Panagiotakopoulos, P D (2005) A systems and cybernetics approach to corporate sustainability in construction. PhD thesis, Heriot-Watt University, UK.
Abstract
Sustainability is a complex challenge that has to be met at all levels of society. The construction sector has a particular responsibility to do so, due to its significant sustainability impacts. The purpose of this thesis is to facilitate the effective transition to sustainability of construction sector companies. In order to address the complexity involved, a systems and cybernetics approach is adopted. It is used to describe sustainability and sustainable development as a goal and an adaptive process. At the corporate level, it is used to review a number of sustainability related concepts, methods and tools; the organisational levels for their effective implementation are then identified, using the cybernetic Viable System Model (VSM). The systems approach is also used to review a number of sustainability assessment tools for construction projects and appreciate their different properties. In order to aid the sustainability management of a specific Property Development Company (PDC), an organisational structure is designed based on the VSM. This is combined with sustainability and sustainable construction tools to form a complete management framework. It is also used to identify the intervention points where a PDC, or other type of organisation, can most effectively improve its sustainability performance. Thus, this thesis offers an important step towards the sustainability of the construction sector.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | complexity; organisational structure; property development; sustainability; sustainable construction; sustainable development |
| Index terms: | construction project, complexity, construction sector, organizational structure, society, sustainable construction, sustainability assessment, sustainable development, implementation, property development, sustainability management, sustainability performance |
| Subjects: | contractual arrangements, sustainability assessment, economic development, health safety and environment, production management, sustainable construction, communities and social development, sociology, industry analysis, environmental engineering, systems engineering |
| Topics: | Urban Studies, Organizational Design, Research Practice, Stakeholder Management, Project Management, Engineering Principles, Health and Safety, Procurement, Sustainability |
| 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