Standing, N A (1999) Value engineering and the contractor. PhD thesis, University of Leeds, UK.
Abstract
The thesis sets out the need for the early involvement of the contractor in value engineering. Most publications on the subject of value engineering only view the design and the life cycle costing aspects and do not take into consideration that there is still potential at the construction stage that has remained untapped. The research has been a qualitative in nature as no literature exists on the subject, however questionnaires, focus groups were utilised to review the areas of concerned. The research was reinforced by examination of contractor led value engineering on the case studies on Limehouse Link, Barking Reach Power Station and Jubilee Line Extension Project 102 and the contractors performance client side in the Southern Water case studies. This allowed the research study to view the contractor from their constructional expertise and to their performance with client's value management/engineering workshops. The main barrier to contractor led value engineering within the construction industry is procurement, which been researched in depth. The nature of the existing procurement systems breaks the continuity of the project value chain, however the PFI form with a equity stake provides the best community. A research model was developed using the project value chain as the base framework to provide a means for the contractor to be involved in the project early by using a value management incentive programme. The research model was validated in two separate focus groups that consisted of industry professionals. To provide a "mechanism" for the contractor to become involved earlier in a project the value management incentive programme is discussed. The introduction of value management incentive programme allows the contractor to operate in pre-contract situation or post contract with the benefit that their intellectual property is protected under a confidentiality agreement or under a value incentive clause.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | case studies; client; confidentiality; life cycle; power station; value engineering; value management; workshops |
| Index terms: | value engineering, programme, focus group, publication, power station, questionnaire, confidentiality, intellectual property, life cycle, value chain, case study, workshop, construction industry, costing, contractor's performance, value management, procurement system |
| Subjects: | value management, data collection methods, value chain strategy, management, industry analysis, infrastructure and transport systems, project controls, intellectual property, research dissemination and communication, construction type, contractual arrangements, contract management, accounting and finance, professional ethics |
| Topics: | Legal Issues, Value Management, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Project Management, Engineering Principles, Contract Administration, Time Control, Construction Technology, Cost Management, Research Practice, Information Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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