Bos-de Vos, M; Volker, L and Wamelink, H (2015) Prioritizing quality over profit: Value trade-offs within architect-client relations. In: Raiden, A and Aboagye-Nimo, E (eds.) Proceedings of 31st Annual ARCOM Conference, 7-9 September 2015, Lincoln, UK.
Abstract
Architectural service delivery involves a complex system of economic and quality related value dimensions, which are mutually dependent and prioritized differently by actors. Responding to professional logics as well as organizational logics, value creation goals of architects and clients are multidimensional, resulting in tensions within and across collaborating organizations. Value related tensions are evident in organizations, as has been illustrated by paradox research. However, studies on how these tensions are handled in the interaction process of collaborating organizations are still fairly limited. This explorative research focusses on value trade-offs within architect-client relations. Twenty in-depth interviews with architects and their respective clients are used to explore how economic and quality related values are negotiated by actors from collaborating organizations. Results indicate that the value negotiation process is largely dominated by tensions between profit and project quality. An analysis of two situations provides in-depth information on how architects and clients either follow an individual or mutual strategy to prioritise quality over profit. This research contributes to the theory development on value management in the construction process and helps practitioners to more consciously and efficiently handle tensions in order to improve shared value creation.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | architect-client interaction; collaboration; paradox; value |
| Index terms: | prioritizing, construction process, shared value, value creation, value management, interaction, interview, profit, strategy, negotiation, paradox, complex system, collaboration, architectural service, architect, dimension, practitioner |
| Subjects: | building construction, management, equitable outcomes, behavioral psychology, data collection methods, practice management, systems engineering, conflict resolution, practitioner, profession, health monitoring assessment and metrics, social theory and frameworks, decision analysis, economic development, economic analysis |
| Topics: | Risk Management, Health and Safety, Stakeholder Management, Organizational Design, Value Management, Design Practice, Business Strategy, Roles and Professions, Sustainability, Site Management, Engineering Principles, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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