Lim, T H B (2009) Organizational flexibility management in construction. PhD thesis, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Abstract
Construction firms that do not engage in a continuous process of developing and managing their resources and capabilities may not survive. The aim of this study is to investigate the organizational flexibility management of construction firms in Singapore. The research method is based on questionnaire survey and data collected using face-to-face in-depth interviews with senior construction professionals. The results show that organizational flexibility is a multi-dimensional concept comprising operational flexibility, tactical flexibility and strategic flexibility. Using structural equation modelling to analyze the data, it is found that organizational flexibility is influenced, to varying degrees, by: organizational learning culture; organizational structure; employee skills and behaviour; technological capabilities; supply chain capabilities; and business strategies. The research developed checklists to help construction firms to attain flexibility. It extends knowledge in construction business management by exploring the impact of different dimensions of organizational learning on resources, capabilities and strategies towards achieving flexibility.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Ling, Y Y |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | culture; flexibility; skills; construction firms; learning; organizational learning; employee; Singapore; organizational structure; structural equation modelling; questionnaire survey; professional; interview |
| Index terms: | construction professional, dimension, Singapore, technological capability, questionnaire, business management, interview, organizational learning, organizational structure, face, business strategy, structural equation modelling, strategy, construction firm, survey |
| Subjects: | professional development, Geography, management, statistical analysis, sociology, organization, business, data collection methods, health monitoring assessment and metrics, innovation and technology management, psychology |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Research Practice, Information Management, Organizational Design, Health and Safety, Geographical Context, Engineering Principles |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
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