Abuzaid, G (2010) Determining the competitiveness of UK's consulting engineering firms through the dynamic capabilities view. PhD thesis, University of Reading, UK.
Abstract
The consulting engineering firm is viewed from the dynamic capabilities view (Teece, et al., 1997 and Teece, 2005) which prescribes identifying sector core competences that provide a starting point to understand the sector fundamental business and the core competences that firms compete to develop dynamic capabilities on. The theoretical underpinning of the research is developed from the literature of Professional Service Firms. It analyses the performance management of the consulting engineering firm, using the Balanced Professional Service firm model (Maister, 1997) and identifies the core competences of the consulting engineering sector that are used by firms to develop dynamic capabilities of direct relationship to competitive advantage and competitiveness. Then a comprehensive framework of international competitiveness is put forward for measurement. This framework consists of firm-specific dynamic capabilities and critical success factors with direct impact on performance of the consulting engineering firm. The research identifies critical success factors based on examining six international consulting engineering firms – three publicly quoted and three privately owned – that achieved significant performance in the international markets in the last ten years. These comprehensive case studies include methodical assessment of the ‘international competitiveness framework' – scoring, weighting and aggregation that showed the importance that each firm places on dynamic capabilities. The research also thoroughly reviews and analyses the historical developments of the six firms to objectively develop a realist view of the critical success factors. These success factors were consequently validated by thirteen supplementary engineering consultancies in an international business focus group in the UK Association for Consultancy and Engineering. The research identifies four key determinants of the competitiveness of UK consulting engineering firms in the international markets: (i) financial capabilities (cash flow), (ii) organisational capabilities (knowledge management); (iii) international operational capabilities (operational efficiency); and (iv) technical capabilities (professionals). The linkages and interrelationships between these critical success factors and competitiveness of the firm are established and elucidated in an explanatory model. The study further shows that the international strategy of the firm determines the scope and relationships between these capabilities.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | dynamic capabilities; competence; competitive advantage; competitiveness; international business; knowledge management; markets; performance; professional; professional service firm; efficiency; market; case studies; focus group; critical success factor |
| Index terms: | focus group, cash flow, success factor, strategy, engineering firm, competence, dynamic capability, knowledge management, consultancy, critical success factor, case study, competitive advantage, international business, performance management, efficiency, professional service firm, linkage, historical development, competitiveness, international market, markets, determinant |
| Subjects: | architectural and construction history, economic analysis, health monitoring assessment and metrics, data collection methods, risk assessment, strategic management, business, organization, control systems, market analysis, management, financial management, performance measurement, performance management, firms, development economics, professional development, personnel development |
| Topics: | Risk Management, Project Management, Health and Safety, Quality Management, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Information Management, Cost Management, Business Strategy, Organizational Design, Human Resources, International Construction |
| 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