Chomicka, B A (2013) Drivers and cost implications of quality failures in commercial offices. PhD thesis, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK.
Abstract
At present, the process of achieving the required quality of a corporate office building is difficult and inefficient, involving a significant amount of design variation, rework and abortive work, reducing the value that can be profitably delivered to all parties involved in the delivery effort. In order to achieve greater quality without an increase in product cost (and therefore product price), and to improve the overall financial performance of commercial office buildings’ delivery teams, it is necessary to identify, measure and articulate the determinants and cost implications of quality figures in this specific type of construction product. The aim of this research was the identification, measurement and articulation of the root cause of quality failures in commercial office buildings. To achieve this aim the adopted methodology relied on data collection, analysis of data and its interpretation to create the first bottom-up cost database ever generated in the global construction industry that provides insight into the actual costs of internal quality failure rectification. The key outcome of this research of three cases studies is a baseline and conclusions which suggest a misunderstanding of project management practice in the construction industry as one that delivers buildings, as opposed to broadly understood value, to their clients. This database, and the information supporting it, offers a wider, holistic view of the construction industry’s practices as revolving around an understanding of clients’ business and not the delivery of square metres. This study offers information on allocating resources where they generate most value, allowing businesses involved in corporate office delivery to make better informed decisions in pursuing business opportunities, and makes costs incurred by all parties involved in the delivery effort transparent.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | failure; measurement; project management practice |
| Index terms: | database, office building, determinant, construction industry, global construction, rework, commercial office, project management practice, actual cost, construction product, variation, methodology, financial performance |
| Subjects: | construction type, strategic management, operations management, economic analysis, business analysis, research methods, risk assessment, financial and cost management, project management theory and practice, contractual condition, data management, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Risk Management, Project Management, Contract Administration, Digital Applications, International Construction, Construction Technology, Business Strategy, Cost Management, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
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