Kwawu, W and Laryea, S (2014) Governance structures in collaborative working practices. In: Raiden, A and Aboagye-Nimo, E (eds.) Proceedings of 30th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2014, Portsmouth, UK.
Abstract
Over the past 30 years, there has been growing pressure on construction companies and clients to adopt partnering contracts. This represents an important institutional innovation that potentially acts as a driver for changing rooted managerial approaches towards a sustainable supply chain management and governance. However some of the challenges faced include integrating several relational themes with traditional procurement processes. In addition the factors for creating, managing and fulfilling partnering contracts vary across construction projects. This paper investigates the role of governance structures, processes and actors in the governance of collaboration. Using a case study of a partnering framework agreement between a county council and a road maintenance contractor, some of the factors for creating, managing and fulfilling relational contracts are highlighted. A conceptual framework is adopted to analyse and evaluate the business relationship as it evolves. The results indicate that governance structures, processes and actors involved standardized procedures and use of individual perceptions. In addition, organisational and individual perceptions influenced the choice of appropriate governance mechanisms and strategies used in coordinating, controlling and legitimizing the business relationships. Future studies may look into the moderating and mediating role of relational and formal attributes on performance. Researchers could focus on the interventions that managers undertake to make sure that trust and standardized procedures (control) enhance performance.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | actors; collaborative working; governance; partnering; structures |
| Index terms: | working practice, strategy, construction company, traditional procurement, partnering, manager, maintenance contractor, framework agreement, business relationship, case study, governance, conceptual framework, future study, construction project, collaboration |
| Subjects: | partnership management, theoretical framing, management, production management, contractual arrangements, data collection methods, strategic management, business, research design and methodology, organization, practitioner |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Research Practice, Project Management, Stakeholder Management, Roles and Professions, Procurement, Governance, Organizational Design |
| 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