Aboelyousr, M; El-Sayegh, S and Ahmed, S (2025) Multi-criteria decision support model for selecting the appropriate construction management firm. International Journal of Construction Management, 25(5), pp. 552-561. ISSN 1562-3599
Abstract
Construction management (CM) companies serve as representatives for clients, aiding them in overseeing construction projects throughout the project's entire life cycle. Opting for the right CM firm enhances the likelihood of a successful project completion. Existing research has highlighted a lack of decision support models for CM firms. This study introduces a multi-criteria decision support model employing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for the selection of suitable Construction Management firms. The primary objective of this model is to guide decision-makers in choosing the most suitable CM firm, ensuring that the provider offers the necessary services from project initiation to closure. Additionally, this research seeks to standardize the CM firm selection process based on key criteria, which were identified through a literature review. The significance of these criteria was assessed via a survey distributed to construction professionals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The survey collected feedback by having respondents make pairwise comparisons of the identified criteria. The data, consisting of 52 survey responses, were analysed using Expert Choice software and utilized to construct the AHP-based model. The findings reveal that the most crucial factors for CM firm selection are prior experience in similar projects, financial stability, proficiency in Building Information Modelling (BIM), the qualifications and capabilities of key staff members, ongoing project experience, and expertise in risk management. The study also presents a four-stage framework that decision-makers can follow when selecting the appropriate CM firm, and it includes a case study to illustrate the application of the proposed model.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction management; contracting; decision support models; selection factors |
| Index terms: | literature review, survey, building information modelling, decision support, qualification, construction project, life cycle, construction professional, United Arab Emirates, stability, risk management, case study |
| Subjects: | risk assessment, value management, professional development, data collection methods, data analysis and analytics, information systems, decision analysis, production management, Geography, structural engineering, educational resources |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Education, Geographical Context, Risk Management, Information Management, Digital Applications, Project Management, 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