Glavinich, T E (1990) Development of a model microcomputer-based project management system. DrEng thesis, University of Kansas, USA.
Abstract
The construction industry has never standardized methods for the planning and control of projects. This deficiency has been aggravated over the past decade by the ready availability, widespread use and expanding capabilities of the microcomputer. Microcomputers have given even the smallest of builders the capability of benefiting from modern project management techniques which only a few years before were available to only the larger and more sophisticated builders having access to mainframe computers. To fulfill the construction industry's need for project management software, a flurry of project management software packages have been written or adapted from existing mini- and mainframe computer software packages for microcomputers. These microcomputer-based project management systems all have different computing and reporting capabilities and can produce varying results using identical input data. This has led to a great deal of confusion and problems in the planning, monitoring and controlling of construction projects by builders, designers and owners. In addition, advances in management science which have been successfully applied in government and other industries have not been taken advantage of by the construction industry. These advances provide the potential for more effective risk management that should allow U. S. builders to successfully assume greater risks and become more competitive in the world marketplace. The objective of this project was to define the characteristics of a model microcomputer-based project management system for the planning, monitoring and control of construction projects. This objective was met by first reviewing modern management techniques to identify those techniques that should be incorporated into a model project management system for the construction industry. Following this, a review of how project management is currently performed in the construction industry was made to make certain that the results of this project were compatible with the construction industry. A model project management system for the construction industry was then defined.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | computing; government; monitoring; project management techniques; risk management |
| Index terms: | software package, builder, project management software, construction project, computing, management science, owner, project management technique, designer, package, construction industry, project management, monitoring, risk management |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, sociology, project management theory and practice, software systems, management, control systems, computing systems, risk assessment, profession, production management, contractual arrangements, operations management, digital technology, practitioner |
| Topics: | Site Management, Digital Applications, Stakeholder Management, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Procurement, Risk Management, Engineering Principles, Project Management |
| 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