A new quantitative model for the effective allocation of human resources to multiple projects, which takes group heterogeneity and social cohesion into account, is proposed. This model is easy to build, update, and use in real project environments with the use of a spreadsheet and a basic optimization engine (e.g., Excel Solver). A case study is proposed and solved with a genetic algorithm to illustrate the implementation of the model. Finally, a validation example is provided to exemplify how group heterogeneity and social cohesion condition academic achievement in an academic setting.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | cohesion; fault lines; heterogeneity; human resource allocation; human resource management; sociometry; team performance |
| Index terms: | case study, validation, academic achievement, project manager, team performance, construction project, human resource allocation, human resource, human resource management, implementation, social cohesion, competence, genetic algorithm, spreadsheet, cohesion |
| Subjects: | data science, professional development, sociology, algorithms, management, structural engineering, contractual arrangements, profession, production management, data collection methods, educational resources, personnel development |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Organizational Design, Human Resources, Digital Applications, Engineering Principles, Project Management, Information Management, Procurement, Education |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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