Browne, M (2007) Towards a thematic approach to research within a taught postgraduate programme in construction and project management: A Northern Ireland context. In: Boyd, D (ed.) Proceedings of 23rd Annual ARCOM Conference, 3-5 September 2007, Belfast, UK.
Abstract
The recent changes within Northern Ireland, the improved political climate, the drivers on the public sector and the response from the construction industry, have led to the need to maximise the effectiveness and efficiency of postgraduate research in Northern Ireland. Our response to these pressures is detailed including a discussion on the introduction of an overarching research theme coupled with the use of an international best practice framework. The taught postgraduate programme in Construction & Project Management at the University of Ulster, a full and part time programme, has been at the forefront of local work-based construction management research since 1988. The research and dissertation component of the course represents one third of the credits required for successful attainment of the Master’s qualification. Whilst the MSc course committee is prepared to accommodate student choice in terms of topic selection, increasingly urgent and important topics are emerging from the dynamic of political stability, unprecedented economic growth and the need for the construction industry to play its part in the prosperity of Northern Ireland 'PLC'. A theme that pervades a significant amount of research work has been the need to improve organisational performance to deliver both 'efficiency gains' and project based 'whole life value' for Northern Ireland’s society. The organisations themselves are both in the public and private sectors, either in the role of construction client and /or as providers within the supply chain. Using the 'Excellence' concept as a best practice framework, a number of studies have been conducted into the delivery of high levels of performance across the following research areas: public sector departments or private firms as a whole, programmes, procurement and, of course, projects in particular. Some examples of research projects are given and the benefits of taking a thematic approach are discussed.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Northern Ireland; organisational performance improvement; research theme |
| Index terms: | best practice, postgraduate, organizational performance, effectiveness, economic growth, dissertation, construction industry, project management, efficiency, qualification, management research, society, stability, private sector, part time, construction client, public sector, programme, Northern Ireland |
| Subjects: | project management theory and practice, physical geography and landforms, economic development, management, performance measurement, structural engineering, performance management, educational resources, administrative law, communities and social development, higher education, industry analysis, project controls, practitioner, research dissemination and communication, business, research design and methodology |
| Topics: | Sustainability, Stakeholder Management, Roles and Professions, Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Project Management, Business Strategy, Education, Time Control, Quality Management, Human Resources, Legal Issues |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
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